We All Scream for Ice Cream

Summer to our family is the season of the ice cream cone. This dairy delight usually is prefaced by an intricate dance between my daughter and I. It goes a little something like this. Step one: Begging and pleading to go get one. Step two: Bouncing up and down while waiting for one. Step three: Furtive licks when one finally arrives from over the counter. Step four: A declaration of “fullness” and a handing over of an unfinished cone to the nearest parent. Step five: Parent eats the remaining cone. Step six: Repeat the following afternoon.

Since this seems to happen every day, and we’re certainly not going to hit the ice cream shop that often, I’m always looking for a great way to distract her.

So I needed to have a Plan. One that didn’t involve sugary cones. Luckily, the green company Plan Toys has one for me. This graphic wooden cone sorter has it all. Stack it, sort it, hide little toys in it—no matter how she decides to play with it, this learning toy cone gives her the wonders of play minus the drippy mess. Just as sweet as the real thing.

This clever and colorful cone bides time for a bit. Then it’s back to the ice cream dance for two. I guess I could only hold off the sweet teeth for only so long. After all, this one doesn’t come with sprinkles.