Ice cream van facts for kids
Imagine a special kind of van or truck that brings delicious ice cream right to your neighborhood! These vehicles are called ice cream vans (in places like the UK) or ice cream trucks (in North America). They usually appear during spring and summer, driving through streets or parking at fun spots like beaches and parks where many people gather.
Ice cream vans are easy to spot! They often have bright decorations, a special window where you can buy your treats, and a menu showing all the yummy options and their prices. Many of these vans are run by independent owners, like small family businesses. Some are part of bigger companies, like Mister Softee, which is a well-known ice cream truck franchise.
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The Sweet Sounds of Summer
One of the coolest things about ice cream vans is the special sounds they make to let everyone know they're nearby! Unlike other food trucks, ice cream vans often play catchy tunes or ring bells. Some use a bell, while others have a speaker that plays amplified music. Many even use both!
The music is usually a short, instrumental version of a popular children's song, a classical tune, or a folk song. It often sounds like a music box or bright chimes. In the past, these vans used mechanical music boxes. Today, most use electronic systems to play their cheerful melodies.
A Look Back: History of Ice Cream Vans
The first ice cream vans sold simple ice cream treats. This was a long time ago, when most families didn't have a freezer at home to store frozen desserts. As freezers became more common in homes, ice cream vans changed what they offered. They started selling exciting new 'novelty' items. These included fun ice cream bars and colorful ice pops that we still enjoy today.
Ice Cream Vans in the United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, you'll mostly find two main types of ice cream vans. A hard van sells scooped ice cream and only has a freezer. A soft van has a freezer and a special machine to make creamy, soft-serve ice cream, often called "whippy", for cones and screwballs.
These vans are usually custom-built. They start as regular vans, then their back sections are changed to a lighter fiberglass body. A very traditional song played by ice cream vans in the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand is "Greensleeves".
Selling ice cream in the UK can be tricky because of the weather. It's hard to make money outside of summer. A hot spell can bring lots of sales, but when it cools down, sales drop quickly. This means vendors sometimes sell other snacks like crisps, chips, burgers, or hot dogs during colder times to keep their business going.
There are rules about where and how long ice cream vans can sell their treats, especially in busy areas like London. There are also rules about how loud and how long the chimes can play. For example, chimes should not be played too often near hospitals, schools, or churches when people are using them.
Making Ice Cream Vans: Whitby Morrison
One of the biggest companies that makes ice cream vans in the UK is Whitby Morrison. It's located in Crewe, Cheshire. Bryan Whitby started the company. In 1965, he created a special way for the van's engine to power the ice cream machines.
Today, Whitby Morrison builds about 100 ice cream vans every year. They send their vans to more than 60 countries around the world! They have also worked on new technology, like electric battery systems, to power the ice cream machines. The first all-electric van was delivered in the summer of 2019.
Ice Cream Trucks in North America
In the United States and Canada, ice cream trucks often start as step vans. This gives them their classic, familiar look. Some are also made from other types of vans or even small school buses. Many of these trucks sell pre-packaged treats like ice cream bars, ice cream sandwiches, and popsicles. Trucks that sell soft-serve ice cream are a bit less common.
Besides ice cream, these trucks might also offer snow cones, Italian ice, snacks, small toys, and candy. Many have a special yellow or red triangular sign with lights. This sign is like a school bus stop sign. It warns drivers to slow down because children might be crossing the street to get their favorite treat!
Traditional songs played by ice cream trucks in the US and Canada include "The Band Played On", "The Entertainer", "It's a Small World", and the famous Mister Softee Jingle. Even modern songs, like "Ice Cream" by Blackpink and Selena Gomez, sometimes include sounds that remind people of ice cream truck music.
In Norway, there are two main ice cream van companies: Isbilen and Diplom-isbilen. Diplom-isbilen sells ice cream from Diplom-Is, while Isbilen sells ice cream from Isbjørn-Is. Interestingly, they also sometimes sell fish! These vans play a well-known tune called "Norge rundt" to let everyone know they're there.
In Sweden, a popular ice cream truck brand is Hemglass. It started in 1968. Hemglass trucks deliver ice cream products not only in Sweden but also in Denmark, where they are known as Hjem-IS.
Images for kids
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A Ford Transit-based Mr. Whippy van in Clacton
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An older Ford Transit-based ice cream van in Colchester
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A step van-based ice cream truck, the most common type in the US
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A school bus-based ice cream truck
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See Also
- Ice cream cart
- Food truck
- Refrigerator truck
- Street food
