How to keep your cool on hot days out
Most of us love the welcome return of the sun. It’s so good to get outside and feel its warmth on your skin after a winter swaddled up against the cold...
... But it brings its own set of challenges when you’re a parent.
Instead of wrapping your child in layers, you now need to remember sunscreen and sunhats, where you once might have basked in the sun, you now need to seek shade for your child, and you could find yourself worrying about how hot is too hot!
We’ve pulled together some tips for you, so you can make the most of getting out and enjoying the good weather with your child.
The basics
On very hot or sunny days, it can be safest to avoid going out at the peak of the heat (usually between 11am and 3pm). Try to adjust your routine or plans to make the most of early mornings and early evenings instead.
When you are heading out and about on a warm day, always take plenty of water for you and your children, as well as sunscreen, sunhats and snacks like fruit which can help to keep you all hydrated.
Plan your journey to avoid long walks in the hottest parts of the day. Once you get there, here are some ideas for staying cool on days out!
For any trip...
Take shade with you – a pop-up tent, umbrella or parasol will create a bit of shade, even on the sunniest day.
Remember, covered spaces like tents can become very hot in direct sunlight, so keep checking the temperature inside, especially if using it as a nap space for your baby or toddler.
Keep your drinks and snacks cool – if you can take a cool box or bag, do it!
If you don’t have one to hand, prepare some water bottles the night before by filling them most of the way with your drink of choice and popping them in the freezer. Make sure there is a bit of space for the liquid to expand in the bottle as it freezes. In the morning, you’ll have some ready-made ice packs to pop into your snack bag, and in the afternoon, you’ll have a cool drink too!
Set a sunscreen timer – set a timer or alarm on your phone to remind you when to reapply sunscreen. You can use a make-up brush or sponge for applying sunscreen to faces, to make it more fun for all of you!
Don’t forget about you – it's easy to be focused on sunscreen, packing and preparing for everyone else, then leave the house, only to realise you don’t have a drink or any sun protection for you.
Try to make sure you take the time you need to be ready and hydrated, so you can enjoy the day as well!
At the beach...
Dive in – make the most of having the sea at your fingertips and take everyone for regular dips in the water to cool down! Remember to reapply sunscreen once you’ve dried off.
Café cool – when it gets a bit too hot, find a café or restaurant with air conditioning to spend some time in.
Stay alert – remember that the cool breeze coming off the sea can be misleading. Even if it feels cooler at the beach, you will all still need to drink lots of water and take breaks from the sun.
Bring your own rain! Pack some small spray bottles filled with cold water and ice cubes. You can use these to gently spray cool water on each other when it feels too hot.
Just make sure they’re tucked away when you don’t want to be surprised by a burst of cold water!
On a city day out...
Seek the shade – having lots of buildings can be a real blessing when the sun is hot. Try to stay in the shade when you’re walking around or stopping to look at interesting things.
Follow the air-conditioning – cities have so many air-conditioned attractions to explore. If you’ve planned to spend some money, visit exciting attractions like science museums and aquariums, as these are usually well air conditioned.
If you’re having a no, or low, spend day, never fear! Visit the library or even spend a few minutes walking around the supermarket for a blast of cool air.
Be your own biggest fan – take a small handheld fan or two so you can get some air on the go. You can get battery-powered portable fans, or you can use an ‘old-fashioned’ paper fan to stay cool.
Find a fountain – lots of cities have water features or splash-pads which children (and adults) are encouraged to play in. Look online or ask around to find some local to you.
These are perfect for cooling down on a hot day, just remember to reapply sunscreen once you’ve all dried off.
For a day out in the countryside...
Wander to the woods – head to shaded areas of woodland. It will be cooler under the shade of the trees, and there is unlimited fun to be found with the leaves, mud and sticks found there!
Take plenty of water so you can use some for making mud nice and soft to use as paint without running out of drinks.
Find a stream – splashing in a stream or other shallow water will cool everyone down. They are often surrounded by trees as well, giving a double bonus of water and shade.
Follow all usual water safety rules and avoid areas with strong currents.
Embrace a cool flannel – bring a flannel or small towel in your bag, and if anyone is feeling too hot and bothered, wet it with some water and pop it along the back of their neck, or hold it against their wrists.
At your local park...
Go green – green spaces like parks are often cooler than the built-up areas around them.
Make the most of cooler evenings and have a picnic dinner in the park. This has the added bonus of meaning nobody has to use a hot stove to cook!
Check the playground first – although children will enjoy climbing, swinging and swooping down the slide in any weather, make sure you and they check how hot the metal is before they start to play.
It might be that certain parts of the park are just too hot to be safe, so adjust your play to stay in the shade where you can.
Make a shelter – if your park has plenty of trees or fences, take a big sheet or tarpaulin with you. You can tie the corners of the sheet to branches and fence posts to create a shelter to rest under.
Going on a big day out...
You might have planned a big day out at an attraction which now seems a bit scary in the heat. Check with the venue and find out what their heat-safety plans are before you go, making sure they can cater for your family.
On the day...
Dress for the weather – make sure you are all wearing cotton or natural fabric, loose-fitting clothes to be as comfortable as possible.
Take ice with you – take a cool bag with plenty of ice-cold drinks, snacks and ice packs. Include lots of favourite fruit as well as cold drinks to help keep your family hydrated.
For older children you can freeze soft fruit such as berries, chopped melon or sliced grapes for a super-cool snack (just make sure to cut them to a size that’s suitable for your child to avoid choking, for example chop grapes into quarters).
Be pram prepared – make sure you have a safe sunshade if you are taking a pram, and that there is lots of opportunity for air flow around your baby.
You can get special cooling pads to place under your baby in their buggy. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using these.
See if you can beat the queue – many attractions let you buy a fast-pass service that helps to skip queues. This might be worth investigating, as standing in a long queue will make it hard to stay out of the sun.
Take breaks – find areas under cover, or even with air-conditioning, to spend time in. Make sure you build these breaks in throughout the day.