Italian Ices at the Court Pastry Shop – Cobble Hill
298 Court Street at Douglass Street
For a classic, lightly sweet Italian ice experience, hit this popular Brooklyn spot. While you’re there, grab a few traditional Italian pastries (the lobster tails and cannoli are famous) and head to nearby Cobble Hill Park to let the kids burn off their sugar high.

Sorbet at Il Laboratorio del Gelato – Lower East Side
95 Orchard Street between Broome and Delancey Streets
As the name suggests, this tiny place specializes in—and is famous for—its gelato. But don’t forget about its refreshing, nondairy cousin: sorbet. There's an incredible variety of exotic flavors to choose from, like Fuji apple, blood orange or lemon basil.

Popsicles at People's Pops – Chelsea, East Village, Park Slope and other locations
Chelsea Market, 425 West 15th Street between Ninth and Tenth Avenues, plus multiple other locations
Skip the freezer-burned pops in your fridge, and head to Chelsea for these brightly colored treats, which are made from locally grown fruits and herbs, and come in flavors like blackberry and sour cherry, and plum, yogurt and tarragon. You can also pick up the pops at the nearby High Line and the Brooklyn Flea. Go to the website for additional location info.

Piragua/Raspado at El Bohio Grocery – North Corona
Roosevelt Avenue and 99th Street
There’s something quintessentially New York about buying shaved ice from a guy selling his wares out of a busted-looking cart. Known as piragua or raspado (depending on the ethnicity of the vendor selling them), they're basically Hispanic snow cones made from ice and flavored syrup. Kids love watching vendors cut the ice from a huge block with a seriously dangerous-looking scraper. If you don’t feel like wandering around Washington Heights or Corona in search of a cart, head straight for El Bohio Grocery for a Dominican take on the sweet treat.

Taiwanese Ice at Ice Fire Land – Flushing
13511 40th Road near Main Street
Reports have trickled in that Ice Fire Land is CLOSED. Any reader recommendations for yummy shaved ice would be welcome! Picky eaters will likely steer clear of the non-fruity toppings like sweetened beans, taro root and corn, but everyone can get into an icy treat covered in sweet jelly, brown sugar syrup and condensed milk.

Since we know you still scream for ice cream, check out five of our favorite parlors, all located near great playgrounds.

Find more summer fun in our New York City Kids Summer Activity Guide.

Updated May 13, 2012