14 Parent-Tested Hacks for Beating the Heat with Young Children
The dog days of summer bring unique parenting challenges—from scorching hot cars and protecting delicate skin to ensuring little ones stay properly hydrated. (Wondering how hot is too hot for outdoor play? Here are 7 heat safety tips from doctors.) To help navigate these sweltering months, we asked our Babylist parents to share their go-to strategies for keeping babies and toddlers comfortable and happy in the heat. Here's what they recommended:
Water tables! (Pro tip: the classic water table featured on our list has an umbrella hole)
Spray bottles are great for personal misting & also keeping toddlers busy outside.
Stroller fans are a must. (Remember this rule about placing a blanket over a car seat.)
Pedialyte pops can help with preventing dehydration. (Here’s how to keep them cold when on the go.)
Frozen watermelon 🍉 (This viral shaved ice looks divine.)
Delicious "ice cream" = frozen fruit (with a little juice) in the blender/food processor. (Here’s a 3-ingredient recipe for mango sorbet.)
Another cool treat: frozen peanut butter banana bites.
Go outside in the morning and evening. One person even suggested pushing dinner earlier and going outside after dinner, while the ☀️ is still up.
Splash pads are great. We can recommend this one from Costco.
Roll wet wash cloths and store them in ziplock bags in a cooler. Put them on the back of the neck to cool off.
When children are too young to go into the ocean, bring a small kiddie pool with an attachable shade to the beach.
UPF & light clothing. (UVSkinz makes great options for babies. Also, bamboo is great!)
“I have tried every sunscreen hack known to man, and this is the only one that has stuck: sunscreen dispensed from a container my children think is cool (ours is Spider-Man), placed directly next to the door where we get ready in the morning.”
Freeze toys in ice cubes and let them go at it.
