(347-240-3926). 10am–12pm; up to 20 children $475. 305 Nevins St at Union St, Gowanus (no phone yet). Parties available anytime during opening hours; up to 20 children $575, $5 per additional child. Opens late May. amplehills.com
The lowdown: The borough’s best homemade-ice cream factory is a dream party venue for any birthday kid. The even better news? Soon there will be two Ample Hills factories, thanks to the opening of a new Gowanus location in May. The bigger space will allow for a private room (and more party guests).
What’s included: The two-hour shebang starts with a lesson in creating kids’ favorite summery treat using an old-fashioned ice cream maker, which they’ll load up with the birthday boy or girl’s flavor of choice. Feel free to get creative: Ample Hills owner Brian Smith says anything goes, from plain old chocolate to “gummy bear Kit Kat.” Party guests are photographed as they take a turn pedaling the ice cream bicycle that churns the mixture. While the treat freezes, kids can get crafty with their snapshot by displaying it on a place mat, in a picture frame or on a tote bag. Then there’s a round of Pin the Tail on Walt, Ample Hills’ cow mascot— named after poet Walt Whitman, who used the phrase ample hills to describe Brooklyn’s landscape. Once the ice cream’s ready, kids load scoops and sundae toppings onto hot waffles. Parents are free to supplement the bash with more food and drink (mimosas for moms and dads are welcome!), goody bags and entertainment.
“I made my own ice cream. I like Oreos, I like caramel, I like fudge, and I mixed them all together and I made my own flavor. My flavor is car-Oreo-fudge-a-mel. I think I will be famous.”
–Miles, 7, Fort Greene
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