Strawberry Syrup & Mr Whippy: Memoir Prompts from Childhood Summers

March 5, 2025 | Memoir Writing Tips

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Strawberry Syrup & Mr Whippy: Memoir Prompts from Childhood Summers

The sound of an ice cream van is more than just a jingle it is a shortcut to summer fun. A few notes of that cheerful tune and suddenly you are back in a childhood garden, bare feet on hot pavement, shouting, “Mum! Can we get one?”

For me, the easiest way to guarantee success was getting my little brother to do the asking. Who could say no to him?

We all had our favourites. Mine? A plain Mr Whippy—no cone. As a kid, it was drowned in strawberry syrup. These days, I prefer it just as it is. No extras needed. Simpler, but somehow even sweeter.

And yet, those sounds aren’t as common now. Maybe the vans are fading. Or maybe we just stopped listening out for them.

Memoir Prompt

Write about a time you ran out to catch the ice cream van.

  • Who were you with?

  • What did you buy?

  • Did you ever just miss it—and feel like summer had slipped through your fingers?

Journal Exercise

Use your journal to explore the full sensory experience:

  • List your top five ice cream van treats
    From screwballs to 99 Flakes, what were your go-to choices?

  • Describe the sound and feeling of hearing the van approach
    What did that music spark in your body? Joy? Panic? Hunger?

  • Write about an ice cream memory that still makes you smile
    Was it a sunny park bench? Sticky fingers? A melted mess?

Even if it’s mid-February and the skies are grey, your memory can transport you back to the warmth of long evenings, dripping cones, and sprinting toward a van that always seemed just one road away.

These small joys might seem silly—but they’re the flavours of our childhood. They say more about us than we realise.

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