A crocheted ice cream shop play set is a wonderful handmade gift idea for children – for Children’s Day, a play kitchen, a pretend shop, or simply as a summery crochet project. Children can use it to open their very own little ice cream parlour, choose ice cream scoops, combine toppings, and create new ice cream bowls again and again.

What makes this set special is that the individual pieces can be freely mixed and matched. The set includes an ice cream cone, an ice cream bowl, three different ice cream scoops, and three different toppings. With just a few crocheted pieces, children get lots of different ways to play.

The scoops can be placed in the cone or arranged in the ice cream bowl. The toppings can be added again and again in new combinations. For example, a child can order strawberry ice cream with vanilla sauce, put together chocolate ice cream with a wafer roll, or serve a large ice cream bowl with three scoops and sprinkles.

This set is also lovely for pretend play: one person orders an ice cream, while the other puts it together. You can also prepare small ice cream cards showing or describing different combinations. The child can then recreate these combinations using the crocheted pieces.

This also makes the ice cream shop play set a lovely Montessori-inspired play idea: children can sort colours, recognise combinations, follow simple matching tasks, and train their fine motor skills along the way.

In my set, small details such as the strawberry, sprinkles, and wafer roll are not loose pieces. They are sewn or embroidered firmly onto the toppings. This makes the set more durable and better suited for little hands.

Components of the Ice Cream Shop Play Set

For this set, you will crochet:

• 1 ice cream cone
• 1 ice cream bowl
• 3 ice cream scoops
• 3 toppings:
  • chocolate topping with a sewn-on wafer roll
  • vanilla sauce with a sewn-on strawberry
  • strawberry sauce with embroidered sprinkles

Of course, you can expand the set at any time and crochet more scoops, additional toppings, or a second cone.

Materials

You will need:

• cotton yarn, for example approx. 125–170 m / 50 g
• 3 mm crochet hook or a hook size suitable for your yarn
• fiberfill
• yarn needle
• scissors
• stitch marker
• yarn scraps for sprinkles and details

Colours

The following colours work especially well for the ice cream shop play set:

• beige or light brown for the ice cream cone
• pink for strawberry ice cream
• brown for chocolate ice cream
• cream, white, or pale yellow for vanilla ice cream
• additional colours for fantasy ice cream flavours
• dark brown for chocolate sauce
• cream, white, or pale yellow for vanilla sauce
• pink or red for strawberry sauce
• red for the strawberry
• green for the strawberry leaves
• colourful yarn scraps for sprinkles

Of course, you can use completely different colours as well. Especially for children, the ice cream can be bright, colourful, and imaginative.

Abbreviations

MR = magic ring
ch = chain
sc = single crochet
sl st = slip stitch
inc = 2 sc in one stitch
sc2tog = crochet 2 sc together
BLO = back loop only
Rnd = round
st/sts = stitch/stitches

Unless stated otherwise, the pieces are worked in continuous spiral rounds.

Size

Using cotton yarn and a 3 mm crochet hook, the ice cream cone will be approx. 11–12 cm tall. The exact size may vary depending on your yarn, hook size, and personal tension.

Crochet the Ice Cream Cone

The ice cream cone is worked from the bottom up. It is lightly to medium firmly stuffed and then closed with a crocheted top piece.

The top piece is not sewn on separately, but crocheted directly together with the final round of the cone. This is very practical because both the cone and the top piece have 42 stitches, so they fit neatly together.

Ice Cream Cone

Use beige or light brown yarn.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR = 6 sts
Rnd 2: 6 sc = 6 sts
Rnd 3: inc in every 2nd st = 9 sts
Rnd 4: 9 sc = 9 sts
Rnd 5: inc in every 3rd st = 12 sts
Rnd 6: 12 sc = 12 sts
Rnd 7: inc in every 4th st = 15 sts
Rnd 8: 15 sc = 15 sts
Rnd 9: inc in every 5th st = 18 sts
Rnd 10: 18 sc = 18 sts
Rnd 11: inc in every 6th st = 21 sts
Rnd 12: 21 sc = 21 sts
Rnd 13: inc in every 7th st = 24 sts
Rnd 14: 24 sc = 24 sts
Rnd 15: inc in every 8th st = 27 sts
Rnd 16: 27 sc = 27 sts
Rnd 17: inc in every 9th st = 30 sts
Rnd 18: 30 sc = 30 sts
Rnd 19: inc in every 10th st = 33 sts
Rnd 20: 33 sc = 33 sts
Rnd 21: 33 sc = 33 sts
Rnd 22: inc in every 11th st = 36 sts
Rnd 23: 36 sc = 36 sts
Rnd 24: 36 sc = 36 sts
Rnd 25: inc in every 12th st = 39 sts
Rnd 26: 39 sc = 39 sts
Rnd 27: 39 sc = 39 sts
Rnd 28: inc in every 13th st = 42 sts
Rnd 29–37: 42 sc = 42 sts

Do not cut the yarn.

Now stuff the cone. It should be filled firmly enough to hold its shape, but not so tightly that the shape becomes distorted.

Top Piece for the Ice Cream Cone

Use the same colour as for the cone.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR = 6 sts
Rnd 2: inc in every st = 12 sts
Rnd 3: inc in every 2nd st = 18 sts
Rnd 4: inc in every 3rd st = 24 sts
Rnd 5: inc in every 4th st = 30 sts
Rnd 6: inc in every 5th st = 36 sts
Rnd 7: inc in every 6th st = 42 sts

Cut the yarn and weave in the end.

Crochet the Top Piece to the Cone

Place the top piece on the stuffed ice cream cone. Since both the cone and the top piece have 42 stitches, you can line up the stitches directly.

Now crochet the final round of the cone and the top piece together.

Rnd 38: 42 sc, inserting your hook through one stitch of the cone and one stitch of the top piece each time = 42 sts

Cut the yarn and weave in the end.

Crochet the Ice Cream Scoops

For this set, you will crochet three ice cream scoops. Of course, you can make more scoops if you would like to expand the play set.

The ice cream scoops are worked in the round, stuffed, and closed.

Ice Cream Scoop

Use the desired ice cream colour.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR = 6 sts
Rnd 2: inc in every st = 12 sts
Rnd 3: inc in every 2nd st = 18 sts
Rnd 4: inc in every 3rd st = 24 sts
Rnd 5: inc in every 4th st = 30 sts
Rnd 6: inc in every 5th st = 36 sts
Rnd 7: inc in every 6th st = 42 sts
Rnd 8–13: 42 sc = 42 sts
Rnd 14: sc2tog every 6th and 7th st = 36 sts
Rnd 15: sc2tog every 5th and 6th st = 30 sts
Rnd 16: sc2tog every 4th and 5th st = 24 sts
Rnd 17: sc2tog every 3rd and 4th st = 18 sts

Stuff the ice cream scoop firmly with fiberfill.

Rnd 18: sc2tog every 2nd and 3rd st = 12 sts
Rnd 19: sc2tog around = 6 sts

Cut the yarn. Thread the yarn through the front loops of the last 6 stitches, pull the opening closed, and weave in the end.

Ice Cream Flavour Ideas

You can make the ice cream scoops in different colours, for example:

• pink = strawberry ice cream
• brown = chocolate ice cream
• cream or pale yellow = vanilla ice cream
• green = pistachio ice cream
• light purple = blueberry ice cream
• orange = mango ice cream
• light blue = fantasy ice cream

For children, the ice cream can be colourful, playful, and imaginative.

Crochet the Ice Cream Bowl

The ice cream bowl is designed as a wide bowl rather than a tall cup. This way, two to three ice cream scoops can be placed inside and decorated. The bowl is not stuffed.

Ice Cream Bowl

Use the desired colour.

Base

Rnd 1: 8 sc in MR = 8 sts
Rnd 2: inc in every st = 16 sts
Rnd 3: inc in every 2nd st = 24 sts
Rnd 4: inc in every 3rd st = 32 sts
Rnd 5: inc in every 4th st = 40 sts
Rnd 6: inc in every 5th st = 48 sts
Rnd 7: inc in every 6th st = 56 sts
Rnd 8: inc in every 7th st = 64 sts
Rnd 9: inc in every 8th st = 72 sts

The flat base is now finished.

Bowl Sides

Rnd 10: BLO: 72 sc = 72 sts
Rnd 11: 72 sc = 72 sts
Rnd 12: 72 sc = 72 sts
Rnd 13: inc in every 12th st = 78 sts
Rnd 14: 78 sc = 78 sts
Rnd 15: inc in every 13th st = 84 sts
Rnd 16: 84 sc = 84 sts
Rnd 17: inc in every 14th st = 90 sts
Rnd 18: 90 sc = 90 sts
Rnd 19: inc in every 15th st = 96 sts
Rnd 20: 96 sc = 96 sts

To finish:

Rnd 21: 96 sl st = 96 sts

Cut the yarn and weave in the end.

The bowl should be wide enough to hold several ice cream scoops. If you crochet very tightly or your scoops turn out larger, you can add another increase round at the top edge.

Crochet the Toppings

For this set, you will crochet three different toppings. The small decorative elements are sewn on or embroidered firmly so they do not get lost during play.

The basic shape of each topping is a crocheted sauce with a drip edge. You can make it in different colours.

For my set, I made:

• chocolate sauce with a sewn-on wafer roll
• vanilla sauce with a sewn-on strawberry
• strawberry sauce with embroidered sprinkles

The toppings remain loose and can be placed on different ice cream scoops. Only the small details on the toppings are firmly attached.

Crochet the Sauce with a Drip Edge

The sauce is worked as a flat piece. The drips are crocheted back with single crochet stitches.

Use the desired sauce colour.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR = 6 sts
Rnd 2: inc in every st = 12 sts
Rnd 3: inc in every 2nd st = 18 sts
Rnd 4: inc in every 3rd st = 24 sts
Rnd 5: inc in every 4th st = 30 sts

Now work the drip edge. The drips can be placed irregularly.

Short Drip

Ch 3, starting in the 2nd ch from the hook, work 2 sc back along the chain, then attach the drip with 1 sc in the next stitch of the sauce.

Long Drip

Ch 5, starting in the 2nd ch from the hook, work 4 sc back along the chain, then attach the drip with 1 sc in the next stitch of the sauce.

Between the drips, work 1 to 3 sc or sl st so the edge does not look too regular. For a nice sauce shape, you can work about 3 long drips, 4 to 5 short drips, and flat sections in between.

Cut the yarn and weave in the end.

Chocolate Topping with Wafer Roll

For the chocolate topping, first crochet a sauce in dark brown or chocolate brown. Then crochet a small wafer roll and sew it firmly onto the topping.

This way, the wafer roll is not a loose small piece and is less likely to get lost during play.

Wafer Roll

Use beige or light brown yarn.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR = 6 sts
Rnd 2–8: 6 sc = 6 sts

Stuff the wafer roll very lightly or leave it unstuffed.

Cut the yarn, close the opening, and weave in the end.

Using a darker brown, you can embroider small diagonal lines or a spiral onto the wafer roll. Then sew the wafer roll onto the chocolate sauce, placing it slightly to the side or at a slight angle.

Vanilla Sauce with Strawberry

For this topping, crochet a sauce in cream, white, or pale yellow. Then crochet a small strawberry and sew it firmly onto the vanilla sauce.

This looks summery and goes especially well with vanilla, strawberry, or fantasy ice cream.

Strawberry

Use red yarn.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR = 6 sts
Rnd 2: inc in every 2nd st = 9 sts
Rnd 3: 9 sc = 9 sts
Rnd 4: inc in every 3rd st = 12 sts
Rnd 5: 12 sc = 12 sts
Rnd 6: sc2tog every 3rd and 4th st = 9 sts

Stuff the strawberry lightly.

Rnd 7: sc2tog every 2nd and 3rd st = 6 sts

Cut the yarn, thread it through the front loops of the last 6 stitches, pull the opening closed, and weave in the end.

Strawberry Leaves

Join green yarn at the top of the strawberry.

Ch 4, starting in the 2nd ch from the hook, work 3 sc back along the chain, then work 1 sc into the next stitch of the strawberry.

Repeat from * to * until you have small leaves all around the top of the strawberry.

Cut the yarn and weave in the end.

Embroider the Seeds

Using white, yellow, or pale pink yarn, embroider small short stitches onto the strawberry.

Attach the Strawberry

Sew the finished strawberry firmly onto the vanilla sauce. It looks especially nice if you place it slightly to the side rather than exactly in the centre.

Strawberry Sauce with Sprinkles

For the third topping, crochet a sauce in pink or red. Then embroider small sprinkles onto it.

Use colourful yarn scraps to add short straight stitches to the sauce. The sprinkles do not need to be perfectly even. Slightly different lengths and slightly offset stitches make them look playful and fun.

For a play set for children, I would not use beads or buttons. Embroidered sprinkles are sturdier, softer, and better suited for little hands.