With 2 simple ingredients you have in your kitchen you can quickly and easily make your own plastic milk! Kids are going to be super impressed with this fun, hands-on Milk Plastic project! With this very simple science experimentfor kids, you can turn milk into plastic! This milk and vinegar experiment is perfect for preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, and 6th graders too. Simply print pdf file with milk and vinegar experiment worksheet and you are ready to start this fun science experiment with milk!
Milk and vinegar experiment
Did you that before plastic was made from petroleum it was made from milk! In the early 1900s milk was used to make beads for jewlery and buttons. I love doing science experiments that impress kids! Not only are they eager to learn, but it stretches their little minds. Today’s easy science experiment is going to really impress your kids! They are going to change milk into plastic. The best part is this plastic milk is super simple to make and has such a great WOW effect for children of all ages. Try this turning milk into plastic with preschoolers, kindergartners, grade 1, grade 2, grade 3, grade 4, grdae 5, and grade 6 students. Whether you are a parent, teacher, or homeschooler – this vinegar and milk is a must try at home and in the classroom.
Milk and Vinegar experiment worksheet
Start by scrolling to the bottom of the post, under the terms of use, and click on the text link that says >> _____ <<. The plastic milk experiment worksheet pdf file will open in a new window for you to save the freebie and print the template.
Milk Plastic
All you need to try this simple milk activity are a few simple materials you already have in your kitchen:
- 1 cup milk
- 4 Tablespoons white distilled vinegar
- food coloring (optional)
- sprinkles or glitter (optional)
- sauce pan
- strainer
Milk science experiment
To start out with you are going to heat up 1 cup of milk to almost boiling in a saucepan or microwave it for 90 seconds.
Hint: I suggest using non-homogenized milk if possible for better clumping
Take the pan off the heat and add 4 Tablespoons white vinegar and stir for 1 minute. You will see the milk separate and clumps form.
Turn milk into plastic
Now pour into a strainer to get rid of the extra liquid.
Science experiments with milk and vinegar
This is what you are left with. Once they are cool enought to touch you can rinse the milk chunks and then press them together. Now wrap them in a paper towel and sqeeze out any extra water.
You have two choices of WHEN to color your milk plastic. Put a drop or two of food coloring in several small bowls and pour the milk in them just after you’ve added the vinegar; stir. Or you can add it once you have rinsed the chunks and squeezed out the extra liquid; you can also add in glitter.
Plastic Milk
Spoon out your clumps from the strainer and pat dry with a paper towel. The more liquid you pat out the stronger plastic you will make.
plastic made of milk
The mixture can be formed into a ball and pressed flat. I suggest using a cookie small cookie cutter shape your mixture. Press down until it is smooth.
+plastic +made +of +milk
This time we decided to make pretty beads for a fun necklace craft.
milk experiment
Use toothpicks to make holes to make beads for necklaces.
Easy Science experiment
Place on paper towels to dry for at least 2 day.
Science experiments for Preschoolers
String beads onto yarn to make a pretty necklace craft.
Science experiments for Kids
The milk plastic is durable and such a fun DIY necklace craft for kids they can make with science!
Fun Science Activities
Another ideas is to turn this into more of an experiment by testing different fat percentages of milk such as fat-free and low-fat varieties. You could even test different ratios of vinegar to milk. How about trying a different acid such as lemon juice; would that turn the milk into plastic?
Vinegar and milk chemical reaction
Wondering about the science?
No, this milk and vinegar experiment does not produce real plastic. You made a substance called CASEIN which occurs when the protein in the milk meets the acid in the vinegar. As the casein in milk does not mix with the acid, the molecules move to join forces to make the casein plastic which forms a plastic-like blob that you can strain and mold.
When the plastic is dry, it is hard, shiny, and durable.
Food science experiments for kids
Use items commonly in your kitchen to try these food experiments for kids, but note they are NOT all edible!
- Plastic Milk Experiment with free worksheet
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Summer Fun
Looking for more outdoor activities for kids and things to do in the summer? Your toddler, preschool, pre k, kindergarten, and elementary age kids will love these fun ideas to keep them busy all summer long:
- 25 EPIC Water Balloon Games
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- 2 ingredient Easy Slime Recipe
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- Amazing Bubble Painting
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Summer Activities for Kids
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- Try one of these fun Animal I Spy Printables
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Plastic milk experiment worksheet
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>> Plastic Milk Worksheet <<
While hardening does it need to stay in the cookie cutter or will it keep its shape outside the cutter until dry?
Leave it in the cookie cutter just a couple minutes and then it should keep its shapes on its own 😉
Does it stink sour milk?
Ours did not…. full disclosure, I did not let them keep it forever “just in case” =) But it was laying around our house for months….
Sounds interesting. I cannot wait to try this with me kids.