This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #TopYourSummer #SoHoppinGood #CollectiveBias

Y’all, it is so hot here. So hot that we’ve been doing ice cream and water sensory play almost every day after naps. I don’t know what else to do in order to stay cool in the afternoon heat. The kids have been having a blast with all the ice cream and water play.

My favorite water sensory activity is to make tapioca pearls for the kids to play with near the kiddie pool.  All you do is boil the pearls and let them cool. Easy peasy! I love letting the kids play with these because they are edible and super squishy. It’s really fun to grab a handful and squish them.

Robert and Jackson enjoy throwing them into the kiddie pool. They pick them up one at a time and toss them in the pool. Anything that entertains the kids for more than 5 minutes is a win in my book. Even Tom has fun with them.

While the boys entertain themselves with the tapioca pearls, I like to have a little fun making ice cream cones complete with toppings. I recently picked up Blue Bunny® Homemade Vanilla and Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream at Walmart. While I was there I got a bunch of Smucker’s toppings and Keebler cones.

You know how much I love to save money. That’s why I’m excited to tell you that you can earn cash back on Smucker’s Ice Cream Toppings with the free Ibotta app!

After seeing the picture below, I couldn’t stop thinking about all the different ways I could top my ice cream!

It inspired me to play with all the toppings. I think I have more fun making ice cream cones than the kids have playing in the water. I can’t stop creating new combinations. Here are my top three favorites: chocolate dipped vanilla, chocolate dipped vanilla with caramel on top, and mint chocolate chip with chocolate on top.

I’m now a little obsessed with topping my ice cream cone. Look how easy it was to make a chocolate dipped cone with the magic shell.

I’m also a little obsessed with photographing the entire ice cream topping process.

Who knew photographing ice cream and toppings could be so much fun?

Once the ice cream is ready, the boys get pretty excited to eat it. I let them sit in the kiddie pool and eat their ice cream. Clean up is a breeze when they stay in the kiddie pool!

The only problem is that they will leave the kiddie pool to steal our ice cream. Robert likes to finish his and then go steal mine or Tom’s.

Summer has just begun and we have many hot days ahead of us. I see many more ice cream days in our future!

What activities do you do to stay cool with the kids?

Head here to get more ice cream inspirations!