This year, I introduced a “new to us” quirky holiday into our February happenings, National Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day which occurs on the first Saturday in February. This year, we went all out, not only did I create an engaging multi-week toddler learning curriculum, but we also attended a fun local event where children could make their own ice cream for breakfast.
To make the “holiday” even more special, I made sure that the curriculum centered around ice cream and money, blending sensory play with early financial literacy. To top things off (haha), O found this adorable ice cream shop toy playset from Dollar Tree for only $5.
The Perfect Playset for Pretend Ice Cream Fun
If you’ve ever browsed Dollar Tree’s toy section, you know it can be hit or miss. But when I spotted their $5 Ice Cream Shop Play Set, I knew I had to grab it. The set includes 19 pieces with various flavors of ice cream scoops, cones, toppings, sprinkles, and even adorable waffle bowls. It’s a high-quality, budget-friendly toy that instantly elevated our play space and brought even more excitement to pretend ice cream shop play.
Additional Supplies
Hadley Designs Color Money Poster and Framed in Purple
Good Ground STEM Montessori Felt Money
STEM Colorful Toy Cash Register with Wooden Money
Colorful Ice Cream Shop Menu by Crafting Chicks
Dollar General and Dollar Tree Ice Cream Decorations
Ice Cream Face by Heidi Woodward Sheffield
National Waffle Day Inspiration
This isn’t the first time I’ve stumbled upon a hidden gem in Dollar Tree’s toy section. About a year ago, for National Waffle Day, I found a $5 Waffle Play Set that became an instant favorite.
You can read the review here, Waffle Iron Day | Dollar Tree Plus $5 Breakfast Time Toy Set Review.
My daughter and I had an adorable picnic playdate with her new waffle set, and to my surprise, it has lasted a year or more. It’s still one of her go-to toys for pretend cooking and breakfast play. Given how well the waffle set held up, I had high hopes for the ice cream set—and it did not disappoint!
Bringing Learning into Play
To complement the ice cream theme, I designed a simple yet engaging homeschool curriculum around ice cream and money which can mostly be found in a recent post, An Introduction to Homeschooling on Just Brennon Blog. I’ll be creating a dedicated post with details soon. In the meantime, below are activities that can be accomplished with this play set.
- Pretend Shop Play – I set up a mini ice cream shop where my toddler could “sell” ice cream cones. I introduced play money, helping her understand simple transactions. She loved “charging” me a dollar for a cone!
- Science and Sensory Learning – We talked about how ice cream is made, why it melts, and experimented with different textures by mixing real ingredients.
- Creative Play and Storytelling – We role-played different customer scenarios, enhancing language development and imagination.
- Counting and Sorting – Using the ice cream scoops, cones, and toppings, we practiced counting, identifying colors, and sorting different “flavors.”
Play-based learning like this is one of my favorite ways to introduce new concepts to my toddler. It keeps learning fun and hands-on, making it more meaningful for her.
Why I Love Dollar Tree’s $5 Playsets
While I don’t always have the best luck finding quality toy sets at Dollar Tree, these $5 playsets have been a fantastic addition to our home. The quality, affordability, and imaginative play value make them worth every penny. I love how these sets spark creativity and offer opportunities for themed playtime, especially on fun holidays like National Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day!
Be sure to subscribe for more toddler homeschooling ideas.
This post contains affiliate links.
