We are officially having a meteorlogical heatwave here in Upstate NY!! It's rare in this part of the country, but today is Day #3 of 90*+! Since it's so hot up here, I know that it's just as hot if not hotter in other places!
Together with my kids, we've put together a list of things to do when it's just too hot to go outside and play! We do not have central air, nor do we have a pool, so these are things that we do that are super cheap or FREE!
1. Go to the public library. bring a water bottle and have each child read one book (age and reading level appropriate) before they finish their water. Write down the title & author if you're not checking the book out (especially if you're participating in a summer reading program like BookIt!). Spend as much time in the air conditioning as possible! After all, you are paying for it with your tax dollars!
COST: FREE
2. Check if your local bowling alley has a free summer program for kids! Ours does, and kids can bowl 2 free games every single day all summer long. We do have to pay the shoe rental fees, but those are only $3 per child. Turn it into a math game! After each game, have the kids figure out what their score would have been if they had gotten one more strike, two more strikes, or however many strikes they are old (my kids are 6 and 7, so I have them figure out their score if their top 6 & 7 scores had been strikes).
COST: $6
3. Go see a dollar movie! These are all movies that have been in the theatres previously, but the thrill of seeing them on the big screen is still there for kids!!! We bring a water bottle and stick some granola bars in my pocketbook for the kids so we can avoid the concession stands. Click on this link to find a participating theatre near you: http://www.regmovies.com/Movies/Summer-Movie-Express#New York
COST: $2
4. Make a rainbow of Jell-O! Jell-O is one of the only desserts we can think of that doesn't involve turning the oven on, so we make lots of it over the summer! Pick up small boxes of Jell-O (about 50 cents each) in strawberry/cherry, orange, lemon, lime, berry blue, and grape. To make individual servings, get crystal clear plastic cups that will hold between 1/2 cup and 1 cup of liquid. Starting with grape, make your Jell-O, spoon about 1/2" into each cup, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Then do the same for each remaining color. We top ours with 'clouds' (Cool Whip) before we eat them! In between layers, read a chapter of a book aloud! Charlotte's Web, Alice in Wonderland, The Secret Garden, James and the Giant Peach, and Indian in the Cupboard are great choices!
COST: $4-$5
5. Have a board game or card game tournament. You can do this at home, at the library, or even at a coffee shop or fast-food restaurant (some may require you to make a purchase if you're going to sit there for a long time, but a small drink will usually suffice!). Each child gets to pick a board game or card game. Play 2 rounds of each game if you do not want to keep 'score' or play for best of 3 rounds if you do want to keep score. Depending on the games chosen, this can keep everyone occupied for a few hours!
COST: FREE (or $1-$2 if required to make a purchase)
6. Go Christmas shopping! Christmas in July? Why not? Have your children pick a person on their Christmas list, and then pack up and head to the mall. When you get there, sit down on a bench or in the food court and brainstorm ideas for that person. Make sure the kids know what the budget is for that person before you start shopping. As you browse stores, the kids can write down what things they think the person would like, and how much they cost. After you've made it through the whole mall, sit down again and decide what to get!! Go back and make your purchase. When you get home, you can either wrap the gift right away, or stash it somewhere you'll remember it in December!
COST: Varies
7. Movie marathon day! Close all the shades/blinds in a room with a TV to block out the sun and the heat. Let the kids hang around in their undies if they want, and have them each pick a movie (or two!). Pull out the sleeping bags, fill a few ziploc baggies with ice, and stick them down inside the sleeping bags to keep cool! Instead of popcorn, have ice cream or sherbet.
COST: FREE
8. Visit a local museum or planetarium. These are often higher-cost options, but will keep you in the air conditioning for the entire day. If yours permits it, pack a lunch so you can steer clear of the cafeteria, and bring refillable water bottles to fill up in the water fountains instead of purchasing drinks.
COST: Varies
9. Have a car and bike wash! Okay, so this one does put you outside, but it gives you and the kids plenty of water to play in and cool off! Put on bathing suits or old clothes, pull out the hose, grab a few buckets and sponges and some dish soap, and clean the car and the kids' bikes! Let the kids go hog-wild and don't worry if they start spraying each other (or you!) with the hose! Make sure the windows of the car are closed before you start! On a hot, hot day, everything will dry off pretty quickly, and you can always run your car through a 'real' carwash at a later date if the streaks and soap bubble outlines bother you. Or you can just enjoy the hard work and FUN!
COST: FREE
10. Last but not least, seek out some water! Look for a lake, ocean, river, creek, sprinkler, splash park, friend with a pool, public pool, water park, or even the local Y, and hang out there for the day. Make sure you pack the sunscreen and slather everyone up well before you even leave the house. Bring plenty of water and snacks, and if you're going to a friend's house, bring a treat for everyone! Not all of these options will be free, but they will certainly be worth it!
COST: Varies
So there you go! I hope we've helped you think outside the box and find ways to beat the heat this summer!
For us, we're off to the library today!
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