How to Get Out of the House on Hot Days?

I go/went to:

- the pet store (we love to look at the fish, mice, birds, etc)
- the animal shelter (my son LOVED the kittens)
- the backyard (go in for a break, back outside. Get some good toys. Go smell flowers and talk to baby about plants, trees, bushes, grass, etc)
- the grocery store
- the thrift store (cheap shopping, closer to me than other stores)
- baby/toddler story time at the library
- my mom and dad's house
- visit dad at work (coworkers love to see the cute babies!)
- just walk around Target a few times (you get out, the baby gets to see new people, a new place, but not as far as a drive as the mall - for me anyways)

I totally understand wanting to get out of the house. We leave the house probably 4 out of the 5 weekdays.

30 min in the car for a couple of hours mall walking is not a bad trade off pack a lunch and do some window shopping and people watching. Also try getting out by 8 am before it gets really hot hit the park first thing then come home and do what needs to get done. Is there a community pool nearby babies are usually free go after 4 and stay a couple of hours pack a dinner and have poolside. Parenting is ever changing and unpredictable so have some fun with it your little one is small for a short time then before you it she will be as tall as you are and off to college.Good Luck!
J. O

Hi D.,

I'm a teacher so I have the summers off with my son and the heat is an issue every year (even now that he's 4).

My suggestions are:

1) Shift your day a bit if possible so you are up and out early. If you can get to the park at about 8am you'll be able to stay for an hour or two before it heats up (plus there won't be so many big kids there at that time so she can actually crawl around and do the slide and stuff)

2) Pet stores are great fun! She can look at the fish and other tank type animals up close. The rodents are funny and if you find out when they are doing adoptions there will be puppies and kittens in from local shelters.

3)Take a neighborhood walk in the evening after dinner. It'll help settler her down for bed AND get you back out of the house.

4) The gym is our summer savior! I go to 24hourFitness and my son spends two hours in the "KidsClub" there playing with other kids. They have an indoor playground for him and I get my daily workout. I bought a prepaid membership from Costco for $299. It's good for 2 years which is WAY less than you would pay for a monthly membership.

Good luck,
T.

I wish I could feel for you.
My son's birthday was June 28 and he wanted an outside bbq.
We had one, allright.
But, we all sat outside and froze to death.
California is not all sunshine and oranges, believe me.
I'd give anything to be in NC where I have family.

To me, 30 minutes in a cool car to get to a cool mall doesn't sound so bad. It will get you out of the house anyway.
I used to live where it got super hot and we did everthing really early in the morning so we could be back home during the heat of the day. Evenings in the south are so nice if you don't have too many bugs. A nice stroll after sundown or sitting on the porch are my favorite things to do back there.

I hope you get some great responses.
Best wishes!

Walks near the forest preserve, should be cooler than out in the open. Any museums near by? Zoo's, our zoo has bldgs that are air conditioned. See if you can find a battery powered fan to blow on her in the stoller to help keep her cool, and a spray bottle with water (mist one) to spray her and then the fan will cool her?

maybe you could join a local mommy group that does playdates at people's houses? That way you're getting out but not spending a lot.

Sounds as if you'll be able to get out - but only in 20 minute increments! Just enough for a quick walk. Or a drive to somewhere interesting and then a quick walk/tour followed by some good cool-down time in an A/C environment before heading out again. I guess in summary you can get out but you'll have to re-define your idea of what getting out is. Good luck!

libaries have programs for even babies.. mall play areas... join a playgroup. do you have gymboree (not ghe clothing store) they have clases for babies..
Kindermusik is great and fun classes for all ages..

it does get easier as they goet oler.

We would go early in the morning or later in the evening!

We have a really nice aquarium nearby. We bought a one year family membership for $50. I take the kids once every week or two. It's well worth the investment.

Plan to go EARLY - like maybe a picnic breakfast instead of lunch time, or go on over in the evening. You can also get one of the tiny baby pools and let her splash around in the water...or get one of the larger ones that you and she can both play in.

You can also walk in a smaller store like a Target or a Wal-mart - it doesn't have to be a mall. Another option....I know she is only 8 months old, but some movie theaters do free summer movies....check on that. Are there museums or other things like that in the area? That can always be fun too.

Good Luck!
T.

You can make the mall trip once a week or every two weeks, right? It will be more enjoyable if you invite a friend that has a baby, also. You can ride together to save gas and take turns driving each time. Agree on how much time you want to spend there so nobody has to rush home.

I take my kids to the pool before it gets too warm. We can spend plenty of time there either early morning or late evening. It's really nice! If you have a YMCA in your area, chances are they have scheduled activities for all ages during summer.

If she likes getting out, why not take an early morning stroll? You can tie a couple of her favorite toys to her stroller so they don't fall out and slow you down. I used to take a portable radio so we could enjoy music as we made our rounds about the neighborhood!

Don't forget about your local library! There's always something going on at our 2 closest ones! There's story time, movie night, clowns, magicians and water fun. This is a great opportunity to instill a love of reading and learning in your little one!

Whatever you decide, stay cool!