Free Preschool Lesson Plans for an Ice Cream Theme

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You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream! An ice cream preschool theme is the perfect theme for science exploration and a great way to cool down on a hot day. See all the free preschool lesson plan ideas here.

Get ready for tons of ideas and activities for an ice cream preschool theme, including book ideas, art and sensory play, plus math and science fun. You’ll find the entire lesson plans at the end of this post with a free download!

Free Preschool Ice Cream Lesson Plan Activities

a girl enjoying ice cream as she learns preschool skills from an ice cream learning theme
Download your free ice cream lesson plans for preschoolers at the end of this post.

Who doesn’t love an ice cream theme? It’s the ultimate summertime indulgence and it has a way of imprinting those lasting memories of warm days spent in the sun and a cool treat to wrap up the day.

My kids absolutely love ice cream and we always find a way to use ice cream as a learning tool. We make ice cream in bags with rock salt, count our chocolate chips before putting them on our ice cream, and love using rainbow sprinkles on a tray for extra writing practice. It’s my son’s favorite writing activity. He will write his letters over and over when I pull out the sprinkle tray!

Needless to say, these preschool ice cream activities provide endless opportunities to learn new things! Can you believe they are totally FREE?!

FAQ About Teaching an Ice Cream Preschool Theme

What do children learn from making ice cream?

An ice cream theme is about much more than a sugary treat. Children learn what ice cream is made of and how a few simple ingredients can morph into a delicious dessert. They have opportunities to problem solve, measure, and other math and science skills. Plus, an ice cream preschool theme is very engaging for children so it’s a great way to make other subjects come to life.

What themes should I teach preschoolers in the summer?

Summer themes are perfect for including nature, water, and outside play. Some great summertime themes include ocean, seashells, bubbles, watermelon, camping, and rainbows/weather. Summertime learning can be full of fun!

How can I include academic learning into an ice cream theme?

An ice cream preschool theme is very engaging for children so it’s a great way to make subjects come to life. Measure ice cream cones with these fun cards. Infuse alphabet practice with an ice cream missing letter activity. Build fine motor skills as you make orange creamsicle playdough and make pretend ice cream cones. The learning ideas are endless with an ice cream theme!

free ice cream preschool lesson plans and activities

Important Info about these Ice Cream Lesson Plans

These lesson plans for preschoolers are just one theme in a set of over 40 that will become a part of my free Learn At Home Preschool Lesson Plans.

The Learn at Home Preschool Activity Plans are a set of free activity plans you can use to teach your preschooler at home.

Each set of lesson plans is centered around a weekly theme and includes a minimum of 16 activities that can be done throughout the week. They are designed to be done at home with parents, but many preschool teachers are using these lesson plans, too!

Just glance over the lessons each day, gather the very few materials needed, and you’re ready to go!

All the preschool learning activities are quick and easy to set up, requiring very little (if any at all) prep and only require the most basic of household materials. This makes them especially easy for parents to implement…and this makes preschool teachers happy, too!

These activities also work wonderfully in the classroom, and if you’re a preschool teacher who is remotely teaching you can send these lesson plans to your student’s parents.

Ice Cream Activities for Preschoolers

These free ice cream activities for preschoolers include hands-on activities for all content areas. They include literacy and book recommendations as well as math and science activities. Plus, there are ice cream activities for sensory and art. With 18 different fun and simple ice cream activities, these lesson plans are a perfect addition to your ice cream theme!

Literacy Activities for an Ice Cream Preschool Theme

Ice Cream Letter Sequencing – This ice cream-themed letter sequencing activity is perfect for preschoolers. Not only is it a great way for young learners to learn the alphabet, but it’s also great for working on fine motor skills! Using magnet letters, letter tiles, or even writing the letters on, preschoolers will work hard to identify the next set of letters in the series. You’ll find yourself singing the alphabet song a lot with this fun activity!​

Beginning Sound Popsicles – If you have a preschooler who is just beginning to pick up on hearing beginning sounds, then these popsicle puzzles will be a good fit. Also, the popsicles come in a few different colors, so use only one color or familiar letters so as not to overwhelm. Encourage your preschooler to make the first sound and find the puzzle piece that matches. Challenge the child to find objects in the home/classroom that begin with the same letter.​

Teach your child about ice cream and summer fun with these picture books!

Help your ice cream theme activities come alive with these fun books about ice cream! We especially love Mo Willems book, Should I Share My Ice Cream, and your preschoolers will too!

Math and Science Activities for an Ice Cream Preschool Theme

Ice Cream Cone Counting – Count the chocolate chips on each ice cream cone and add pom-poms, buttons, or even chocolate chips to a small bowl and count along with each yummy scoop! To extend this activity, use large pom-poms and an ice cream scooper to scoop out pretend ice cream into bowls or cones.

Ice Cream Cone Measurement – Mix up the cards and then arrange them from smallest to largest or in descending order from largest to smallest. Measure with non-standard units like paper clips or counting cubes. Add in counting practice too! These measurement cards can be used to teach vocabulary like height and length, or shorter and longer.

Make Ice Cream in a Bag – It may sound challenging but with the right ingredients, this experiment is quite tasty and exciting! Watch a few simple ingredients turn into something yummy. Follow the directions step-by-step here for a cool and refreshing summer treat.

Playful Learning Activities for an Ice Cream Preschool Theme

Sidewalk Foam Paint – There are lots of creative ways to write on your sidewalk!  Use this creative foam painting activity to have some fun with your kids. Invite them to draw ice cream cones, animals, and even people!

Water Balloon Fun – Head outside for some fun water play. Blow-up water balloons and do a relay with a water balloon on a spoon, water balloon musical chairs, or even a water balloon piñata!

Fly a Kite – Head to the park and pick a wide-open area to run and fly a kite. Flying a kite teaches patience and coordination. Get friends and family to join in and fill the skies with bright and colorful kites on a perfectly windy day.

free preschool ice cream lesson plans and activities
Grab your free preschool ice cream lesson plans at the end of this post!

Social-Emotional Activities for an Ice Cream Preschool Theme

”It’s Awesome to Share” – Go to YouTube and listen to the story, Groovy Joe Ice Cream and Dinosaurs by Eric Litwin. This story focuses on the joy you feel when you make others happy and how the dog shares his doggy ice cream. Even at the end of the story, when they run out of ice cream, Groovy Joe figures out how to turn something unfortunate into something fun. Use this story as a talking point with your preschooler and ask questions like, ”Would it be hard for you to share your ice cream with your friends?” If so, what things can we do to make sharing feel good?

Ice Cream Emotions Board Game – Emotional development is very important in the preschool years. It’s important for preschoolers to recognize their feelings and be able to name what they feel and why. This emotions board game helps children to name each feeling. Plus it provides opportunities to talk about what could make you feel that way, and how to move on to a happier emotion.

Just Plain Fun Activities for an Ice Cream Preschool Theme

Ice Cream Puffy Paint Art – With a little glue and paint, you can make some puffy and “cool” ice cream art! The best part about this ice cream craft is that you can mix colors and create all sorts of flavored puffy ice cream. Add in some glitter or cut tiny pieces of colored paper to make rainbow sprinkles!

Ice Cream Model Magic – Perfect for fine motor, these clay ice cream cones are so fun to make and will be lovely when they dry! Little hands will be working hard to mold and decorate these mini cones.

Ice Cream Sensory Bin – Add bowls, pom-poms, ice cream scoops, and kinetic sand to create an imaginary ice cream shop! Kinetic sand is a great way to incorporate scooping, pouring, and creating a dramatic play ice cream shop.

Smoothie Popsicles – Get out of the heat and make your own cool treats! Add frozen fruit and veggies to a blender, blend, and pour into a popsicle mold. Enjoy your homemade summer treat!

Fun Ice Cream Resources for Your Preschool Ice Cream Theme!

Make learning fun with these ice cream-themed resources! Infuse dramatic play, fine motor skills, and sensory activities with hands-on fun!

Safe Online Activities for an Ice Cream Preschool Theme

Online Story – Go to YouTube and listen to the story, Should I Share My Ice Cream? by Mo Willems. After listening, discuss with your preschooler. What happened to Gerald’s ice cream cone? Why was it so hard for him to share his ice cream? How did Gerald feel when Piggie shared her ice cream?

Ice Cream Song – How many scoops of ice cream would you like? This catchy song counts to 10 scoops and back again!

How is Ice Cream Made? – Take a virtual trip to a dairy farm and learn how ice cream is made! From vanilla to rocky road, the possibilities are endless!

Download Your Free Ice Cream Preschool Lesson Plans Here

Think your preschool will enjoy learning about ice cream? Download these free preschool lesson plans by clicking the image below.

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Free Summer Theme Preschool Lesson Plans