Summer’s here, bringing with it blues skies, sunshine and the top priority: keeping kids cool.
We want our children to be enjoying themselves all summer long but hot and cranky kids aren’t much fun – for them or us!
So here, with the help of our wonderful Facebook community, are our favourite ways for keeping kids cool whilst still having lots of summer fun. (Thanks to Jules, Nichola, Gayla, Tina, Michele and Debi for sharing their tips)
Keeping kids cool: planning
Plan your day around the season: getting some outdoor play in at the beginning and end of the day, but keeping out of the sun between 12 and 3pm. And provide interesting activities to keep them engaged but relaxing while they’re indoors. Painting or junk modelling or playdough are some of our favourites when the children need some quiet time.
Keep clothing cool: loose cotton clothes, swimsuits or nothing but sun cream. Add a sun hat to provide shade for their face.
Use aromatherapy to create a chilled atmosphere, using peppermint or citrus oils in a burner.
Build a chill-out zone, either inside or in the shade of a tree, for the children to use whenever they need a pitstop. Use a blanket and big cushions, and provide books to read, fans to waft and ready supply of cool drinks.
Keeping kids cool: play ideas
Bring on the water and let the kids keep themselves cool while they play. A paddling pool, a water wall, sprinklers to run through or even a garden hose draped over a washing line to make a gentle waterfall. Our Carnival of Water Play has lots of ideas to inspire you.
Try an ice-cold sensory tub: great for even very little ones. Just add ice cubes to a bowl of water or the tray of their high chair and let them explore. You could use fruit juice or a little food colouring to make the ice cubes to add some colour fun too.
Spritz the kids with a spray bottle of cooled water – give them their own bottles to spray each other, or keep a travel-sized bottle in your bag to cool down when you’re out and about.
Keeping kids cool: refreshments
Summer refreshments are just right for keeping kids cool. We love homemade ice lollies, frozen smoothies or chilled peppermint tea, all of which the children can enjoy making for themselves.
What are your tips for keeping kids cool in the summer?
happily shared with link and learn and show and tell
Another play idea we use when the kids are hot and flustered and need some quiet play is to play drs. Take it in turns to be dr /patient and mop brows with damp flannel, soak feet in bowl of water etc – easy but cooling!
Love it Julia – bagsy I’m the patient!
Love the idea of creating a chill out zone. Great post – thank so much for the linky love!
We live in a very hot, humid area. We are the only family I know that lives here without the benefit of air conditioning. Some days here are pretty muggy. Still, I love it! It’s so much easier playing outside or working in the garden when you haven’t spent the day inside the cold air-conditioned house. And you do get used to it… 🙂