An ice cream party is great for any occasion—birthdays, end-of-school celebrations, or just a fun time for kids to get together. Below are 10 ideas to help you throw the coolest and most memorable ice cream party for kids.
- Invitations That Set the Tone
- Ice Cream Bar
- Custom Toppings Station
- Sundae Creation Contest
- Frozen Treats and Snacks
- Ice Cream Themed Games
- Ice Cream Craft Station
- Party Decorations That Scream Ice Cream
- Dress Code
- Ice Cream Goodie Bags
Before the party can begin, guests need to be invited. Custom invitations that match the ice cream theme can build excitement beforehand. Consider crafting invites that look like cones or colourful popsicles, listing all the essential details of the event.
Central to your party will be the ice cream bar. Offer a variety of flavours, but to simplify logistics, limit the number of choices to three to five crowd-pleasers such as vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. For the adventurous, options like mint chocolate chip or cookie dough can also be included. Ensure you have a lactose-free or vegan option to accommodate all dietary restrictions. Consider adding a selection of unique ice cream flavours to your party. Flavours like lavender honey, matcha green tea, or salted caramel could provide an adventurous twist to your ice cream selection.
The topping station is where guests can get creative. Set out nuts, sprinkles, chocolate chips, marshmallows, fruit, syrup, whipped cream, and cherries. Kids can make their ice cream treats just the way they want, creating tasty delights.
Spark some friendly competition with a custom topping contest. Set out a variety of ingredients and challenge your guests to come up with the most creative topping. Then, have everyone sample and vote for their favourite.
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Offer different ice cream flavours and toppings like hot fudge, sprinkles, whipped cream, nuts, and cherries. Put them in separate bowls or jars with spoons so guests can mix and match their favourite combinations. Organize a contest for the most creatively decorated sundae.
Give kids free rein with the toppings bar and let them craft their unique sundaes. Offer small prizes for various categories like “Most Colourful,” “Most Original,” or “Tallest Sundae.”
Besides the ice cream, offer other frozen treats like popsicles or frozen yoghurt to add variety. Also, have some salty snacks like pretzels or popcorn on hand to balance the sweetness and provide options for guests who might want a break from the sugar.
Offer an array of cookies, brownies, and other sweets for guests to sandwich their ice cream between. Include unusual cookie flavours and different ice cream varieties to ensure a fun sandwich-making experience.
Prepare a space where guests can make their waffle cones or bowls. A waffle cone maker is a relatively inexpensive appliance that adds a homemade touch to your party. You can have different waffle mixes and a cone roller ready for guests to use—for safety reasons, adults should supervise this station if children are present.
Games add fun and structure to the party. Easy-to-organize options include “Pin the Cherry on the Sundae,” a “Scoop Stack Relay” where kids race to scoop balls of Styrofoam onto cones, or an “Ice Cream Eating Contest” with pre-scooped bowls to avoid any mess.
The “Ice Cream Relay Race,” involves children being divided into teams. Each team member must carry a scoop of faux ice cream on a cone or spoon from one end of a course to a bowl at the other end without dropping it. The catch is that they must navigate through various obstacles, emulating the winding path of creating a perfect ice cream treat.
An entertaining addition to the party is ice cream-themed trivia, sharing fun facts about ice cream’s history or playing guessing games like “name that flavour.” For outdoor parties, consider games like ice cream cone relay races or a timed sundae-making contest.
Additionally, the “Frozen T-Shirt Challenge” can bring laughter as children race to unfold and wear a frozen t-shirt. Each t-shirt is soaked in water, folded, and then frozen overnight. The first child to successfully don the t-shirt wins a prize.
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Great for parties including younger guests, an ice cream-themed craft station can provide a space for children to create and take home memories of the party. Consider ice cream cone decorating with non-edible materials or painting with ice cream-shaped stamps.
Kids can make cone hats or decorate their paper bowls. Consider activities like making bead necklaces in ice cream colours or colouring ice cream-themed pages.
For a quieter yet creative diversion, consider “Design Your Sundae,” where kids are given paper, crayons, and markers to fashion their imaginary sundaes. Judging criteria for the most innovative or colourful creation can add competitive excitement.
A festive atmosphere can be achieved with the right decorations. You can hang pastel paper lanterns resembling scoops of ice cream, in shades of strawberry pink, vanilla cream, and mint green. These can be combined with honeycomb ice cream cone decorations suspended from the ceiling. Wall decor can include posters or cutouts of classic ice cream cones, sundaes, and popsicles. For table decorations, use playful centre pieces featuring ice cream creations or actual sundae glasses filled with floral arrangements.
The serving table can be adorned with a sprinkle-patterned runner and surrounded by balloons shaped like various ice cream flavours. Photo booth areas with props, such as giant ice cream cone cutouts, will help in creating memorable snapshots for guests.
Encourage children to dress in theme with pastel colours or ice cream print clothing. You can even provide temporary tattoos with ice cream designs or ice cream cone-shaped sunglasses as party favours.
Send guests home with a reminder of the cool time they had. Goodie bags can include items like ice cream-shaped erasers, stickers, bubble gum that looks like scoops of ice cream, and a small toy ice cream cone.
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With these ten ideas, your ice cream party is sure to be the coolest event of the season. Ensure that each of these ideas is implemented with safety and inclusivity in mind. Having a designated allergy-friendly section at the topping station and ice cream bar, as well as adult supervision at all times, are crucial steps for a successful party.
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