Ice Cream Day Activities for the End of the Year

As the school year winds down and students eagerly anticipate summer break, it’s the perfect time to plan a special event to celebrate all of their hard work! And what better way to do that than with an ice cream day at school?! An end of the year party with ice cream day activities and centers is a fun and festive way to mark the end of the year countdown! Not only is it a delicious treat that everyone can enjoy, it’s also a great way to keep your students learning when the summer itch sets in!

Ice Cream Day Escape Room

Celebrate the end of the year, as you review math and literacy skills from the year, with “The Ice Cream Shop Mystery” end of the year escape room!

Set the stage with a note from the ice cream shop attendant:

I have a special treat.

Yes, it is true.

But first I need,

Some help from you!

The supplies are lost,

As you can see.

Who has them?

It’s a mystery!

Solve each challenge,

Along the way.

So we can build,

A big sundae!

Once you have set the stage, the students will create their case files. These can be made with file folders, or by folding a large sheet of construction paper in half.

As the students are coloring the cover, staple the “Suspect Elimination” sheet inside the folder. Then, they can glue the covers to the outside of the folder.

Just like a real detective, these case files will hold all of their completed Ice Cream Day activities!

Ice Cream Day Center Set Up

Setting up the Ice Cream Day activities is easy! Just prep your centers with the ice cream challenges.

Either place each activity inside a tub… or to make it seem a little more authentic, place them inside manila envelopes.

To solve the mystery, the students will need to complete six or eight different ice cream themed math and literacy centers.

After the students complete each challenge, they will receive a clue from the culprit. A suspect will be eliminated after each challenge.

Once all of the centers have been completed, they will have eliminated all but one suspect!

Don’t want to use the challenges as centers for an escape room?

No problem! Simply use them as regular math and literacy activities without the mystery component!

Ice Cream Day Activities for Literacy

Here’s a quick look at the literacy activities, all ice cream themed!

At the “Cone Challenge,” the students will build ice cream cones by matching the pictures that rhyme.

To solve the “Milkshake Challenge,” they will sort pictures by beginning digraph.

As they complete the “Scoop Challenge,” the students will count the number of syllables in each word.

They will be “melting” for middle sounds, as they sort CVC pictures by medial short vowel sounds.

Ice Cream Day Activities for Math

Of course, we can’t forget about my favorite subject! Here’s a peek at the math activities!

The students will practice subitizing and 1:1 counting, at this “Stacking Scoops” center.

At the “Sprinkles Challenge,” they will remove the correct number of sprinkles to find the difference.

To practice addition, they will model each problem by using the correct number of ice cream scoops to build a sundae.

And, last, but certainly not least, they will extend each popsicle pattern.

Ice Cream Day Escape Room

Grab The Ice Cream Shop Mystery, including all eight math and literacy centers, here!

Similar to “The Ice Cream Shop Mystery,” this digital ice cream themed escape includes eight math and literacy challenges. After the students complete each challenge, they will move further along the path. A hidden sundae supply will be uncovered after each challenge.