Chocolate-covered frozen bananas are a sweet treat we'll always love. But these animal pops are even more fun, since they combine craft time with dessert. Transforming bananas into whales, rabbits or penguins is a totally acceptable way to encourage kids (and adults!) to play with their food.

By Bob Hoebee for Food Network Kitchen

Photography by Matt Armendariz

For each animal: Start with a 3- to 4-inch piece cut from one end of a banana, spear it with an ice pop stick and freeze until solid.

While your bananas are freezing, make your chocolate shell for dipping: Combine 1 cup chopped good-quality dark, white or peanut-flavored chocolate and 2 tablespoons standard-grade coconut oil (not virgin or extra virgin) in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 20-second intervals until the chocolate begins to melt, and stir to combine. Alternate microwaving and stirring until the chocolate is completely melted.

Or, put the chocolate and oil in a heatproof bowl and rest it over a pot of barely simmering water. Stir until the chocolate is mostly melted. Remove the bowl from the hot water and continue stirring the chocolate until smooth.

Ears: 2 almond slices. Eyes: 2 mini chocolate chips. Nose: Cut a small piece from the corner of a pink fruit chew. Cheeks: Snip a mini marshmallow almost in half so one edge of the marshmallow stays attached and opens like a book. Paws: Halve another mini marshmallow and then make two snips in each half to create toes. Carrot: Cut a triangle from a dried apricot.

To assemble: Dip the frozen banana pop in the white or dark chocolate shell. Using more shell as glue, attach the elements as shown. Freeze to set.

Fur: Shredded coconut. Ears: Halve a mini marshmallow or yogurt-covered raisin lengthwise. Eyes: 2 mini chocolate chips. Nose: Halve a mini marshmallow for the snout. Use a piece of chocolate-covered rice cereal or half a candy-coated chocolate piece for the nose. Paws: Halve 2 mini marshmallows and make two short snips in each. Fish: A fish-shaped pretzel or a candy fish.

To assemble: Dip the frozen banana in white chocolate shell. Sprinkle with the coconut. Using more shell as glue, attach the elements as shown. Attach the pointed side of the mini-chip eyes to the banana for a bigger-eye effect. Glue the crisp rice cereal horizontally to the marshmallow snout before gluing the marshmallow to the banana. Glue the paws to the fish before attaching it to the banana. Freeze to set.