Evaporated Milk Paint
Place small amounts of evaporated milk in several small containers. (A six-cup muffin tin works well for this.) Add two or three drops of different colors of food coloring to each container and stir. Let the children use the colored milk to paint on shapes cut out of construction paper.
Variation: Mix food coloring with condensed milk to make enamel-like paint. Let the children use the paint to make strips of different colors on construction paper squares and then hold up their squares to let the colors run together. (Although this method is expensive, the brilliant colors created make it worth doing at least once a year.)
Ice Cream Cones
For each child, cut a large cone shape out of white construction paper and three circles out of colored construction paper. Have the children place their cone shapes on pieces of plastic screen (or any material that will make criss-cross impressions) and rub across them with brown crayons. Then have each child glue his or her cone shape on a piece of paper and select three colored circles to glue on top to make a triple-decker ice cream cone.
Making Butter
Fill baby food jars half full of whipping cream and screw the lids on tightly. Let two children take turns shaking each jar. After about six minutes the cream will be whipped, and after another minute or so, lumps of yellow butter will form. Rinse off the liquid whey and add a little salt (if desired) before spreading the butter on crackers for tasting.
Variation: Let the children observe as you use an electric mixer or an egg beater to whip the cream in a bowl. Stop for tasting. Then continue whipping the cream until butter forms.
Count the Cheese Holes
Cut at least six triangles of "cheese" out of yellow construction paper. With a hole punch, punch one hole in the first piece of cheese, two holes in the second piece, and so on. Then number six paper plates from 1 to 6. Let the children take turns arranging the paper plates in numerical order. Then have them count the number of holes in the pieces of cheese and place them on the matching numbered plates.
Ice-Cream Cone Match-Ups
Draw identical double-decker ice-cream cones on ten small white index cards. Color each pair a different color. Then mix up the cards and let the children take turns finding the matching pairs of cones.
Thank You, Cows
Sung to : "Mary Had a Little Lamb"
Thank you, cows,
For the milk we drink,
Milk we drink, milk we drink.
Thank you, cows,
For the milk we drink.
We say MOOO to you!
Additional verses: "Thank you, cows, for the butter on our bread. For the cheese on our crackers. For the cream on our pies. For cottage cheese and yogurt. For the ice cream we love."
Cheese Kabobs
Cut several varieties of cheese into 1-inch cubes. Set out the cheese cubes and some pretzel sticks. Let the children spear the cubes of cheese on the pretzel sticks to make cheese kabobs.
Purple Cows
In a blender container put 1 cup milk, 1/4 cup grape juice, and 1 sliced banana. Blend until smooth and frothy. Makes 2 servings.
Cottage Cheese Dip
Blend 1/3 cup milk, 1 pint cottage cheese, and 1/2 package onion or vegetable soup mix by hand or in a blender. Refrigerate 1/2 hour. Serve with raw vegetables such as carrot and celery sticks, zucchini and cucumber slices, or small pieces of cauliflower.