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Original poster

What to do with a toddler in extreme heat?

24 replies

MooseBreath · 15/07/2022 22:53

Monday and Tuesday are set to be absolutely ridiculous weather-wise (40⁰C and 39⁰C where I am). If I wasn't a mom, I'd be watching films and reading all day with copious amounts of ice water to drink and stick my feet in. But alas, this is not my life. I have a toddler and am heavily pregnant. I know that I'm not the only one and loads of people are in the same boat!

DS (2 years old) is very much an outdoorsy kid. He prefers to do every activity in the garden (with no shade whatsoever) and doesn't sit still for more than 5 minutes at a time. Like most, we have no air conditioning and live an hour from the sea, plus our car has no air conditioning, so I wouldn't want to risk driving more than 10 minutes. I honestly have no idea what to do with DS in that kind of extreme heat that won't result in heat exhaustion.

I am hoping to create a thread where we could both empathize with others and come up with ways to entertain lively tiny humans.

I was thinking "washing" toys in a cool bath might work for 30 minutes or so. Any ideas?

OP posts:
Beees · 15/07/2022 23:02

As the parent of a very outdoorsy 2 year old I suggest bringing things he likes to do outside indoors. We brought the slide and sand table into the house the other day and we've had a tuff try of water indoors (we just out down towels first).

You could also easily make a den, do a mini beast hunt (using plastic bugs), plant some seeds, make leaf collages etc.

Accept he will not sit still, that's totally fine and normal and just create as much space as possible by rearranging furniture to allow him to burn off as much steam as possible.

MrsOwainGlyndŵr · 15/07/2022 23:08

Factor 50, a hat, loose clothing and a paddling pool. Stay in in the middle of the day.
It's 48 hours, it's not for ever.

Original poster
MooseBreath · 15/07/2022 23:12

I know it's not forever! But when the garden is in full sun from 10:30am-7:00pm, I think it's reasonable to try and find some new "exciting" indoor activities that would be safer for a toddler.

I like the idea of water and a slide in the house. Would never have thought of bringing them in!

OP posts:

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Families
GreenManalishi · 15/07/2022 23:15

A gazebo over a paddling pool, alternate between that, a cool bath and the TV. Freeze some smoothies into ice lollies and be free and easy with those. You might find he crashes out for a long nap with a bit of luck. It will over before we know it.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 15/07/2022 23:17

Playing in the bath
Playdough
Watching telly
Stories
Drawing/painting
Nap
Walk in the evening or first thing in the morning.

FatAgainItsLettuceTime · 15/07/2022 23:17

Lots of playing in the bath. Freeze some little toys in cups of water or make up ice cubes with different coloured food colouring, put plenty of bubbles in the bath or if you have them use bath crayons/jellibath/squirty soap.

Chuck in a any small pots, empty bottles, measuring spoons, colander, jugs.... you have.

When DD was a toddler on hot days she could spend ages in the bath, and it's not like you have to worry about the water getting too cold 😄

Absolutesuperstar · 15/07/2022 23:20

Can you use a bedsheet and attach to a fence/washing line to create some shade?

EcoCustard · 15/07/2022 23:27

I am doing dc4 who is 3 a tuff tray with ice and dinosaurs. Bag of ice, dash of green food colour, crushed up with his dinosaurs in an iced swamp type scenario. Tuesday will be his dinosaur figures frozen in ice blocks and he has to free them with his toy hammer or pipettes with warm water. The rest of the time in our pool or Duplo with the dogs on the cool tiled floor in our kitchen.

carefullycourageous · 15/07/2022 23:30

MrsOwainGlyndŵr · 15/07/2022 23:08

Factor 50, a hat, loose clothing and a paddling pool. Stay in in the middle of the day.
It's 48 hours, it's not for ever.

Phew, what a relief you posted, we all thought it was forever and ever Hmm

Original poster
MooseBreath · 16/07/2022 07:00

Love the idea of freezing toys.

We haven't got a gazebo, but will try a sheet over the washing line.

OP posts:
TonightIamgointobe · 16/07/2022 07:39

I'd be heading to the coast or a river to splash in. Is there a woods with a stream near you? Failing that a baby bath in the gardennfor water play. Get any type of shade there, umbrella, gazebo, tent, sheet...
Or can you hide in your locam library?

Baboutheocelot · 16/07/2022 07:41

Parasol over the paddling pool and both of you get in? On the hottest day ever in 2019 I took my kids to a massive soft play with air con and stayed all day.

Original poster
MooseBreath · 16/07/2022 07:46

Any woods or stream are over a 10 minute drive, so I'd worry about the time in the car. Definitely couldn't bring the dog with me either. But it sounds like a great plan if it works logistically for you!

OP posts:
Original poster
MooseBreath · 16/07/2022 07:47

Ooh, soft play has air conditioning. I usually avoid it like the plague, but that's a good shout. I will book now.

OP posts:
Chakraleaf · 16/07/2022 07:49

We just stay in and have lots of cold baths!

ObviouslyNotNow · 16/07/2022 07:50

Think about timings - very early morning play in the park before it’s too hot, then aim for indoor stuff (bath, TV, lunch, nap/quiet time) in the hottest part of the day and maybe soft play with air con in the afternoon? Then stay up later if that works for you and have another run around in the evening when it’s cooler?

cestlavielife · 16/07/2022 07:53

Get shade for your garden
Pop up gazebo
you can be outside early morning and evening

justasking111 · 16/07/2022 07:54

Absolutesuperstar · 15/07/2022 23:20

Can you use a bedsheet and attach to a fence/washing line to create some shade?

We made tents like this, two sheets fill it with toys carried in a laundry basket put inside the tent kept them happy for hours. Hosepipe attached to a garden fork on fine mist makes 🌈 and keeps you cooler when it evaporates off your clothing

cestlavielife · 16/07/2022 07:55

If your garden is full sun you need some kind of shade arrangement for summer anyway

BreadmanAndCake · 16/07/2022 08:13

Our garden is also full sun all day so we bought a cheap gazebo from Wilkos and have put the paddling pool and garden toys under that.

Goldbar · 16/07/2022 08:15

Air conditioned soft play/trampoline park/shopping-centre for the morning. Wear him out before lunchtime.

Then home, paddling pool if you have shade in your garden, otherwise lukewarm bath with toys and screen time inside.

Goldbar · 16/07/2022 08:18

Depending how big your garden is, sail shades are a cheap way to get shade. You just need some points to clip them onto on the side of your house/fence/shed or you can tie them to a tree.

fyn · 16/07/2022 08:36

We are going to our local pool in the morning to get out of the house.

Our Wendy house is currently in the front room from
the garden! I’ve got the sensory table set up with sand and spades. I’ll set up the tuff tray at some point too!

I’m also quite pregnant and sitting out makes me feel a bit ill!

Londonlass139 · 16/07/2022 08:41

Indoor activities soft play, trampolining, cinema (probably not suitable for a 3 year old though), swimming pool.

When my DS was little and it was red hot I'd always take him swimming. It would be empty and nice and cool inside, would wear him out too!

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