Ice Cream Shop for Kids
Give kids a chance to run their own Ice Cream Shop with our Ice Cream Shop for Kids. This pretend play will keep them happy, busy and learning.
This post may contain affiliate links.
I’m so excited to be kicking off our Mother Hen’s Summer Survival Guide this week. The theme this week is Ice Cream. Yesterday we shared some great ice cream ideas from our favorite sites. Today I’m sharing a fun Ice Cream Shop idea that will keep your kids busy during the summer!
Ice Cream Shop for Kids
Each week we will share favorite Children’s books that go along with our theme. I LOVE children’s literature, and reading to my kids. There were so many fun ice cream themed books that we shared earlier today.
A favorite that I used to kick off this week with my kids is Gail Gibbon’s book Ice Cream, The Full Scoop.
I love Gail Gibbons’ books…her illustrations are amazing. She teaches concepts through her books in such a fun way. This one is a must have to kick off this week! In this book, Gail Gibbons walks kids through the process of making ice cream…from the cow to the ice cream shop. She shares so many details…and even has very detailed illustrations. It’s like an ice cream factory tour throughout the book…amazing! Now we just need to go visit a real ice cream factory!
After reading Ice Cream the Full Scoop…we set up our own ice cream shop.
Here’s how we did it! You can download the free ice cream printables below…the ice cream sign and ice cream order forms.
What you will need for a Pretend play Ice Cream Shop:
- Large pom pom balls….colorful and bright (for the ice cream scoops)
- Bowls (I found these mini waffle cone ice cream bowls at Michaels Craft Store…they are plastic too!)
- Craft or Toilet paper rolls for the cones. Cut the roll length wise…lay it out flat. Add diagonal stripes both ways with a brown marker. Fold into a cone…staples and trim the top!
- My Ice Cream Printables Below
- Any other pretend ice cream or ice cream decor. We found the adorable ice cream cone banner to hang…from Michaels.
- Play money
Display the printable ice cream sign.
This will help your little ones learn how to count money. 
We love using play money for our pretend stores. Even my 5 year olds can count change! 
Print out some Ice Cream Order forms and let your kids take turns being the customer.
They can fill in their selection of cone or bowl, how many scoops and if they would like a cherry on top! 
They can also tell how they want their scoops to go…what pattern…maybe pink, orange, green, pink, orange, green, and they can color in the mini ice cream cones on the card. The one below is an AABB pattern…pink, pink, orange, orange…so many possibilities. The kids will have fun with this! 
They love me being a customer…I’m not kidding when I say my kids will play “pretend” stores for hours and hours! This new ice cream shop is quite the hit! Kids learn soooo much from dramatic play. I love their little imaginations! The best part about being a kid:)
The best kind of learning is when they don’t even know! They are learning so much and having a blast.
Ice Cream Shop Sign Download (PERSONAL USE ONLY PLEASE…All downloads and printables are property of The Crafting Chicks, LLP.)
Ice Cream Order Form Download (PERSONAL USE ONLY PLEASE…All downloads and printables are property of The Crafting Chicks, LLP.)
Don’t forget to check out our other books we picked out for our Ice Cream themed week!
Be sure to check out the other posts in our Ice Cream Week.
Don’t forget to follow along each week!
Here’s some more fun Ice Cream Theme Party Supplies:
Where did you get that cute little shop stand? Or did you make it?
Hi Jamie, I tried to print the ice cream sign but it was split into 3 pages instead of just a one page document when I downloaded it. Can you help?