Beating the heat with active children (Full Version)

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Sideways -> Beating the heat with active children (6/9/2008 5:24:01 PM)

So, it's early June and we are getting into the mid to high 90's, not counting humidity. My son is 14 months old and loves to play outside. What do you guys do for kids who go a little nuts if kept indoors all day, but the outside is beastly hot?

Here's our plan:
1.) Go outside before 10am or after 5pm.
2.) Library time (it's not terribly active, but it's different and interesting).
3.) A large store like Target or Walmart (but then I'm constantly pulling him away from things he shouldn't touch).
4.) The kiddie pool or a bath. He loves the water, so I'm even thinking about checking out the local aquatic center, even though I'd have to pay money. It's all indoors, though, so less worry about sun exposure.
5.) Here's the yuppie option. We have something close called My Gym. It's a gym for little ones; I'm not kidding. There's a monthly fee, but it's safe and age appropriate, inside and air conditioned. They even have classes according to age and free play time. Normally I'd roll my eyes at this stuff. After all, that's what the local park is for, but this summer I'm really considering it, if the family budget allows.

I'm also pregnant, so I don't really like being out in 95 degree heat very long, either.



csl7037 -> RE: Beating the heat with active children (6/9/2008 7:03:52 PM)

My kids are 7 and 8 so it's a little different. The library is a good option for us about once a week or so. Our movie theater will be having $1 movies every Wednesday morning starting in a couple of weeks. We plan to do those. But we're in Florida and just really don't do much of anything that doesn't involve water. We have a pool and, being in Florida, almost everyone we know does (or their neighborhood has a community pool). We will just make the rounds to friends' pools and have friends to ours all summer.



IonMoon -> RE: Beating the heat with active children (6/9/2008 7:11:44 PM)

Our local Y had a "gym time" for toddler-preschool that we LOVED when my kids were that age--so I don't think the my gym is a bad idea at all (except I would not personally do the classes- just the free time).

Our local mall has a kids club- don't know much about it, because it started after my kids were older. I also saw that they now have a little play/break area for kids WITH their parents that is free. I thought that was an awesome idea. They have toys, books, etc.

Those balls and frisbees that are cloth covered sponges are fabulous! ANY kind of water play- a bucket with sponges to "clean" the outdoor toys, spray bottles to water plants. You can put out an old sheet on a clothes line, fill water bottles with colored water and do a giant painting. (Obviously supervise any water play- it only takes a small amount to drown!)

You can also build "forts" by tying blankets to trees, fence/deck posts, lawn furniture-whatever you have on hand- to reduce sun exposure.

You can pick up sheets/blankets for these purposes at the goodwill/yard sales.

Tara P



Consecrated2God -> RE: Beating the heat with active children (6/9/2008 7:39:32 PM)

Our kids spend a lot of time in the pool during the summer. We have one of those 12' X 3' Easy Set pools, and they spend lots of time in there. They also spend time in our playroom downstairs, which is always insanely cold. The air conditioning all seems to go down there for some reason. [8D] We don't go very many places right now because of gas prices, but we do go to the library occasionally and the kids like to read.



Georgia-Peach -> RE: Beating the heat with active children (6/9/2008 8:02:20 PM)

I am having the same issues with Hunter who is almost 17 months old. He loves it outside, but I can not stand the Georgia heat at this time of year for too long. We do not have a kiddie pool yet, but hope to get one once we get back from FL. I know there are a couple of public pools around here, but I do not know the condition of them so I have yet to venture there.

Does your mall have a play area? I know a mall back home in FL has one and the one we went to in Savannah had one as well. It was so nice and made me wish that our mall had one, but it doesn't.



3cappuccinosmom -> RE: Beating the heat with active children (6/9/2008 8:47:01 PM)

My kids don't actually seem bothered by the heat. I have to literally drag them in from the backyard, even on days like today when we broke a head record with 94 degrees. [&:]

If you have a mall nearby, check if they have a play area. Our local one does, and it's always very nice and cool in there. Unfortunately it's a little too far for daily play.

For us, finances preclude spending money on the Y or other things, so to get out, it's either the library or the park (which at least has plenty of shade and a water fountain).



Sideways -> RE: Beating the heat with active children (6/9/2008 8:53:54 PM)

We have a mall about 20 minutes away, but it doesn't have much for small children. The mall near my mom and LaurainAl has a very nice play area, but that's 50 minutes away, so it's more of a once a month thing when we go to see my mom at her place (other times she comes here).



EmilyAnn -> RE: Beating the heat with active children (6/10/2008 2:50:29 AM)

Last summer I was a nanny for a 2 1/2 year old. She did one of those gym class things once a week and loved it. Her parents had bought a family pass to the children's museum, so we went there a lot. We went to the mall to play on the indoor playground sometimes. I also took her to Bounce U once every 2 weeks or so. She loved going to the pet store and walking around and looking at all of the animals. When I got desperate, I would take her to McDonalds or Chick-fil-a to play on their indoor play equipment.



lexie -> RE: Beating the heat with active children (6/10/2008 7:14:20 AM)

The park in our neighbourhood has a splash pad which is very exciting, and sooooo nice in the summer (you'll often find adults there too!)

There's a garden centre I like to take Dd to, even though we don't buy anything. It's shaded and air conditioned and they've got ponds with fish in them. Dd loves that.



LaurainAL -> RE: Beating the heat with active children (6/10/2008 10:05:16 AM)

If I lived closer to a large metropolitan area I would be hitting the museums this summer. I used to love stuff like that when I was a kid.



manda59 -> RE: Beating the heat with active children (6/10/2008 10:12:38 AM)

A pop-up gazebo for the garden is good for keeping cool. And you can have picnics under it, or play with water etc.



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