Survive a heatwave with a toddler

My mummy hates the heat. She’s born for the cold and the winter. So when she found out we were due a heatwave this week she decided to try to make the best of it.

Ditching her black clothes and getting her pasty white legs into shorts she was determined to find a way to make this heatwave fun.

So here’s a little list of cool things to do in a heatwave with a toddler.

1) Explore your own garden or a local park. Don’t get stuck in traffic heading for the beach or a beauty spot. Everyone else has the same idea and sitting in smoggy traffic in the middle of a heatwave ain’t fun, especially with a grumpy toddler!

2) Get a paddling pool. Not only are they great fun but they are a practical way of keeping kids cool during heatwaves. Instead of a bath or an evening shower as part of your bedtime routine why not treat your toddler to an early evening paddle. Then you can reuse the water from the day’s activities, depending on how mucky it is!

3) Invest in a sandpit and bring a bit of the beach to your home. The great thing about this is that sand won’t get everywhere and is limited to table-top play….well, that’s the idea anyway! No more sandy sandwiches!

4) Play with ice cubes. Pinterest is filled with ideas involving ice-cubes for kids.

5) Create a shady den. We invested in a UV tent which we use everywhere in the summer months. It makes a good retreat for when you need to take a nap! Use umbrellas and parasols to help shield little ones.

6) Dine Alfresco. Kids love eating outside and it’s a break from the norm, especially in the UK when we aren’t used to the nice weather. Have a BBQ and embrace all things British. Mummy will even enjoy a Pimms tonight!

7) Keep your house cool, shut all curtains and blinds and keep the sun out. Use fans and keep windows open to allow a breeze through your house. We pretend to be vampires and dodge the sun in our house. Try and make it fun by hiding from the bright light!

8) Yes it’s ok to walk around in your nappy or with nothing on at all. Your house is your castle. Keep cool. Just make sure you put something on when the post man arrives! Daily fashion shows which involve putting suntan lotion on helps get toddlers into the habit of protecting their skin.

9) At night time, block out the sun. Use a blackout blind and keep sheets and clothes to a minimum. If your toddler doesn’t mind the use of a fan then it is worth it to stop little ones getting overheated. The first night with a fan on can be a bit daunting for a young person, but after a couple of nights they get used to the sound. I actually find it quite soothing. A nice cool drink of milk or water before bedtime is a good idea too and make sure you all stay hydrated. We say goodnight to the sun and hello moon by using a CloudB night light to mimic night time.

10) Grin and bear it. The sun has got his hat on hip hip hip hooray! The English are very good at complaining especially about extreme weather. It never usually lasts for long so just enjoy it while we have it.

Love Bella x