Keeping Cool on Hot summer Days

Summer brings about a lot of fun for families, and with being off work for the summer I am excited to spend a lot of time together. The only thing is I do not do well in really hot weather, and neither does Evie it seems. So how do you keep cool on those really hot summer days? Here are our go to things to do to keep cool. 

1) Load the Freezer

Not just with cold treats, but also things like pillows or your little ones favourite stuffy. Mist it with a bit of water and then place it in the freezer an hour or so before bed time. This gets things nice and cold for hot summer nights.

2) Stay Hydrated

We have several large cups that we keep filled with ice and water for ourselves, but we also fill Evie’s sippy cups up too and she has one in the kitchen and one in the living room normally. This way water is easily accessible and no one gets dehydrated. I am so thankful that Evie loves water and will often pick it over milk, or juice, she especially likes sippy cups with straws and will go for these right away. We know she will drink lots of water on these hot days.

3) Be Smart About Playtime

We have had to be smart and use time to play outside wisely. When we know the day is going to get very warm, we play outside first thing in the morning, and later in the evening when it starts to cool down again. This way we get all our toddlers energy out first thing in the morning and its okay to come inside  before her nap time, as she needs to start winding down any ways. We are also avoiding the major burn times then too.

4) Hats and Sunglasses for Everyone

My daughter has been wearing sun hats since her first spring. Poor girl got my genes and has very fair skin and is destined to the potential of sun burns. Thankfully because of this she rarely fights us now as a toddler when we ask her to put on a hat. She will actually happily go and get one and put it on herself. I have learned though that the ones with chin straps are best, especially if you go to the beach and it is windy out. Disney Baby offers some great options. She also has her own little pair of sunglasses she wears too. Since she sees us wearing sunglasses, she wants to wear them too. How cute are little faces when they have sunglasses on?

5) Swimming and Water Parks.

Last summer we signed Evie up for two sets of swimming lessons, and we have done it again this summer. She is still young enough for the Parent & Tot classes, so this lets both of us parents be involved and we get to go into the pool too. Everyone gets to cool down. We also really like that it is a great introduction to water safety which is so important. It is also nice to check out the different water parks around town. Now that we have a toddler we are hoping to check out more of these this summer.

6) Splish Splash

It is perfectly fine, and sometimes needed on very hot days to give your toddler a bath in the middle of the day. It’s also great for a change up if the toddler is getting restless. Evie loves splashing around in there, so we know it will turn her mood around and help cool her down if we put her in there. We also have a water table outside that she is welcome to play in when we are outside. I have no problem with her drenching herself and dumping water on her head if she is having fun, and staying cool.

7) Layers and Cotton

We tend to dress in layers ourselves on hot days. The summer mornings can still be cool, but the temperatures creep up. So layer your toddler too. Evie starts the day in a light sweater over a tshirt or tanktop, and has shorts or light weight pants on. Sometimes by the end of the day she is running around in just her diaper. We will even put her to bed in just her diaper so that she isn’t too warm at night. We are also careful with what fabrics we put her in. Synthetic fabrics that do not breathe well and little ones can easily get too warm in them. Cotton, linen, and bamboo fabrics are great for summer days.

8) Find Shade

When we are outside I try to make sure we all stick to shaded areas. If we can’t find any shade we make it. I have a little pop up shade tent we got last summer, and are already using it again this summer. We have even used little linen blankets or swaddling blankets tied to chairs outside as sources of shade. Our stroller has a large sun shade that creates a lot of shade that complete covers Evie when we are out for walks, it also has a high UV rating which is a huge bonus.

9) Fine Some Air-Conditioning

We bought a portable air conditioning unit that we put in one room upstairs and we open all the doors and have fans blowing to circulate the cooler air. It sure helps to cool down our home. If we want to get out of the house, but don’t want to be in the sun we will go to the mall, or any other place that has air conditioning and we know we will be able to keep cool during our visit. It’s a great break from the heat, and helps keep everyone entertained.

What are your go to tips and tricks for keeping cool in the summer? Remember if you are going outside put sunscreen on everybody, and don’t forget about yourselves mamas!