Tuesday, July 17, 2012

5 Ways To Keep Kids Cool This Summer

I guess you could just keep them inside, in the cool air conditioning, but if your kids are like mine, they need to be outside running around.  Keeping them cooped up just leads to fighting, tv watching, video game playing or "I'm bored".  When it's 100 degrees outside, how do you keep your kids cool so they'll stay outside for more than a minute?  Well, here are a few ideas I've come up with that have kept my kids cool and entertained.

1.  Have them take water bottles with them when they play outside.  Attach it to their bike, or have the water bottle on a strap so they can sling it over their shoulder.


2.  Act like their waiter, and serve them cold drinks, popsicles or ice cream.  Say for every 10 minutes they are outside, you will bring them a treat.



3.  Set up a play area in the shade, under a tree or an umbrella

4.  Play with water (sprinkler, baby pool, water table, squirt guns, water misting bottles).  You can also have them clean something using a bucket of water or the hose.


5.  Play with ice (crack open some ice eggs, or make ice cubes and build with them)



You can also get out of the house by going on some cool outings such as to the local pool, or ice skating rink.
Our ice skating rink rents ice skates down to toddler size 8, so even the Babes could join us (even though the skates were a bit big)
We came home to enjoy Frozen Hot Chocolate using this recipe I found HERE

3 oz of semi sweet chocolate chips
 2 teaspoons of cocoa
1/4 cup of sugar
2 cups of milk
About 3–4 cups of ice

First, melt the chocolate in the milk on low heat. When the chocolate starts to melt, add the sugar and stir well.  After all of the chocolate is melted and it looks smooth, remove from the heat and let it cool down.
After it’s cooled off, pour the chocolate and milk into a blender. Add the ice and cocoa powder and blend.

My kids loved it!



So how do you keep your kids cool outside in the heat?




























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9 comments:

  1. Fun ideas! Our kids pretty much live in their swimming suits this time of year. I love it though. We have some long winters in Idaho. Gotta take advantage of the heat!

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  2. I just try to stay indoors, but my kids love the slip 'n slide. One of the parks in our town sets up a giant one once a week, and that's lots of fun 'cause the kids get to slide with lots of friends. I like your idea of heading to the ice skating rink, and playing with ice...how about chipping toys out of ice--my kids would love that!

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    1. That is so neat that a local park has a slip in slide. I had no idea. What park is it and when?

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  3. I love your recipe. I will have to try that one. :)

    My kids love anything having to do with water. They will play outside all day as long as they can get stuff wet, including themselves.

    Thanks for linking up at the Happy Hello this week!

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  4. Yummy - frozen hot chocolate! Great ideas!

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  5. I has been a hot summer so far. I bet my children would love playing with ice!!

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  6. These are some great ideas. My sister-in-law will add peppermint oil to a spray bottle and have her kids spritz themselves every so often.

    If you get a chance I would love if you would link up these tips at my Pin Party.

    http://www.sarahdawndesigns.blogspot.com/2012/07/pintastic-monday-link-party-1.html

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  7. Great ideas! Thank you for sharing them at my Make it Pretty Monday party at The Dedicated House. Hope to see your prettiness again on Monday. Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse

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