Ice Creams 🍦
⏱️ Time: 5–7 mins
👶 Best for: Under 3’s (but adaptable for older children)
📍 Position in Session: (after warm-up or skills)
🎯 Purpose
A fun movement-based game to develop motor coordination, balance, imagination, and object handling skills. Especially useful for engaging younger Tots while reinforcing basic object placement and sequencing.
🎮 How to Play
Circle time intro: Sit the children down and ask:
“Who likes ice cream? 🍦” (Big enthusiastic YES!)
Explain that they will be building their own magical ice creams — with each item representing a new layer.
Make it stand out
Setup (by assistants)
Scatter the following stations around the room:
Cone = Traffic cone
Fillings = Beanbags
Marshmallows = Tennis balls
Ice Cream scoop = Large football
Toppings = Round cones
Sauce = Colourful scarves
Flake = Drop-down line
👟 Activity Flow
Children start by picking up a cone.
Then they travel around the room, collecting each “ingredient” one at a time and carefully stacking them on the cone.
Once the whole "ice cream" is built, they walk over and drop it into a sack/bucket held by a coach or parent.
Repeat as many times as attention span allows!
End the game with a clean-up mission: encourage children to sort items into matching tubs (e.g., all beanbags here, all cones there).
🪶 Feathers (Simplifications for Little Ones)
Let them collect just 2–3 items at a time.
Allow parents to help with balance or carry extra pieces.
Let children place items inside the cone rather than stacking on top.
🔁 Progressions (for Older Tots 3.5–5+)
Balance Challenge- Tongs: They must carry the ice cream between two rackets (tongs) while walking!
Add obstacle paths between stations (slalom cones, low hurdles, etc.).
Introduce a relay version in teams with each child adding a new layer before the next person goes.
Time-based challenge: “How many full ice creams can you make in 2 minutes?”
🧠 Coaching Tips
Sit them down to start the explanation clearly.
Ask fun questions to involve them (“What’s your favourite flavour?”).
Big celebration every time they complete an ice cream!
If kids get frustrated balancing: simplify, reset and praise.
Seasonal variation breakdown for your 🍦 Ice Creams game (assuming the format is similar to “Sandwich Shop” with children building cones and delivering them):
🍦 Ice Creams – Seasonal Variations
· 🎄 Christmas – Build a Christmas Pudding
Children stack red (berries), brown (pudding), and white (icing) beanbags or round cones between rackets to make a Christmas dessert. They then deliver them to Santa’s dessert table (cones or tubs) without dropping the “pudding”! 🎅🍰
Alternative for Christmas: Christmas stockings
· 🐣 Easter – Easter Sundae Station
Kids create an Easter-themed sundae using pastel-coloured balls and beanbags (think yellow for lemon curd, pink for strawberry, green for mint). They carry the sundaes on rackets or plates to the bunny café. 🐰🍨
· 🎃 Halloween – Monster Cone Factory
The cones are filled with “slime” (green beanbags), “eyeballs” (round white cones), and “bat wings” (black cones). Kids stack their monster cones and deliver them to the haunted dessert stand while avoiding spooky obstacles! 🦇🧁
· 💘 Valentine’s Day – Love Sundaes
Children build pink and red ice creams using matching coloured cones and soft balls, sandwiched between rackets or lids. Once made, they deliver them to heart-shaped tubs or to a pretend Valentine’s picnic blanket. 💖🍧
· 👩 Mother’s Day / 👨 Father’s Day – Special Treat Delivery
Kids make a special ice cream cone for Mum or Dad using their favourite “flavours” (let kids pick their colours). Carefully balance and deliver to the family lounge (delivery zone). Add a note or pretend flower for extra fun! 💐🍦