Looking for fun ice cream activities for kids this summer? From homemade ice cream and colorful art projects to sensory play and simple science experiments, these hands-on ideas make learning feel like summer vacation.
Whether you’re planning preschool summer themes, camp activities, or an afternoon at home, these easy ice cream activities combine science, art, sensory play, and creativity using simple supplies.
👉 You’ll also find free printables and even more ideas inside our Classic Summer Fun Collection, packed with screen-free summer activities for kids.
Ice Cream Activities to Try
Explore these easy ice cream activities for preschoolers, kindergarteners, and elementary-aged kids. Mix and match science, art, and sensory play to create your own summer learning day.
Ice Cream in a Bag
Learn about freezing point depression while making homemade ice cream in a bag. Science has never tasted so good! You can also make snow cream in the winter!
DIY Slushie Science
Make a refreshing homemade slushie while exploring how salt lowers the freezing point of ice. It’s another delicious chemistry experiment kids love.
Ice Cream Sensory Bin
Fill a bin with colorful pom poms, scoops, bowls, and pretend cones for imaginative ice cream shop play. Add counting, sorting, and color matching for extra learning.
Ice Cream Playdough
Make a batch of our easy no-cook frosting playdough and pair it with toy cones and scoops. Kids can build pretend sundaes while strengthening fine motor skills. Try our taste-safe frosting playdough version for younger children.
Ice Cream Taste Test
Turn snack time into a simple science investigation! Compare different ice cream flavors using your five senses. Observe how each flavor looks, smells, tastes, and feels. Then graph your family’s favorites and discuss why everyone may have different opinions.
👉 Get the complete Ice Cream Taste Test printable in our Ice Cream Activities Pack.
Ice Cream Puffy Paint Art
Create fluffy scoops of ice cream using homemade puffy paint. Cut a triangle of bubble wrap and make stamped cones (stamp brown paper first or directly onto white paper), then add colorful paint for a fun mixed-media art project. Make DIY Puffy paint here.
Famous Artist Ice Cream Art
Print the free template and create colorful ice cream inspired by three famous artists. This project is a fun way to combine summer themes with art history.
Andy Warhol Popsicle Pop Art
Bright colors and repeating patterns make this famous artist activity perfect for summer art lessons.
Free Printable Popsicle Craft and Ideas Guide
Looking for an easy printable? Download our free ice cream activities guide and popsicle craft template for a simple summer art activity that pairs perfectly with these ice cream projects.
Ice Cream Sensory Bag
Need a low-mess activity? Make this reusable sensory bag for fine motor practice, color recognition, and pretend play.
Supplies
- Clear hair gel
- Gallon zip-top bag
- Black or brown permanent marker
- Colorful plastic straws
- Scissors
- Tape (optional)
Instructions
- Draw several ice cream cones on the outside of the bag.
- Fill the bag with clear hair gel.
- Cut plastic straws into sprinkle-sized pieces.
- Add the sprinkles to the bag.
- Seal tightly and reinforce with tape if desired.
Try This: Challenge kids to sort sprinkles by color, count them into each cone, or roll a die to decide how many sprinkles each cone should receive.
Ice Cream Activity Pack
Want everything ready to print?
Our Ice Cream Activity Pack includes hands-on STEM, art, games, and printable activities for preschool and elementary students.
Inside you’ll find:
- Ice Cream in a Bag science
- Ice Cream Taste Test
- Famous artist ice cream art
- Would You Rather cards
- Ice cream games
- Secret code puzzle
- Coloring pages
- Printable activities perfect for summer camp
FAQ
What age are these ice cream activities for?
Most activities work well for preschool through early elementary. Many can be simplified for toddlers or expanded for older kids.
Can I use these for summer camp?
Yes! These activities are low-prep and easy to rotate through science, art, and sensory stations.
Which activity teaches science?
Ice Cream in a Bag and DIY Slushie Science both explore freezing point depression, while taste tests introduce observation and data collection.
Do I need real ice cream?
No. Many of these activities use pretend play materials, printable templates, or art supplies.
More Summer Activities
If your kids love these ice cream activities, keep the fun going with even more screen-free summer ideas.
- Classic Summer Fun Activities
- Summer Science Experiments
- Summer Art Projects
- Science Snacks for Kids
- Cooking Science Camp
- Shark Week Activities
