New?collaboration?celebrates National Ice Cream Month with?two?co-branded?wooden pretend play?toys?and a?playfully?delicious?real?ice?cream?flavor
WILTON, Conn., June 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Melissa & Doug®, the?beloved?brand known for inspiring kid-powered, purposeful play, is teaming up with cult-favorite ice cream brand Van Leeuwen to bring the joy of the scoop shop to?kids?and ice cream lovers?alike,?just in time for summer and National Ice Cream Month in July. The?collaboration?includes two limited-edition?wooden pretend play sets?--?the?Melissa & Doug?x Van Leeuwen Scoop?Shop Ice Cream?Counter Play Set?and the Scoop?Pack Ice Cream Play Set.? A?signature?Van?Leeuwen Ice Cream flavor, Berry Good Imagination, inspired by Melissa & Doug?will be also?available at select locations.??
The limited-edition Melissa & Doug x Van Leeuwen collection brings an authentic?Van Leeuwen?scoop shop experience to life through imaginative, hands-on play. Kids can take orders, stack scoops, add toppings, serve cones and cups,?and?pay with play?money.? It also comes with special?coins?to?redeem for?a real free?kids scoop?at any Van Leeuwen shop.?The new sets are inspired by Melissa & Doug's best-selling Scoop & Serve Ice Cream Counter,?which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year and has ranked as the #1 item in Preschool Kitchen & Food for the past three?years.1
"We are thrilled to partner with Van Leeuwen?to deliver the joy of both real and pretend ice cream," said Lauren DeFeo Duchene, President of Melissa & Doug and EVP at Spin Master. "They are the?cherry on top?as we reimagine?one of our most-loved play patterns in a way that feels fresh,?playful?and?deliciously?fun for families.?This collaboration?builds on?Melissa & Doug's leadership in ice cream pretend play by?adding the distinctive charm of Van?Leeuwen's?realistic?flavors?and scoop shop details to the joy of sharing a treat together."?
"We've spent years thinking about how to create the best possible ice cream experience, and Melissa & Doug has done the same for imaginative play," said Ben Van Leeuwen, co-founder and CEO of Van Leeuwen Ice Cream. "This partnership brings those two worlds together in a way that feels authentic to both brands. We think families are going to have a lot of fun with it."
The?Melissa & Doug x Van Leeuwen collection includes:?
- Melissa & Doug?x?Van Leeuwen Scoop Shop Ice Cream?Counter?Play Set ($64.99)?This 29-piece wooden ice cream counter features realistic scoop-and-stack action, pretend Van Leeuwen flavors, play money, and two coins for real-world free kids' scoops.
- Melissa & Doug?x?Van Leeuwen Scoop Pack Ice Cream Play Set?($12.99)?A budget-friendly add-on to the Van Leeuwen Ice Cream Counter or a delightful stand-alone, this set includes a realistic ice cream tub, two pretend scoops, a wooden spoon, and a coin redeemable for a real-world free kids' scoop. ?
The limited-edition Melissa & Doug x Van Leeuwen play sets will be available while supplies last at?MelissaAndDoug.com, the brand's flagship store in the Westchester Mall and on Melissa & Doug's TikTok?Shop.
The limited-edition flavor, Berry Good Imagination, will be available at select Van Leeuwen scoop shops in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut,?and Pennsylvania.??
Families nationwide can enter to win the "Ultimate Ice Cream Party For Kids." One grand prize winner will get a private Van Leeuwen ice cream party for up to 10 guests, the Melissa & Doug x Van Leeuwen Scoop Shop Ice Cream Counter Play Set, and $100 gift cards to both Van Leeuwen and Melissa & Doug. Second and third prize winners will get a private ice cream party and other goodies. Consumers can enter by following both Melissa & Doug and Van Leeuwen on social media and tagging someone they think would love to win the party. Sharing the giveaway to Instagram Stories earns an additional entry.
About Melissa & Doug?
From timeless wooden and developmental toys to pretend play, puzzles, and arts & crafts, Melissa & Doug inspires the kind of kid-powered, purposeful play that builds the skills and confidence for children to thrive. Melissa & Doug is a wholly owned subsidiary of Spin Master Corp. (TSX:TOY), a leading global children's entertainment company. For more, visit?MelissaAndDoug.com?or the brand's Instagram @melissaanddougtoys.?
About Van?Leeuwen Ice Cream?
Van Leeuwen began as a yellow scoop truck on the streets of NYC in 2008 by brothers Ben and Pete Van Leeuwen, and Laura O'Neill, who were on a mission to make good ice cream from good ingredients that?makes?you feel good. The brand is known for its French-style ice cream (made with more than double the amount of egg yolks as standard ice cream) innovative vegan options, and unexpected collaboration flavors. From its award-winning Vanilla Bean (named best vanilla ice cream by?The New York Times/Wirecutter) to buzzworthy limited editions such as Kraft Mac & Cheese, Hidden Valley Ranch, and Espresso (with singer-songwriter Sabrina Carpenter), Van Leeuwen continues to push the boundaries of ice cream. The brand recently introduced Frozen Yogurt, done the Van Leeuwen way - applying the same sourcing ethos it brings to its ice cream. Van Leeuwen has?scoop?shops across the country, and its ice cream is available in grocery stores or for nationwide shipping from their website. To keep up with everything Van Leeuwen Ice?Cream, follow the brand on Instagram?@vanleeuwenicecream?or visit?www.vanleeuwenicecream.com.?
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