As we are halfway through this hot and hazy summer! We wanted to share some tips and tricks for you and your family to keep cool!
Activities for toddlers that help beat the heat
Set them to work! Fill a sink or basin with water, some dish soap, a few drops of food colouring, and plastic dishes and spoons. Your kids will have a blast mixing up potions, “washing” the dishes, and scooping up and pouring out water. Throw in a couple of ice cubes and it becomes a whole new adventure! Older children can stand on a chair at the sink, but you can also have the same experience using a bin placed outside with them seated beside it. Parent tip: put a couple of towels underneath/around them if you’re inside!
Try ice cube painting: Fill ice cube trays with water and different food colouring, and use the frozen cubes to “paint” on paper. The creativity will flow as they use their imagination and stay cool.
“Paint” with water: Another painting idea involves using clean brushes and rollers, a bucket of water, and your driveway, fence, or balcony. There will probably be just as much water on them as on their “canvas” and that’s okay!
Fun games for 3- to 6-year-olds on hot summer days
Make your own splash pad at home: Spread out a clean tarp, place a sprinkler nearby and ta-da, their own splash pad! The water will eventually pool a bit, creating puddles to stomp on, sit in, or slide through. For some great creative free play, try turning your splash pad into an adorable frog pond complete with stones and logs to explore and discover.
Pool noodle fun: Don’t have an actual pool to use these in? No matter! Use inexpensive noodles to make a quick sprinkler, raise it up for a stay-cool limbo game that will test kids’ flexibility and balance. .
Make a chilly dinosaur dig: Young archaeologists will enjoy an exploratory dig through icy terrain. Simply fill a bucket of water with some plastic dinosaurs or other toys, freeze it in layers, and let your child chip away at it with a spoon or toddler-sized hammer. Remember to outfit them with some goggles to protect their eyes during this activity.
layful ways for older kids to stay cool
Aim and toss: Wet sponges to make reusable “water balloons” and let the kids run around and throw them at each other. Unlike water balloons, these are reusable: just dip in a bucket of water to recharge.
Give them a fun (wet!) chore: My car always needs washing, which is great when there are eager kids around. Give your child a bucket, soap, sponge, and the hose and they’ll have a ball getting the car sparkly—while soaking themselves in the process. Granted, it might only be the bottom half of the car that gets cleaned, unless you’ve got some tall teens willing to pitch in!
Fish for marbles: Fill a kiddie pool or basin with water and toss in a couple of dozen marbles. Kids stand in the water and fish out the marbles with their toes, then drop them into a container. With multiple kids, it can be a game to see who collects the most marbles in a minute or two. Throw in a handful of ice cubes for added fun while they develop their balance, coordination, and dexterity!
