Homemade Ice Cream Relay

In 1984, Ronald Reagan issued a presidential proclamation, number 5219, proclaiming July, national ice cream month, and calling on the people of the United States of America to observe the event with "appropriate ceremonies and activities".

As far as I can tell, the proclamation was really only intended for 1984, but has seemed to stick ever since. And really, since the national economy, in 1984 at least, seemed to be linked through the dairy industry, to the sale of ice cream, who am I, not to do my part in keeping up such a fine observance.

So, with that in mind, we celebrated the beginning of national ice cream month, official or non, with our first annual, ice cream making relay.

We loaded up three coffee cans, for a kick the can, ice cream making type game (click here for the recipe, and instructions), and then divided the children into three teams. We gave each team a can, and set a timer for 20 minutes. Each team was responsible for keeping their can rolling for the entire 20 minutes.


Then, when they were starting get hot, and a little tired, we livened things up, by turning on the sprinklers.


After the 20 minutes, we marked the cans, so we could compare the quality of each team's efforts. Then, we popped the cans (just the inner little cans, holding the ice cream), into the freezer.


After, a couple of hours of hardening time, we pulled them out, unsealed the cans...


...and served up the ice cream with a variety of mix in options - crushed oreos, M&Ms, eggless cookie dough, and candy sprinkles.


As to the quality of the ice cream, it was a tie between the teams. All the ice cream was fabulous. And, as to Ronald Reagan, he is now the children's choice for best American president of all time.


It's great to be a homeschooler.