Frozen treats, like this strawberry lemon popsicle, make a great summer snack for kids.

Slippery, slurpy ice pops.

Is there a treat that better captures summer's frivolity?

Not in a child's eyes, for sure.

The frosty snacks refresh and satisfy with each icy bite.

Lick fast or the chilly delight will trickle down your chin and chest — but then, isn't that half the fun?

One splash in the pool and the sticky, brilliantly colored mess will disappear as quickly as the twinkle of a lightning bug on a muggy June night.

Because summer is a season for simplicity, here we offer several recipes for icy treats that are super easy to create.

Wash some sweet red grapes and throw them into the freezer for an hour. It doesn't get any simpler than that, and the cold fruit is sooo tasty, too. Blueberries and bananas also make great frozen refreshments. (Dip the bananas in chocolate to create a little extra thrill.)

But if it's ice pops you want, the possibilities are endless. Fresh strawberries and grapes; frozen cantaloupe and orange juice; lemonade concentrate and strawberries; cranberry concentrate and more grapes.

These yummy desserts can be whirled into smoothies or taken a step further and frozen in molds.

Using fresh fruit makes them vibrant tasting and healthy — the sweetness of summer, frozen in time.

2 cups strawberries2 tablespoons frozen lemonade concentrate3 tablespoons sugar, or to tasteAbout 6 ice-pop sticksWash and hull strawberries. In a blender or food processor, puree strawberries with lemonade concentrate and sugar. Pour into disposable plastic cups or ice-pop molds. If using plastic cups, add sticks. Freeze until firm.Dip cups in warm water to loosen pops before serving.Makes 6 servings.From "Lemons: Growing, Cooking, Crafting" by Kate Chynoweth and Elizabeth Woodson (Chronicle, 2003)Nutritional information per serving: Calories, 49.6; protein, 0.3 gram; carbohydrates, 12.6 grams; total fat, 0.2 gram; cholesterol, 0 milligrams; saturated fat, 0 grams; dietary fiber, 0.9 gram; sodium, 0.7 milligram; sugar, 11 grams; vitamin A, 2 retinol equivalents; vitamin C, 29.3 milligrams; calcium, 8.2 milligrams; iron, 0.2 milligram; alcohol, 0 grams

1/2 cup orange juice (about 1 orange, juiced and peeled, if using a juice machine)1 1/2cups frozen cantaloupe chunks1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel1 teaspoon honeyPour orange juice into blender; add frozen cantaloupe, orange peel and honey. Blend on high speed until smooth and serve immediately.Note: Do not serve honey to children younger than 2. Infant botulism may result — small children cannot handle the bacteria spores that honey can transmit.Makes 1 shake.From "The Ultimate Smoothie Book" by Cherie Calbom (Warner Books, 2001)Nutritional information per serving: Calories, 159.6; protein, 2.9 grams; carbohydrates, 38.5 grams; total fat, 0.7 gram; cholesterol, 0 milligrams; saturated fat, 0.1 gram; dietary fiber, 2.5 grams; sodium, 0 milligrams; sugar, 35.1 grams; vitamin A, 798 retinol equivalents; vitamin C, 151.4 milligrams; calcium, 37.2 milligrams; iron, 0.8 milligram; alcohol, 0 grams

2 cups fresh strawberries or frozen, unsweetened strawberries, thawed1/4 cup frozen cranberry-juice concentrate, thawed3 tablespoons sugar1 tablespoon fresh lemon juiceIn a blender or food processor, combine strawberries, cranberry-juice concentrate, sugar, lemon juice and 3 tablespoons water. Process until smooth.Pour mixture into individual frozen-treat molds or small paper cups.If using cups, freeze for about 1 hour, or until mixture begins to set. Insert frozen-treat sticks and freeze until completely firm.Makes 8 servings."The Eating Well Dessert Cookbook" (Eating Well Communications, 1996)Nutritional information per serving: Calories, 45.1; protein, 0.3 gram; carbohydrates, 11.4 grams; total fat, 0.1 gram; cholesterol, 0 milligrams; saturated fat, 0 grams; dietary fiber, 0.8 gram; sodium, 0.9 milligram; sugar, 9 grams; vitamin A, 1.5 retinol equivalents; vitamin C, 28.3 milligrams; calcium, 7.4 milligrams; iron, 0.2 milligram; alcohol, 0 grams

1 1/2 pounds red or green seedless grapesWash grapes and pat dry. Place in freezer for 45 minutes.Remove from freezer and let sit for 2 minutes before serving.Makes 4 servings.From "The Eating Well Dessert Cookbook" (Eating Well Communications, 1996)Nutritional information per serving: Calories, 117.4; protein, 1.2 grams; carbohydrates, 30.8 grams; total fat, 0.3 gram; cholesterol, 0 milligrams; saturated fat, 0 grams; dietary fiber, 1.5 grams; sodium, 3.4 milligrams; sugar, 26.3 grams; vitamin A, 11.9 retinol equivalents; vitamin C, 18.4 milligrams; calcium, 17 milligrams; iron, 0.6 milligram; alcohol, 0 grams

2 cups red grapes, rinsed and picked from the stems1 cup strawberries, rinsed, caps removedPour grapes and strawberries into a blender; process on high speed until smooth.Pour mixture into six 3-ounce ice-pop molds and freeze.Makes 6 servings.From "The Ultimate Smoothie Book" by Cherie Calbom (Warner Books, 2001)Nutritional information per serving: Calories, 44.8; protein, 0.5 gram; carbohydrates, 11.5 grams; total fat, 0.2 gram; cholesterol, 0 milligrams; saturated fat, 0 grams; dietary fiber, 1 gram; sodium, 1.3 milligrams; sugar, 9.3 grams; vitamin A, 4.5 retinol equivalents; vitamin C, 19.9 milligrams; calcium, 9.2 milligrams; iron, 0.3 milligram; alcohol, 0 grams

- Find molds for ice pops at grocery stores or department stores- Want to contain drips? Try Drip Catchers, 25 per pack $6.95 at dripcather.com.- Paper cups work just fine, too. Add sticks that you find at craft or grocery stores. (Look near the candied-apple supplies.)