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View Full Version : How are you keeping them occupied in this weather?



miss mopple
01-07-2009, 09:07 PM
This week has been really stressful so far as all the kids are way too uncomfortable to want to do anything. Everything is so much harder work in this heat and even eating has become a chore for them.

Its too hot for them to be outside so I have pretty much put a ban on that (it was 37.5 in my garden today :eek: ), which is making them even more grumpy :rolleyes: and they dont seem to be able to get into anything indoors.

My lot are 1yr ( 2 of them!) 2 and 3 as well as the usual after schoolies. We went to the library today, but even that was an effort for everyone

What are you doing with yours at the minute?

chewy sweets
01-07-2009, 09:10 PM
How about making your own ice lollies and ice cream?? Making fans???
Takes their mind off the heat and they can use what they've made to keep themselves cool!:laughing:

miffy
01-07-2009, 09:10 PM
I gave up this afternoon and put the tv on! Everyone was shattered and it was way too hot to go in the garden so we watched a bit of CBeebies instead.

Miffy xx

grindal
01-07-2009, 09:15 PM
It was quite cool down here early this morning and we were in the park at half eight! We stopped at the shops on the way back and had a nice cool down before lunch, then my efferts really paid off as DS1 and 2 and mindee all slept for hour and a half!! (DS 1 was watching DVD actually), then mindees Dad phoned wanting to collect her early so i had to wake her and get her ready, then me and DS 1 and 2 watered the garden, filled the paddling pool and chilled out :clapping: :clapping:

Probably does not help you much though - sorry!!

miss mopple
01-07-2009, 09:17 PM
not alot grindal :laughing:

sounds lovely though :thumbsup:

May do lollies and fans tomorrow :D

TheBTeam
01-07-2009, 09:17 PM
We managed in the garden before lunch, with suncream, hats, and a large umbrella plus the natural shade from the high fence and large play trays full of water, the water play kept them cool and occupied for over two hours.

We then came in for lunch and they crashed out asleep before the school run this afternoon, lovely day!

huggableshelly
01-07-2009, 09:18 PM
we did cornflour play in the kitchen and then tried to make a 5 minute chocolate cake in a mug using the microwave .........

the recipe was simple woohoo and it cooked fine BUT tasted of rubber bands ........ ah well it was a good counting and measuring activity so then we sat and ate kitkats (yes i know unhealthy but pood mindees couldnt eat the cake lol)

Twinkles
01-07-2009, 09:24 PM
We still managed our walk this morning - well I only had one and he was in the pushchair all the time. Lots of suncream/sunhats etc.

Luckily ( or otherwise most of the time :rolleyes: ) I have a very shaded garden so we were able to be out there in the paddling pool this afternoon.

mrs c
01-07-2009, 09:27 PM
Wow am I pleased to live at the coast - we do get quite a few sea frets here while the rest of the country is bathed in sunshine but thankfully its not often we get the heat that makes you feel uncomfortable.
You could try freezing different size ice shapes and putting different objects inside for the children to guess what's inside. Let them melt on a tray and let the children feel them - might help to keep them cool for a while.

amirose
01-07-2009, 09:42 PM
Today the 14 month old I mind got very hot sticky and grumpy so I filled the bath with cool water, put the paddling pool toys in the bath and plonked him in!
He had a great time, cooled him down a treat, and no danger of heat/sun because we were indoors!
If you had more than one you could stick them in spare underwear and they could play together or just let them stand next to it and play with they toys without getting in :thumbsup:
Baby was much happier after his bath :clapping:

Mummits
02-07-2009, 06:06 AM
We're lucky enough to have some shady areas in the garden too. I've been putting out the water table and toys, or the paddling pool, or just the lawn sprinkler on the hose which they seem to like better than anything - lots of shrieking though:D

The Juggler
02-07-2009, 07:06 AM
I've put the gazebo up in the garden (just a cheap one) and have the sandpit etc under there and have been doing water play/babies in baths outside and they all love watering the veggie patch/flowers anyway. Only out for short periods. It's lovely and cool indoors so they've been playing as normal but all exhausted so sleeping well.

I'm with you on the grumpy though - I have 5, 2 year olds on different days and they have all been having tantrums this week and last.

Have you seen the weather forecast from tomorrow though - rain, thunder and more rain....................

FizzysFriends
02-07-2009, 07:11 AM
We played with ice cubes, well actually they were rolling them around their faces and arms.

We also went to Tesco to get some fruit for them to make a fruit salad and we spent ages in the fridge isles until they were too cold, lol.

wendywu
02-07-2009, 07:17 AM
I have a gazebo up all the time anyway. But if the children have hats and suncream they can still play outside. Mine have not been any different. All the toddler groups have still been running. We have just sat in the shade.

Polly2
02-07-2009, 07:18 AM
We have been playing with water and ice cubes - anything to keep them cool really.

Not been out much too hot in the car but we have used the garden a lot :D

Angela234
02-07-2009, 07:35 AM
Lots of Water play most days my back garden is quite shaded and gazebo up

We play out in morning do nursery run then stay indoors for awhile after lunch then in and out as they please only in the back garden my front garden is a sun trap:panic:

no extra trips to park too hot that time of the day and kids are too hot to walk too far

Chatterbox Childcare
02-07-2009, 07:56 AM
We went to the park yesterday and then home for bed with the fans going full pelt (I had a snooze too whilst watching Wimbledon)

today we are all ready for a picnic and I am taking my 4 to the local paddling pool. Great to play in and everyone is cool.

I put up my large pool last night so it will heat up during the day for the next 2 days so they will all be outside this afternoon

Have you got a paddling pool for your little ones? Once they are cool they are happy and not too grumpy (Asda have them for £2.50 at the moment). Put an umbrella over the top and the sun isn't on them either

Hope today is better for you

newandlearning
02-07-2009, 08:05 AM
we went to the local paddling pool which is part of a play area.. I took my mindee 2.5 year and my own 22mth old .. they loved the water but it was already getting busy by 10am :eek: .. so was happy to just have the two children as 4 would have been too much.. by the afternoon everyone was tired... have now bought a small paddling pool for my garden .. as my is on a slope I think a small paddling pool should be enough.. ( I hope)

Mouse
02-07-2009, 08:21 AM
We're lucky that our garden is quite well shaded, so we're spending most of the morning outside. We have regular stops for drinks when i just get the children to sit down for a couple of minutes & have some water.

After lunch the older one goes to nursery & the younger two sleep, so they've been in a cool room with the fans on.

If it's very hot in the afternoon when I've got older ones here (still only up to the age of 5), we'll have a 'cinema' afternoon. We make popcorn, shut the curtains & put a DVD on. The children can either chill out & watch the film, or carry on playing quietly, but at least they have a bit of time when they're cool & calm.

rickysmiths
02-07-2009, 08:32 AM
we did cornflour play in the kitchen and then tried to make a 5 minute chocolate cake in a mug using the microwave .........

the recipe was simple woohoo and it cooked fine BUT tasted of rubber bands ........ ah well it was a good counting and measuring activity so then we sat and ate kitkats (yes i know unhealthy but pood mindees couldnt eat the cake lol)


:ROFL1: :ROFL1: :ROFL1: What a laugh! I did an extended paper on Microwave cookers and cooking when I did my HND all those years ago. It should work if you cook it for a little less time and take it out of the cooker and let it stand. Having said that however you cook a cake in a microwave they do tend to have a pudding texture IYSWIM.

Try again, serve with icecream and enjoy!

angeldelight
02-07-2009, 08:34 AM
we did cornflour play in the kitchen and then tried to make a 5 minute chocolate cake in a mug using the microwave .........

the recipe was simple woohoo and it cooked fine BUT tasted of rubber bands ........ ah well it was a good counting and measuring activity so then we sat and ate kitkats (yes i know unhealthy but pood mindees couldnt eat the cake lol)

I wont be asking you to make me a cake then :laughing:

Angel xx

angeldelight
02-07-2009, 08:34 AM
We have the gazebo up and most of the toys , sand etc are in there so its nice and shaded although it is still really warm

Angel xx

Rach30
02-07-2009, 09:13 AM
Inside with the TV on lol we are being very lazt today. Mindee doing what he likes and i'm doing paper work. We have a level 3 heatwave warning here so there is NO WAY i'm going in the garden . Even in the shade its far too hot. Fans on full blast and lots of drinks . We'll play out next week when its cooler :thumbsup:

miss mopple
02-07-2009, 09:25 AM
Inside with the TV on lol we are being very lazt today. Mindee doing what he likes and i'm doing paper work. We have a level 3 heatwave warning here so there is NO WAY i'm going in the garden . Even in the shade its far too hot. Fans on full blast and lots of drinks . We'll play out next week when its cooler :thumbsup:

Glad Im not the only one keeping them out the garden- I was beginning to feel a bit mean til I read your post. There is no shade in my garden at all and its baking out there and as my mindees are so little I really worry about them being out there, even under my bargain tesco gazebos.

Have a quieter day today as only 2 little ones here today. Both of them are exhausted as struggled to sleep last night so are crashed out now :thumbsup: We've been out to the shops to stock up on fruit and are going to make ice lollies this afternoon and then just do some quiet craft indoors I think.

Rach30
02-07-2009, 10:31 AM
i know what you mean . You feel you should be making the most of the sunshine but its just tooo hot . Think we'll do playdough this afternoon . Yellow like the sun !! lol

her8y
02-07-2009, 10:52 AM
My back garden is south facing and has brick walls either side so they are releasing heat all the time:( Have the gazebo up but still very warm. Only have one mindee today (4) so lots of water and ice cube play and lots of drinks. Also got the garden sprinkler out which was a hit but made him stay under the huge umbrellas and gazebo iyswim. Think TV and books will be on this afternoon as he is starting to wilt and so am I.

her8y
02-07-2009, 10:54 AM
Glad Im not the only one keeping them out the garden- I was beginning to feel a bit mean til I read your post. There is no shade in my garden at all and its baking out there and as my mindees are so little I really worry about them being out there, even under my bargain tesco gazebos.

Have a quieter day today as only 2 little ones here today. Both of them are exhausted as struggled to sleep last night so are crashed out now :thumbsup: We've been out to the shops to stock up on fruit and are going to make ice lollies this afternoon and then just do some quiet craft indoors I think.


Dont feel mean you are doing whats best for them.:thumbsup:

Pudding Girl
02-07-2009, 11:46 AM
We've been going out and about in the mornings and in all afternoon, luckily my front garden is completely in the shade though so we can get out there.

one mindee has been really really grumpy with the heat though, he's driving me saft :panic:

Pedagog
02-07-2009, 11:56 AM
The 10 month old I look after has spent most of his waking hours this week in the baby bath or sat next to it splashing the dog.

newandlearning
02-07-2009, 12:04 PM
hi .. I just thought of somethings else my mindees enjoyed.. I cut up some oranges into quarters .. we ate the inside and then used the outside (peel) as
boats in our water tray.. we tried putting half-cut kebab skewers in them and made paper sails but they kept capsizing then.. maybe tooth picks may have been better..:laughing: it didnt really matter as we all enjoyed it...

I also made a hopscotch out of chalk on patio which they really enjoyed. and yesterday they continued playing with chalk and colouring in patio and wall.xx

rickysmiths
02-07-2009, 12:13 PM
I have had gazebos in the garden with the paddling pool, and old baby bath and a water table so the have been able to splash about in the water and keep cool.
We have kept indoors as well with the windows open we have been lucky enough to have a small breeze. I have fans to use.

The three of them have crashed out now and are fast asleep bless them.

Lots of cool drinks have helped as well.

Zoemum2four
02-07-2009, 12:44 PM
We also have been doing loads of water play with coloured ice star/hearts but i have brought mine into the kitchen......Need to get myself a gazebo......but my mindee has now gone done for afternoon sleep......and my little boy is soaking my kitchen but his having fun....:D