Ice Cream Parlour Play set DIY

Would you like sprinkles with that? I made the Ice Cream Parlour Play set formy (super duper) friend Fiona's daughter Jessie (4)

Jessie was playing with a fantastic wooden ice cream set the other day at school pick up time.  She had borrowed it from her adorable best friend Marnie (also a daughter of a fab friend).

It is gorgeous,  but I thought I could have a go at rustling up a less spendy (ie cheap as chips) version for Jessie to have of her very own....

In the beautiful french set, you get a scoop, 6 flavours, 2 waffle cones, and the box.......


My own children, are well used to my attempts at making things from papier mache, double sided sticky tape, and general junk from around the house.  My daughter was very enthusiastic about the project, and how it progressed....my son on the other hand suggested I just buy one for Jessie (somewhat missing the point).


Jessie playing with the ice-cream parlour I made her......

First of all I set about making the balls of ice cream and the scoops.  I was going to see how these turned out, before worrying about cones and a box.

For the scoop, and icecream balls, I needed:

Styrofoam balls
Paint
Tinfoil
Mini wooden spoon
Masking tape
Glue & newspaper (for papier mache)

The balls were 20p each, and the only item I bought.  The rest was stuff I had around the house.

Firstly, I made the cup element of the scoop.

To get the right size and shape, I moulded tin foil around half of the styrofoam ball.

I took a square, and folded in the corners, to make  a sharp edge.

I did a couple of layers for stability.

After a few layers, the cup has some rigidity.

I used masking tape, and covered the cup.

Cover it all over.

The handle of the scoop is a disposable wooden spoon, bulked up with tin foil.

Masking tape all around it.

I Painted the scoop.  Silver for the cup, with a pink handle.

To make the ice-cream, I took each of the balls, and painted.  Strawberry; Chocolate; Vanilla; Mint; Orange & Banana

To make the box / ice cream parlour.

I used disposable coffee cups. and an old shoe box.

I needed to cut the bottoms off, so they would fit in the box, and the lid would close.  Also they need to be not too deep, so that Jessie can get the balls out with the scoop herself.

More tin foil and masking tape made a frame for the inside of my box.  Not pretty, but gives you the gist.  I packed in between with newspaper and tissue, to make sure completely rigid between the cups.

Packing tape all over to cover any gaps.

A final layer of packing tape to block any gaps.

I then put this inside the shoe box.  I used half of the cardboard tube from a kitchen roll to make the ledge for the scoop.

I filled and taped up any more gaps, and then papier mached the whole thing 2 or 3 times before painting.

I have to be honest, I'm questioning my own sanity by this stage (I'm sure you are too).  But I have to finish now.

Fatigue setting in, I make some cones to serve the ice cream with.

My initial plan had been to use felt, and add the waffle stripes in either brown thread, or brown sharpie, however I couldn't find any of either when I came to make these.

I found this fabric in my remnants pile.  It has a slight waffley pattern.  It is quite thin, so I added some iron on backing to stop it fraying, and to make it more rigid.

To make the cone, I cut approximately a quarter circle (There was a lot of making this up as I went along)

The quarter circle is folded back on itself, and sewn up.

I zig zag stiched around the top, and then up the side, fabric side in.

When its turned the right way round, it looks like this.

To make it look a little more textured, I added puffy paint in cross hatching.  This would have been much better if I had used a darker brown, but I figured a 4 year old would be less of a purist than me.

Time to add a menu to the inside lid.

Jessie can pick up the balls with the scoop.  (She is very keen that nobody use their fingers to handle the ice-cream!)

Finally, I added a cover to the outside lid.   Jessie can take the box with all the bits and bobs out and about with her.  

Hopefully Jessie likes it.  I had loads of fun making it, and other than stuff I had lying around, it only cost £1.20.

Update:  Here are some pictures of Jessie playing with her toy.