Staying Cool This Summer with Kids

Summer is in full swing, and the last place anyone wants to be is in Phoenix, AZ. It's not the hottest place to be, but it is pretty close. With temperatures reaching the highest yet this summer over the 4^th of July, it's a wonder that anyone dares venture outside. This can be hard, especially with kids. Even my daughter, who is under two, knows the word "go" and hates being coped up inside all day. Here are a few ideas to "beat the heat" with kids for little to no cost, even if you're not in the Phoenix area.

Our family favorite is to go to the pool. Even though we have a pool at our apartment complex, the water temperature is slightly cooler than a hot bath at best. Not to refreshing if it is 110 + outside. We have found that a public swimming pool tends to be much more refreshing than a housing community or apartment complex (or even a hotel) pool; refreshing even to the point you get cold.

We like to go to our local community pool, Pecos Swimming Pool, located at 17010 South 48th St, Phoenix, AZ 85048. It is close to home, very refreshing, and after 6 PM it is only twenty-five cents per person (child or adult). If you don't feel like getting wet, or your kids don't like the water. There is always the mall.

The mall is great, especially for younger children. You can get some exercise in very well air-conditioned space. Younger children (4 years and younger), for the most part, wont even care if you don't buy anything, they are happy to stretch there legs, and if you are with my daughter, see the puppies. The mall also will generally have a play area if you don't want to exercise, you just want to sit and relax while your child burns off some extra energy.

If the mall doesn't have a play area they often have the little car or horse rides that cost fifty-cents so bring some quarters or dollars too. Some malls have movie theatres in them as well. This can be more entertaining for older children. If you are planning on beating the heat by watching a movie, go to a matinee (they are cheaper) or a movie that has been out for awhile. Even though movie theatres are air-conditioned, the more bodies in the theatre, the warmer it will be. In fact, if the theatre is full, it can be uncomfortably warm.

My personal favorite way to "beat the heat" with my kids is to go to Mcdonald's and get an ice cream cone. I can sit and eat my ice cream while the kids play on the indoor playground. After the kids are done playing they get a kiddie cone, which is free. If you're child is "to big" for a kiddie cone, the regular cones are reasonably priced and wont break the bank either.

Other ideas include, going to a baseball game, Chase field is after all air-conditioned. Go to the ice-skating rink or attend a hockey game. If you don't want to "go" anywhere, sometimes just having an organized activity at home with the kids helps to get rid of that "caged" feeling. Something activities you can do at home to "keep cool" are make snow-cones, make Kool-Aid and Kool-Aid ice cubes, make homemade ice cream. No matter what you do, stay cool this summer and have fun doing it.