Searching for a sweet and pretty cool party idea? Consider an ice cream party.
Whether it’s for a birthday, graduation, summer get-together, or just a cool treat; an ice cream party is a fun and delicious way to bring your loved ones together. From ice cream toppings to cute decorations, check out these 22 ice cream party ideas.
Decorations for Ice cream party
1. Balloon Garland
If you’re celebrating something really big, like a birthday, graduation, bridal shower, or you just want to go all out with your decor; consider creating a balloon garland.
It’s a bold statement piece that will instantly add a fun and festive vibe to your space. Plus it can double as a cute photobooth backdrop. You can stick to classic pastel ice cream colors like pink, blue, and yellow. Or opt for other balloon colors to match your ice cream party’s theme.
2. Balloons
If you want something a little simpler, just stick with traditional balloons and incorporate them throughout your space. You can fill them with helium and let them float to the ceiling, scatter them across the floor for a fun and playful vibe, or tie them to weights and use them as table centerpieces or floor decor.
3. Crepe Paper Streamers
Crepe paper streamers are another great way to add some dimension and texture to your space while keeping things fun and budget-friendly.
There are so many creative ways to decorate with them. You can drape them across the ceiling, hang them vertically along a wall for a colorful backdrop, or incorporate them with balloons in a photo booth.
4. Flower Pom Poms
Flower pom-poms are another great way to add some texture and festiveness to your party space, and they’re super easy to put together. All you have to do is unfold the layers of tissue paper, fluff them up, and you’ll have a beautiful decoration that will instantly brighten up the room.
You can hang them from the ceiling, cluster them together for a statement piece, or incorporate them in a photobooth.
5. Ice Cream Sign
An ice cream sign is a great way to add a cute touch to your table decor and tie the theme together. This ice cream decor in particular, has lights within it for a vintage ice cream parlor type of vibe.
6. Circle Dot Garlands
Circle dot garlands are another easy and fun way to add some festiveness to your space without much effort. You can use them as a backdrop for a cute photo booth area, hang them along walls, or drape them across the dessert table.
7. Ice Cream Scoops
What is an ice cream party without an ice cream scoop?
Incorporate several ice cream scoops within your table setup so that each ice cream flavor has its own dedicated scoop. This way, guests won’t have to double dip between different flavors, keeping everything clean and efficient. Plus, having multiple scoops available means your guests won’t have to wait too long to serve themselves.
8. Ice Cream Cups
Get some cute ice cream cups that match your party’s decor theme to make your setup look extra festive. Whether you’re going for a classic ice cream parlor look or a fun, colorful aesthetic, the right cups can enhance the overall vibe of your dessert table.
9. Neutral Ice Cream Cups
If you’re going for a more neutral and minimalist ice cream party decor theme, then choose cups that complement the aesthetic with simple, understated colors.
Neutral colored ice cream cups, such as beige, white, or brown, are great in allowing the ice cream toppings to stand out while maintaining a minimalist look.
10. Serving Bowls
Serving bowls are great because they allow you to neatly organize and display each of your individual toppings for your ice cream bar. From sprinkles to cookie chunks, go for clear bowls so guests can see all of the fun toppings.
11. Mini Serving Scoops
To go with the serving bowls, incorporate mini serving scoops into your ice cream bar so that guests can easily scoop up their favorite toppings. These small scoops make it convenient to grab just the right amount of sprinkles, chocolate chips, or crushed cookies without making a mess.
12. Napkins
No ice cream party is complete without napkins! Make sure you have plenty on hand because ice cream can get a little messy, especially as it starts to melt.
Whether guests are wiping away drips from their cones or cleaning up after creating their perfect sundae, having a stack of cute napkins will add both function and style to your setup.
13. Tablecloth
Decorate your table with a cute tablecloth to set the perfect foundation for your ice cream and topping bar. Whether you go with a colorful pastel tablecloth or a neutral-colored one, it will help to tie the decor together and create a polished look.
Also, make sure the tablecloth is stain-resistant so that if ice cream or toppings spill, you can easily wipe it down or throw it in the wash.
Personally, for a pastel-themed party decor, I would go with a white tablecloth. It acts as a neutral background, allowing the pastel decorations to stand out without clashing with all the soft colors.
Ice Cream Party Ideas
14. Ice Cream Flavors
When choosing ice cream flavors for your party, go with a mix of classics and fun options to satisfy everyone’s taste. Flavors like vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, birthday cake, and even lactose-free options provide a great base while letting the toppings shine.
If you want to get creative, you can also serve specialty flavors like cookies and cream, cotton candy, or salted caramel to give guests something exciting to try.
15. Ice Cream Toppings Bar
A delicious and super interactive way to set up your ice cream party is by creating an ice cream toppings bar and letting guests build their own sundaes. This setup can make the party even more fun, as everyone customizes their sundaes exactly how they want it.
From classic ice cream toppings to unique add-ons, here’s a fun and delicious list of toppings to make your ice cream bar extra yummy!
Classic Ice Cream Toppings
- Whipped cream
- Sprinkles
- Chocolate syrup
- Caramel sauce
- Strawberry sauce
Fruity Toppings
- Sliced strawberries
- Maraschino cherries
- Blueberries
- Banana slices
Candy & Chocolate Toppings
- M&M’s
- Gummy bears
- Mini marshmallows
- Chocolate chips
- Sour gummy worms
Fun Toppings
- Cheesecake chunks
- Pocky sticks
- Cookie dough
- Brownie chunks
- Cereal (Fruity Pebbles, Cinnamon Toast Crunch)
- Crushed Oreos
- Coconut flakes
- Popping pearls boba
- Crushed waffle cone
- Hot fudge sauce
16. How to Serve Your Ice Cream
When setting up your ice cream party, you can offer one or a variety of serving options so guests can choose how they want to enjoy their ice cream. You can have cups, waffle cones, or waffle bowls, depending on the vibe you’re going for.
If you’re trying to decide what to offer, consider the following: Cups are great for easy scooping, piling on lots of toppings, and preventing the ice cream from melting through like it would in a cone.
Waffle cones and bowls, on the other hand, add a delicious crunch factor to the ice cream-eating experience, making every bite extra satisfying.
17. How to Keep Ice Cream Cold Throughout the Party
To keep your ice cream from melting too quickly during the party, use this simple yet effective method to maintain its chill. Fill aluminum pans with plenty of ice and then set your ice cream buckets inside the pan, allowing the ice to keep the ice cream cold for longer.
Another great way to keep ice cream cold throughout the party is to keep it in the freezer. Instead of putting all of the ice cream out at once, put one of each flavor out and keep the rest in the freezer. Then, simply put them out as needed.
18. Ice Cream Party Invitation
Whether you’re hosting an ice cream party as a bridal shower theme, a graduation celebration, a birthday party, or just an end-of-summer get-together, a fun invitation sets the tone for your event. Create a cute party invitation and send it out to your guests to build excitement.
RELATED: 17 End of Summer Party Ideas That You’ll Love
19. Decorate with Flowers
If you’re looking for another decoration piece, consider adding flowers to your ice cream party setup. They’ll bring a fresh and natural element to the overall decor.
20. DIY Ice Cream Party Framed Signs
DIY some cute posters, print them out, and place them in frames for an easy yet adorable decor piece to enhance your party setup. This is a great way to add your own little twist and DIY touch to the decor while keeping things fun and festive.
You can add playful slogans like “I scream, you scream, we all scream for ICE CREAM!” Or keep it simple with phrases like “Ice Cream Bar” or “Treat Yo’ Self.”
21. Decorate with Confetti
Another great decor element that will bring all of the party vibes to your space is confetti. You can sprinkle it across the dessert table or even scatter it on the ground.
Serve other foods at your ice cream party. And end the party with ice cream for a nice sweet treat
Search other foods that your ice cream party and have the ice cream as the main attraction towards the end of the party so that it can be a nice sweet treat for everyone.
22. Serve a Meal
In addition to ice cream, you can incorporate a meal into your party’s menu. This is a great way to save the ice cream for last and make it feel like the main attraction.
