I scream, you scream, let’s all scream for National Ice Cream Month! Yes, you read that right – July is National Ice Cream Month and thankfully, the people who create National Holidays (whoever they are!) decided to let National Ice Cream Month happen right in the smack dab middle of summer right when we need it the most. There are a ton of fun ways to celebrate, first being all the awesome ice cream related deals that might be happening near you, which you can check out here.

Another cool option (see what we did there?) is to have yourself a good ol’ fashioned ice cream social right in your own home! Many parts of the country are experiencing record heat (let us know what the temperature is where you live!) and everyone is looking for a great activity to keep the kids busy while also keeping them cool in the summer heat. Our suggestion? Let’s take it back almost 70 years to a simpler time. A time without social media where some of the only social interaction you got was at the soda fountain! Grab your poodle skirts, saddle shoes and let’s twist and shout all the way back to 1950 at the ice cream parlor!

Ice Cream Truck Tent

Is there anything better as a child than hearing the ice cream man coming up the street with his songs playing through his loudspeaker? Didn’t think so! Now you can enjoy that fun right at home with the Ice Cream Truck Tent! If you can catch it, come run on over and check out the Ice Cream Truck Tent’s menu! Between all the different flavor options and toppings displayed, everyone is in for a treat! Crafted of 100% organic cotton canvas, our Ice Cream Truck Tent comes fully equipped with mesh windows, pockets on the inside, a steering wheel and even an order counter with a roll up window so your child can serve their customers. When the ice cream truck is not open, they can roll down the window and call it a day.

At 50 IN X 26 IN X 39.5 IN, the Ice Cream Truck Tent is big enough for your child and friends to play in and provides hours of imaginative play time fun for all, even while building entrepreneurial, customer service and social skills! That’s right, the Ice Cream Truck Tent can be a learning opportunity – all you need to do is grab some play money! They can even learn how to count and make change while having a blast playing in their tent. They’ll never even know you’re trying to keep their brain sharp in the summer!

Old Timey Hats Craft Project

Ready to recreate some classic 50’s ice cream parlor fun in your own home? This week’s DIY, combined with our Ice Cream Truck Tent, will help you do just that. These simple Old Timey Hats will transport you right back to 1950 at a soda parlor with all your best guys and dolls while doing the twist and rockin’ and rollin’ to some Elvis on the jukebox, wondering who’s showing up at the drive-in tonight! Your kids are going to love this themed activity!

What you need:

• Old Timey Hats – You can order these ones that we used in our photos
• Crayons or markers
• Extra optional decorations: glitter, glue, pom poms and whatever else your heart desires!

How you make them:

• Luckily, this DIY is simple – just go crazy!
• A fun option is to pre-outline all the children’s names so that they can color that in.
• Another fun idea is to come up with a name for the ice cream parlor to write on the hats as well!

More Vintage Ice Cream Party Ideas

While these Old Timey Hats are super fun to create at home, they’re also a great addition to ice cream themed parties and BBQ’s in the height of summer! If you’re looking to take the old timey ice cream parlor theme a step further and have a full-on party, here are a few more awesome ideas that your kids and guests are sure to love:

1. Put out a toppings station! Set up a table with cute bowls for different toppings, such as: different types of sprinkles, chocolate chips, gummy bears and worms, cherries, shaved coconut, caramel, M&Ms, Reese’s Pieces and mini Cups, chocolate fudge, whipped cream and whatever else you think your guests would love!
2. Have a root beer float table! Let your kids try out root beer floats and see if they float their boat! Don’t forget the red and white paper straws for a vintage touch.
3. Make homemade ice cream! There are tons of recipes out there for homemade ice cream, but here is one that we loved that also happened to have a vintage feel.
4. Play games! A really fun ice cream themed party idea is Pin the Cherry. Very similar to Pin the Tail on the Donkey, hang a large photo of an ice cream cone and cut out a big circle from red construction paper. Blindfold the children and see who can Pin the Cherry the best!
5. Make it easy! Pre-scoop the ice cream and keep in muffin tins in the freezer until they’re ready to be served. This is especially helpful for larger parties to get the ice cream in their bellies quicker – nothing is worse than trying and trying to scoop out ice cream when you really want it!
6. Ice cream sandwiches! Pick up some donuts from the store and cut them in half (like a bagel). Scoop some ice cream and place in between for an impossibly delicious treat. Don’t forget the sprinkles!

Let us know!

How are you and your kids celebrating National Ice Cream Month? Did you make the Old Timey Hat DIY and have a totally ring-a-ding-ding vintage ice cream party, or did you take advantage of some of the awesome Ice Cream Month deals? Share with us and let us know in the comments below!