I scream...you scream...

"And we had the ice cream.  Words fail me to describe that ice cream.  Marilla, I assure you it was sublime."  Anne of Green Gables XIV

Am I the only one that thinks it's silly that July is National Ice Cream Month?  Shouldn't ice cream be celebrated EVERY month?

 

Some ideas to help you observe this hallowed month (other than, obviously, eating ice cream):

• Have a ball with your ice cream...really. We received The Play and Freeze Mega Ball last year for Christmas (I can only imagine our faces were a mix of fascination and bewilderment as we opened that gift) and just recently tried it out with help from the neighbor kids (as pictured above).  My daughter was amazed by how the very ingredients she poured into the ball "transformed" into ice cream, and the final product was surprisingly good!  Plus, doing torso twists while shaking the ball is great for the abs!   Nearly cancels out all the calories from eating the ice cream...really!  
  
• Add some tasty songs to your child's playlist, like Laurie Berkner's Ice Cream Cone or Frances England's I Scream, You Scream.  And my ten-year old neighbor highly recommends Hannah Montana's Ice Cream Freeze (having never heard it myself, my advice is to listen at your own risk).  
  
• Get the scoop on your favorite scoops.  My family recently spent a wonderful afternoon in Utica, Ohio, at the Velvet Ice Cream Factory.  We enjoyed a horse-drawn buggy ride, crick stomping, and ice cream all in one lovely afternoon.  
•  Download the Ben and Jerry's Flavor Graveyard onto your desktop and pay your respect to the flavors that have gone on to the big sugar cone in the sky (in 2001, I visited the real Flavor Graveyard at the Ben and Jerry's factory in Vermont, and I found Sweet Potato to be the most appalling flavor that was never meant to be).  
  
• For a group of children, give this flannel rhyme a try.  Cut out different flavors of "ice cream cones" from felt - chocolate, vanilla, rainbow, chocolate chip - as many varieties as you can create.  During each verse, call out a child's name and let them choose their favorite flavor.  Keep rhythm by patting your knees or snapping your fingers.  

The ice cream parlor just down the street

Has every kind of ice cream you'd want to eat

Chocolate, vanilla, banana chip, 

__________ (child's name) ate a _______ (flavor) cone to the very last drip!

(Note: After I posted this, I had the opportunity to use the rhyme with a group of 10 third graders - no flannel board, just the chant.  They LOVED getting to call out their favorite ice cream flavor.   The following day, they asked for the rhyme again, and most of them had it memorized.  So it can definitely be used for many different ages.)

Have Kid, Will Travel: Idlewild

For my husband and I, one of the most gratifying things about parenthood is having the opportunity to see the world through our daughter's eyes.  That's why, leading up to Clara's first trip to Idlewild, an amusement and water park located in Ligonier, Pennsylvania, we spent a ridiculous amount of time online researching the park's rides and attractions and imagining what our 2-year old would enjoy the most.  Let me tell you, the anticipation was high.  We both had fond memories of Idlewild from our own childhoods, and like every well-meaning parent, we wanted our little girl to love every minute of her trip.  

And she did.  For the most part.  Sure, there was that meltdown outside of Hootn' Holler' that lasted a good 15 minutes, but an ice cream cone was a quick cure.  And yes it was a little sticky that day.  And it rained a bit.  And the lines were long...and the crowds were thick enough to indicate that half of western Pennsylvania was there...and well...

Would we do it all again?  Absolutely!  Here are a few to-dos if you plan on visiting:

1.  Story Book Forest.  Just about every kid raised in the Laurel Highlands has visited this magical land at some point.  Children step through the pages of a story (literally - the entrance is a giant book) and are transported into a world where characters from nursery rhymes and fairy tales are just as real as they could be.  Mother Goose is the gray-haired, dimple-cheeked grandma every child wants.  The Good Ship Lollipop actually serves lollipops.  And I remember a younger version of myself being a little more than frightened to cross the bridge just in case the three billy goats gruff didn't actually scare off that nasty troll.  Truly, this is a magical place. 
   
2. Scampers.  On the surface, it's just a bunch of miniature cars moving in a circular fashion.  But to a two-year old, it's so much more than that.  It's an opportunity for daredevil driving and a taste of independence (no moms and dads allowed).  Clara rode it 8 times.  
   
3. Pack a picnic.  Skip the concession lines and take advantage of the peace and shade of one of the many picnic benches near the parking area.  This was great downtime for Clara, who needed a respite from the crowds.  
   
4. Bubbling Springs.  Imagine a large pit full of colorful, plastic balls.  Now add squealing, delighted children to that image and you get this very popular attraction in Jumpin' Jungle. 
   
5. Fish Pond.  This game, situated near the carousel in Olde Idlewild, was one of my favorites from childhood.  For 50 cents, you get a "fishing pole" and try to catch a "fish" racing by in the water below.  The number on the fish you catch corresponds to the prize you win, which in our case this year, happened to be a kazoo.  My daughter was in heaven, and this marvelous game has secured another admirer.  
   

If you've been to Idlewild, I'd love to hear your stories and trip tips.  Because, after all, we WILL be going back next summer!

S'more Snack Sack

Speaking from a 2-year old's perspective, sometimes the components of a s'more are more interesting to eat than the s'more, itself.  This yummy snack kept a smile on my daughter's face during an entire morning at the zoo.  

What you need:

Bite-size graham crackers (the picture shows princess graham crackers, but that's optional, of course)

Peanut butter

Mini-marshmallows

Semi-sweet chocolate chips

Container of your choice

What you do:

Spread peanut butter on a few crackers and sandwich together with remaining graham crackers.  Toss in container with marshmallows and chocolate chips.  The ratio of graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate chips is up to you; my girl prefers a lot of graham crackers, but I throw in extra chocolate for my own indulgence.  :-)