Fun Beat-the-Heat Summer Outings for Kids

Blah…that’s how I feel right now. It’s the middle of July and the temperatures are well over 100°F here at my house. This isn’t just a one-day deal either. Every summer, the months of July and August are by far the hottest with horrible daytime temperatures. It’s just way too hot for the kids to play outside in the middle of the afternoon with temperatures like this.

However, I just can’t let my 5-year old sit in front of the television all day, right? Well, I could but that wouldn’t be the most responsible thing for me to do…at least not on a daily basis. I’ve been trying to plan a few fun afternoon outings each week to help him burn off some of his pent-up energy. If you have little ones at home, you know what I’m talking about. If the kids aren’t able to get rid of this extra energy, they usually start bouncing off the walls…

Below are some of the afternoon outings that we have been able to enjoy, even with the out-of-control afternoon temperatures.

• Children’s Museum: Our community has a local children’s museum that people come from hours away to enjoy. During the school year, I don’t take my son much because it stay pretty busy with field trips, birthday parties and other events, but this summer we have went several times. Although he has been through the museum numerous times, he always seems to find and learn something new while we’re there. By the time we get home, it’s time for a nap and then it’s usually cool enough to go outside and play.
• Splash Pad: This is another fun outing for my boys. My 5-year old loves running around and getting soaked by all the spraying water and can literally have fun for hours, if I let him. However, I also have an 11-month old who isn’t walking yet, so we aren’t able to stay for much longer than an hour. The baby enjoys the splash pad though. He enjoys being able to splash in the little puddles of water that form around us. He also finds all the other activity around him (other kids, water, etc.) exciting too. Even though we’re technically in the heat, the water keeps all of us cool. The best part about the splash pad is that when we leave, we all leave exhausted and no one fusses over nap time!
• The Movies: Our local theater offers a great special during the week for families over the summer. They play older movies for $3 per person. It makes it an easy choice when looking for something to do before nap time. I haven’t been able to take my 5-year old yet because I have the baby, but we’re planning a movie day in about a week when the little guy is at Mother’s Day Out!
• Open Gym: A lot of gymnastics centers host “open gym” days where they allow parents to come in with their kids and play on all the tumbling mats, trampolines and other safe, age-appropriate gymnastic equipment. While it does cost a small fee, this is another great option for those with little ones who need to run off some energy.

Hopefully, you and your little ones have been able to continue having fun this summer – even with the heat. Just make sure that you follow the summer safety tips, and to do everything you can to keep kids safe as you get out and enjoy the summer activities. What are some of the fun things you do to beat the afternoon heat?