How to Make Ice Cream in a Bag

Are you looking for a sweet hands-on science activity that your students will love? Try making ice cream in a bag! This is a classic activity for demonstrating emulsion, freezing point depression, and states of matter while getting to enjoy a yummy treat. This activity is a class favorite every year (not to mention one of my favorite activities). The ingredients are easy to find and the activity only takes about 20 minutes from start to finish.  

This activity is one of the 10 included in my 10 Science Activities Resource. If you want more engaging, easy to manage hands-on science activities and investigations, grab this resource! 

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Making ice cream in a bag with your students is a fun, quick, and very manageable science activity! I’ve included the instructions and supplies needed for making ice cream in a bag below. Just don’t forget to grab the fun toppings and cones or bowls you’ll need!

Ice Cream Supplies

• 1 ½ cups of half and half
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla
• ⅓  cup of rock salt
• 3 cups of ice
• 1 gallon-size Ziploc Bag
• 1 pint-size Ziploc bag

How to Make Ice Cream in a Bag

Step 1:

Start by filling the gallon-size Ziploc bag with half the

ice. Sprinkle half of the rock salt over the ice and then

place the pint-size Ziploc bag inside.

Step 2:

Carefully measure and pour the half and half into

the small pint-size bag along with the vanilla and sugar.

Make sure the top is sealed tightly.

Step 3:

Pack the rest of the ice around the cream-filled

baggie and sprinkle the rest of the rock salt. Zip the

top, wrap it in the dishtowel and shake.

Step 4:

You’ll want to shake for at least three minutes.

Creamy ice cream should be waiting for you inside!

Step 5:

Remove the ice cream from the bag of salted ice and enjoy it straight from the baggie.

To get the full instruction printable with extension questions, you can get the 10 Science Activities resources from my store! It includes 9 more activities that your students will love.  They’re perfect to add to your current science curriculum, use for a family science night, or save for a science fun day! 

I hope you and your students enjoy this activity! It’s great for in the classroom as a fun reward or brain break activity.  You can also easily do this at home with kids and family members.  Try adding different flavoring extracts and adding fun toppings.  If you’d made ice cream in the classroom, I’d love to hear about it in the comments.