Father's Day is right around the corner! I felt compelled to share what my family has done for the past 10 year. YES. TEN. WHOLE. YEARS. And this is something my kids absolutely look forward to each and every year - even now as teens!
Before I share I have to post the disclaimer that I did not come up with this idea myself. I read it in a magazine 10 years ago (probably some parenting one) that gave me the idea. We did it, we loved it, we continued it each year and we look forward to each June. Seriously my kids talk about it. A lot.
So - what do we do?
FATHER'S DAY ICE CREAM TASTE TEST CONTEST.
Here's how it works. You buy pints of ice cream and cover the labels with paper and number each pint. You give everyone a sheet of paper and a spoon. You let them taste each pint and write down what they think the ingredients are in each. They taste and taste and taste some more. After everyone is done, you reveal the ice creams with the ingredients and give 1 point for each flavor or ingredient they got right.
Person with the most points wins. But let's be real here....when you give kids access to unlimited ice cream - EVERYONE WINS!!!
I go out and buy at least 6 (some years it was 9!) pints of Ice Cream in very creative flavors. I find that Ben & Jerry's is the best at mixing different combinations of things. I mean who else puts chocolate covered potato chips in ice cream?! Ben and Jerry's never disappoints but I will really grab any pint that is not standard plain vanilla. I also find that it goes on sale in late spring so I always stock up when I see it and hide it in a plastic shopping bag in the chest freezer.
Here is a picture of my excited ice cream taste testers in circa 2009. 
To prep this activity, send your entire family outside or upstairs or away from you.
All you need to do is buy pints of ice cream with combination type flavors.
Take the master sheet printable and write down all of the ingredients of each on the answer sheet.
Take regular size sheets of blank paper (white is fine) but one year I used yellow and just fold them in half the long way like this and number them with sharpie or a marker like so:
When my kids were little I always bought safe non-allergen ice cream but now my kids are older (teens/tweens) and even though my son has a life threatening peanut allergy, my daughter and husband love peanut butter so I will buy 1 or 2 containing nuts, but mark them as such and they have to use separate spoons for those to prevent cross contamination. My son is old enough to know to avoid.
After they are folded and numbered, just wrap each pint and tape it so none of the container is showing.
then tape it 
Trust me when I say that they will not care if it is not pretty.
Then print out the guessing sheets and make sure everyone has a pencil, some water and 1-2 spoons (depending on allergies).
Then let them at it! Taste, guess, write, taste some more, drink water, taste again and watch the glory in their little faces when they are allowed to take a taste of several different ice cream flavors. Bliss. You can taste too - but you are the only one who knows the flavors so keep it to yourself and let them have fun!
We've enjoyed this tradition for 10 years in 3 different houses!
Last year:
I can't wait to do this again this year!
For a freebie printable of guess sheets and a master list to keep track of ingredients - click HERE.
Thanks for stopping by!
