Milk and Vinegar Christmas Ornaments

Who would have thought you could make these pretty ornaments from milk and vinegar? Combine science and art this holiday season with a fun Christmas STEAM activity. Get the kids making their own science ornaments to hang on the tree. Christmas time is a fun opportunity for craft projects and homemade ornaments with kids.

CHRISTMAS STEAM ORNAMENTS WITH MILK AND VINEGAR

SCIENCE CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS

Here’s another fun activity to add to our collection of science Christmas ornaments. Science ornaments are an awesome alternative for kids who are not keen on crafts, as well as for all kiddos! Investigate what happens when you add vinegar to milk, and make these homemade Christmas ornaments in the process! Chemistry and Christmas craft all in one!

ALSO CHECK OUT: Milk and Vinegar Experiment

Our Christmas Activities are designed with you, the parent or teacher, in mind! Easy to set up, quick to do, most activities will take only 15 to 30 minutes to complete and are heaps of fun! Plus, our supplies lists usually contain only free or cheap materials you can source from home!

CHRISTMAS MILK & VINEGAR ORNAMENTS

Let’s get right to learning how to turn milk into a plastic like substance… Head to the kitchen, open the fridge and grab the milk.

YOU WILL NEED:

1 cup milk
4 tablespoons vinegar
Sharpies
Cookie cutters
Strainer
Paper towel
Straw
5/8 ribbon

HOW TO MAKE MILK AND VINEGAR ORNAMENTS

STEP 1. Add 1 cup of milk to a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 90 seconds.

STEP 2. Add 4 tablespoons of vinegar into the milk and stir for 60 seconds.

You will notice that the milk solids will separate from the liquid or whey.

STEP 3. Pour the mixture into a strainer and press out all the milk solids. Press paper towel into the strainer to remove any leftover liquid.

STEP 4. Place cookie cutters on another piece of paper towel. Then press your milk solids into the cookie cutter and use a straw to punch a hole in the top of the ornaments.

STEP 5. Let it sit for 48 hours and then carefully remove from the cookie cutter. Then decorate your ornament with a sharpie.

STEP 6. Place a piece of ribbon through the hole and tie it into a loop.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU MIX MILK AND VINEGAR

Really, this milk and vinegar experiment does not produce real plastic. The new substance is casein plastic. If you want to explore real plastic polymers, try some homemade slime!

A chemical reaction occurs between the milk and the vinegar to form the plastic like substance. When the protein in the milk called casein comes in contact with the vinegar, the casein and vinegar do not mix but rather the molecules move around and join forces to make the casein plastic!

The casein becomes these plastic-like blobs that you can strain out and mold into shapes. This is one way of making a simple cheese from milk. Who would have thought!

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