Keeping Cool: Easy games to play at home for kiwi toddlers in the Summer heat!

I’m all for being outside with my toddler, she loves it, I love it and it keeps us both feeling good – but throughout the heat of Summer we’ve had to get a bit creative with ways to stay cool while we’re outside, or come up with new indoor games to take a break from the heat.

I thought I’d share a few of the activities we’ve done throughout Summer to stay cool at home, we did them all with things we already had around the house, cause this time of year is already expensive enough, right?! Here's a few we've LOVED this Summer -

-              Frozen Treasure Dig

This one’s super simple to set up but you do have to do it in advance, so prep it in the freezer the night before.

Use cube trays or a big container, pop in some small plastic toys and water, then freeze. Give your toddler tools like spoons or paintbrushes to free the treasures. It’s like a mini archaeological dig, perfect for little hands and curious minds.

-              Forts

When the sun’s too hot to handle, we bring the fun inside and go to a tried and true old school favourite – fort building. We use sheets, blankets, cushions and fairy lights if we can find them.

Using all the furniture in the lounge or bedroom, grab some books or toys, and build a fort just big enough to play in but so that it’s still cosy – that’s part of the fun.

-              Ice Painting

Creative, cool, and a bit messy - in other words, perfect for toddlers! Add a few drops of food colouring to your ice cubes, and once frozen, let your little artist create art as the ice melts on the paper.

You could add craft sticks to the ice cubes if you have them and turn them into . "ice paintbrushes".

-              Mini Car Wash

If your toddler loves their toy cars or trucks, they’ll adore this game. You can set up a small tub of soapy water, a sponge or cloth, and some towels for drying. We use duplo, but you could use whatever blocks you have, to set up a little track that becomes the car wash, adding in tunnels that look just like the carwash that we go through.

-              Backyard Water Pad

Turn your backyard into a mini splash pad! Start with a paddling pool, a sprinkler, or even just a couple of buckets of water. Throw in some water or floating toys, and let your little one splash about. Add cups for pouring or bath crayons for a creative twist. It’s classic Kiwi summer fun at its best.

And if all else fails... Ice cream!

I’d love to hear if you try some of these out at home with your little ones and how they went, or if you have any other ideas to share

Caro x