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Best Ice Cream Shops in Orlando for Kids

1. Alien Treats — Orlando

This sweet shop serves up milkshakes, sundaes, and floats alongside handcrafted freeze-dried candies, all with extraterrestrial vibes! After enjoying the free arcade, treat yourself to The Mothership milkshake—a blend of vanilla and cinnamon topped with a cinnamon Pop-Tart.

Known for: Out-of-this-world milkshakes
Flavors kids love: Blue Monster from Mars, Area 51

2. Bacio Ice Cream — Orlando & Lake Nona

Bacio Ice Cream serves handcrafted, high-quality scoops featuring both timeless classics and inventive flavors, including dairy-free options. Their menu also offers indulgent milkshakes and sundaes.

Known for: Hard chocolate shell pints
Flavors kids love: Banana Pudding, Oatmeal Crave, Chocolate Cracking Milkshake

3. The Dolly Llama - Winter Garden

If you love the mix of warm waffle and icy ice cream together, you need to visit The Dolly Llama in Winter Garden. Waffle options include the bubble and liege varietals, topped with delicious, creamy ice cream.

Known for: Waffles of all shapes and sizes
Flavors kids love: Mint N' Chip, Horchata, Mango Sorbet 

4. Gelato-go — Orlando & Winter Garden

Treat your family to homemade artisan gelato, with more than 20 flavors to choose from. You can even treat yourself to an affogato al café, which is vanilla gelato mixed with Italian coffee. Pastries and smoothies are also available.

Known for: Italian gelato (duh!)
Flavors kids love: Strawberry, Cookie Monster, Oreo

5. Ginther’s Swirls — Orlando

Located just a few miles from SeaWorld, this family-owned gem serves up a full menu of frosty favorites. From creamy hand-scooped and soft-serve ice cream and sundaes to thick milkshakes and refreshing slushies, Ginther’s Swirls is the perfect spot to cool off with a sweet treat.

Known for: Twirls (shakes with chunks of candy and toppings)
Flavors kids love: Salty Caramel Peanut, Nutella milkshake

6. The Greenery Creamery — Downtown Orlando & Sanford

The Greenery Creamery is an artisanal ice cream boutique known for its small-batch, scratch-made creations—both classic dairy and vegan. Flavors change daily and are shared on the store's Instagram page, featuring unique and seasonal options like Milk n’ Cookies, Blueberry Lavender, Key Lime Pie, and more inventive delights.

Known for: Dairy and vegan options
Flavors kids love: Belgian Chocolate, whatever is new on the menu!

7. I.CE.NY — Baldwin Park

I.CE.NY brings the trendy rolled ice cream experience to Baldwin Park with a fun twist. Guests can customize their treat with a variety of mix-ins, blended into the ice cream base on an ice-cold metal plate. After being chopped, smoothed, and rolled into delicate spirals, your creation is ready to enjoy.

Known for: Creamy rolled ice cream
Flavors kids love: It's all personalized, but try popular creations like Mango Sticky Rice, Milk and Cereal, and Gimme S'mores

8. Ice & Bites Café — Orlando / UCF area

Ice cream served in a fish-shaped waffle cone and topped with cotton candy? Yes, please! Ice & Bites Café is known for its whimsical creations, featuring toppings like hazelnut sticks, fruit skewers, and cotton candy. The menu also includes bubble tea and “Sno”—a light, flavored shaved ice topped with fruits, nuts, and sweet treats.

Known for: Taiyaki (fish-shaped waffle)
Flavors kids love: Menu changes weekly

9. Kelly’s Homemade Ice Cream — Multiple locations

A local favorite with six locations across Central Florida, Kelly’s Homemade Ice Cream serves up a delicious mix of classic and creative flavors. Can’t decide? Treat yourself to an "ice cream flight" and sample six different scoops! Ice cream, sorbets, and non-dairy alternatives available.

Known for: Pink ice truck
Flavors kids love: O-Dough, Chocolate PB Brownie, Cookie Butter Swirl

10. Poppy's Ice Cream — Tavares

Poppy’s Ice Cream & Sweet Shop in downtown Tavares is a family-friendly spot known for its handcrafted ice cream and bubble waffle cones. With both classic and creative treats, it's the perfect place to cool off after exploring the nearby lakefront.

Known for: Signature bubble waffles
Flavors kids love: Banana Cream Pie, Salted Caramel

11. Sampaguita - Orlando

This Filipino ice cream shop serves some of the best, most exotic flavors in Central Florida. Opened in 2022, this ice cream shop serves creative, handmade flavors that you won't find anywhere else.

Known for: Filipino flavors
Flavors kids love: Champorado, Pineapple Cake, Birthday Mamon

12. Scoops on 5^th — Mount Dora

Located in beautiful downtown Mount Dora, Scoops on 5th features 40 flavors of creamy Hershey’s ice cream alongside homemade goodies like caramel corn, cupcakes, cookies, and even keto-friendly donuts. After satisfying your sweet tooth, walk down the lakefront to Gilbert Park.

Known for: Charming, cozy shoppe
Flavors kids love: Birthday Cake, Superman, Sugar Cookie

13. Sweet and Sassy Place — Montverde

This family-owned ice cream shop serves more than 20 flavors of ice cream! Beyond ice cream, they also serve fresh-to-order crepes, lunch items, and other sweet treats. After your visit, stroll across the street to Kirk Park, where kids can enjoy a shady playground under beautiful canopy trees.

Known for: Themed events with matching themed flavors
Flavors kids love: Key Lime Pie, Caramel Cheesecake Cookie Monster

14. Swirls on the Water at Disney Springs — Lake Buena Vista

No park ticket? No problem! Swirls on the Water at Disney Springs serves up the Disney signature dessert without stepping foot in the theme parks. Enjoy the classic soft-serve in a cup, sip on a refreshing Dole Whip float, or try a trio of flavors with the popular Dole Whip sampler.

Known for: Dole Whips
Flavors kids love: Did we already say "Dole Whip?!"

15. Toothsome Chocolate Emporium — Orlando

From the outside, this themed confectionary located at Universal CityWalk looks like a real-life Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. It serves up a huge variety of chocolate-inspired treats and elaborate milkshakes.

Known for: All things chocolate
Flavors kids love: Brownie milkshake, Confetti milkshake

16. Twistee Treat — Multiple Locations

Twistee Treat’s iconic buildings are shaped like giant ice cream cones, making them a fun landmark across Central Florida. With over a dozen locations, they serve up homemade soft serve, refreshing slushies, indulgent sundaes, creamy shakes, and unique treats like waffle tacos and hot fudge brownie boats.

Known for: 25-foot-tall cone buildings
Flavors kids love: White Chocolate, Blue Raspberry, Cotton Candy

17. Wafu - Orlando

Located in the East End Market of Audubon Park, Wafu serves Japanese waffles and soft serve ice cream with rotating flavors. And the taiyaki (fish-shaped waffle cone) makes the experience all the much tastier!

Known for: Filled taiyaki in savory and sweet combos
Flavors kids love: Flavors rotate weekly

18. West Orange Creamery & Soda Fountain — Ocoee

This nostalgic creamery and soda fountain delights with Hershey’s ice cream crafted into classic treats like sundaes, banana splits, and epic milkshakes topped with fun toppings. Sip on traditional fountain favorites such as ice cream sodas or old-fashioned sodas for the full vintage experience.

Known for: Old-fashioned soda fountain
Flavors kids love: Graham Central Station, Cookie Craving fountain

19. Wondermade — Sanford & Lake Buena Vista

This café, with locations at downtown Sanford and Disney Springs, offers a variety of flavored marshmallows (as well as ice cream). Marshmallows can be served toasted on a stick, in a cup of hot chocolate, or sandwiched in a s’more. Family workshops are also offered for families to tour the kitchen and make their own marshmallows.

Known for: Marshmallow mania!
Flavors kids love: Triple Chocolate, Salted Caramel

FAQs:

Q: What is the most kid-friendly ice cream shop in Orlando?
A: Kelly’s Homemade Ice Cream is a local favorite for families! Ice & Bites Café is another hit with kids, thanks to its colorful cotton candy toppings and fish-shaped waffle cones.

Q: Are there any vegan or allergy-friendly ice cream spots for kids in Orlando?
A: The Greenery Creamery offers several vegan options. Bacio Ice Cream has dairy-free flavors.

Q: Which ice cream spots are the most Instagrammable for fun photos with the kids?
A: For photo-worthy treats, Ice & Bites Café and Wafu takes the cake with its presentations—think fish-shaped waffle cones. Poppy’s Ice Cream & Sweet Shop in Tavares also has fun decor (like hot air balloons and a carousel horse!) and bubble waffle cones perfect for snapping pics.

Q: Are there any ice cream shops near kid-friendly attractions in Orlando?
A: Yes! Swirls on the Water at Disney Springs is perfect for a post-shopping or theme park treat. Ginther’s Swirls is located on International Drive, minutes from SeaWorld, and makes a great pit stop after a day of attractions.

Q: Are there any ice cream shops in Orlando that offer custom ice cream cakes or treats for parties?
A: Kelly’s Homemade Ice Cream offers custom ice cream cakes that are both beautiful and delicious. And at Bacio Ice Cream, you can have an ice-cream themed birthday party right in the shop!

Photos courtesy of the shops