Play and Freeze Ice Cream Maker

Who says you can’t play with your food? Fun for kids of all ages, the Play and Freeze Ice Cream Maker lets you make your own soft serve ice cream — anywhere! We had the chance to try this out at home and — pardon the pun — had a ball with it. There’s a novelty in making your own ice cream; as a kid, I remember sitting by the side of my grandparents’ pool watching my grandfather crank away at a wooden ice cream maker sitting in a metal saucer, and still contend that no ice cream ever tasted so sweet. Now you can build those memories yourself, rolling the ball around your own back yard or on your next camping trip with the kids.

And it couldn’t be easier: with three ingredients and two steps to get the ball rolling, your only limitation is your imagination as you create new flavors and ingredients of your own. We kept it indoors and made a game of “keep away from the dog” as we rolled the ball back and forth in the living room. It takes about twenty minutes to get the blend to a solid state (maybe twenty-five for a perfect freeze, but we’re not a patient bunch), but all of the rolling and shaking is immediately rewarded with soft serve ice cream right out of the container. Available in Original (serves two) or Mega (whipping up a full quart) sizes, put this on your must have list for summertime fun. Just be careful of the screws outside the container — if you’re batting this back and forth on your own, your hands might get irritated by the slightly rough edges. Currently on sale for $28.95 - $39.95 at Amazon.