Deluxe Wooden Ice Cream Stand

A queue of teddies on the rug, one child behind the counter and another taking a very long time to decide: the Deluxe Wooden Ice Cream Stand turns a corner of the living room into a seaside kiosk. It is the most complete ice cream counter in our shop, made for children aged 3 and over who love to serve, to be served and to argue about whose turn it is.

A tabletop wooden play shop, not a stall to stand behind

Check the size before anything else, because it decides how the toy is used. The stand measures 45 x 21 x 47 cm, and its work surface sits 11 cm above whatever it is placed on. It is not a cart on wheels, not a play kitchen and not a floor-standing market stall: it is a counter to set down on a piece of furniture or on the floor.

That leaves you three good options:

• On a coffee table: the seller stands and the serving surface arrives at a comfortable height for a 3-year-old. It is the set-up most children prefer.
• On the floor: the seller kneels or sits. This works well for a calm game, or when several children gather round.
• On a child's desk: for an older child who likes to sit down and arrange the display before opening.

At 3 kg, the stand does not slide away when a customer leans on it. That same weight means an adult should be the one to carry it from room to room. With a footprint of 45 x 21 cm, it fits on top of a chest of drawers or on a deep shelf between two games.

Seller and customer: how a game unfolds

An ice cream counter comes with a script that every child already knows from a day at the beach. The customer arrives and asks. The seller listens, makes up the ice cream, hands it over and announces the price. Four steps, and each one has something to teach.

Taking the order means listening and remembering: "two for me and one for teddy" is a real exercise at 3. Making up the ice cream means choosing and assembling with careful hands. Serving means waiting for the other person and passing something without dropping it. And paying brings in the first numbers: how many did you ask for, how many coins is that?

A pretend shop needs a customer more than it needs extra accessories, so the best thing you can add is yourself. Be a slightly difficult customer. Change your mind, order for three people, ask what is on offer today. Then swap places: children find it very funny to be served by a parent who gets the order wrong.

From around 4 or 5, draw a menu together with prices from 1 to 5. Your child reads numbers, counts out buttons as coins and gives change, without noticing that it has become maths.

Why it is for ages 3 and up

The stand comes with small parts, which is why it is not suitable for children under 3. If a baby brother or sister is crawling around, play on a table instead of the floor and put the loose pieces away in a lidded box once the shop closes.

Three is also the age at which this kind of game makes sense. Before that, children handle the pieces one by one. From 3, they start to play a part, to give one to someone else and to keep a little story going. Among role play sets, a shop is one of the easiest to begin with, because the lines are short and everybody knows them.

Deluxe, medium or parlour: choosing between our stands

We stock other ice cream stands: medium models in blue and in pink, and a large parlour. The Deluxe is the most complete of the range, the one to choose when two or three children will play together or when the stand is meant as the main present.

Whichever you pick, a few additions widen the game. The Wooden Play Shop Scales for Fruit & Vegetables bring weighing into the shop, the Wooden Play Plates & Cutlery Set lets customers sit down to eat, and the Wooden White Coffee Machine & Cups Pretend Play Set turns the kiosk into a café for the grown-ups in the queue. A cash register finishes the picture for children who love the paying part best.

You will find these in our pretend play toys, and the rest of the range among our Montessori education toys.

Wood, care and guarantee

The stand is made of wood, which gives it its weight and its stability on a table. Dust it with a dry or barely damp cloth and keep it away from water: wood does not like to be soaked. It is covered by our 2-year guarantee, like every product in the shop.

One habit is worth setting up on the first day: every piece goes back on the stand or into its box before the shop "shuts". The game starts faster the next morning, and nothing ends up under the sofa.

Ice cream counter: your questions

What age is the ice cream counter suitable for?

From 3 years. Younger children should not play with it, because the stand comes with small parts.

How big is the ice cream counter?

It measures 45 x 21 x 47 cm and weighs 3 kg. The work surface is 11 cm above the base.

Does it need a play kitchen or table to stand on?

No play kitchen is needed. It is a self-contained stand that you place on a low table, a desk or the floor. A coffee table gives a standing 3-year-old the most comfortable height.

Is it safe for children under 3?

No. It contains small parts that are a choking hazard, so keep it out of reach of younger brothers and sisters.

Specifications

• Wooden tabletop ice cream stand for role play
• Dimensions: 45 x 21 x 47 cm
• Work height: 11 cm
• Weight: 3.00 kg
• Age: 3+
• Reference: REFL11815
• 2-year guarantee

Warning: Not suitable for children under 3 years. Small parts. Choking hazard. Please retain this information.