Surviving the summer with children: Essentials for parents
It seems that in the past few years each summer has been getting hotter with even longer heatwaves, but it might be that a summer with children or being pregnant just makes you more aware of it.
A few weeks ago, the Met Office reported that the temperature had reached 33.9 degrees Celsius, making it not only the hottest day of the year so far, but also the hottest June day since 1976!
With hundreds of Brits racing to the beaches or pools and whipping out the deck chairs, we mums know to keep a vigilant eye on our little ones so they don’t suffer from sunburn, heatstroke or dehydration.
To help keep your babies safe during summer, here are some essential items you should always keep to hand.
1. First and foremost is Sun Cream
We find the spray can be easier to apply with exceptionally wriggly toddlers (so something like Ambre Solaire Kids Sensitive Anti-Sand suncream or Nivea Sun Kids Moisturising Sun Spray), but the more traditional creams work just as well (for example Bepanthen Baby Suncream)
We recommend you do a patch test as some children with sensitive or eczema prone skin can have a reaction.
It’s also easy to forget to reapply after contact with water but this is important to do, even if the bottle states it’s waterproof. Cloudy days can also lull you into a false sense of security if you’re not careful.
Most children’s sun creams are sun protection factor (SPF) 50, but it’s worth ensuring you don’t use anything lower as a baby’s skin is extra sensitive.
2. Sun hat
There’s nothing like a good sun hat to keep the heat off our little ones heads. You might even want to consider keeping a spare stowed away in your baby bag or in the bottom of your pram so you never leave the house without one.
With so many choices out there, you also don’t have to substitute cuteness for the safe option!
Wide brimmed hats which cover the neck and ears are recommended, as well as ones with a front clasp to keep them from being pulled off. It’s also worth mentioning that you can get hats with built in UPF50+, so why not.
Some decent examples include the Sun Busters UV Reversible Bucket Hat, or the Sun Busters Legionnaire Hat if you want something to cover the neck as well.
3. Sun Shades for your buggy/pram/stroller
There are a few different styles to choose from such as parasols or canopies or clip ons (which some find easier with a tandem buggy) and most do come with SPF 50, but it’s always worth double checking anyway.
You’re looking for something like the My Buggy Buddy Stars Sunshade for movable cover, or this Universal Parasol if you’re keen to poke strangers in the eyes as you walk past them.
Note: Remember not to cover your pram with a blanket as a means of shade. Studies show this causes babies to overheat and is very dangerous.
4. Sun shade for car windows
It’s worth investing in a couple of nice ones, but even then they really aren’t overly expensive and you can often catch them on the Amazon sales. An example of the sort of thing you’re looking for could be this from JellyBabaBaby.
We have had success with good old Peppa Pig and a simple shade that covers most of the window.
5. Bottle(s) of water or anything with water in it
It might sound obvious but keep water with you at all times as children can get dehydrated quickly.
Fruits such as watermelon are also very good to help with hydration, along with ice poles (home made are the best though be sure to use BPA free moulds).
6. Light Clothing for summer
When things get really hot, cotton is best. Simple cotton bodysuits are great for day time and night time, but anything that is loose and not restricting works well. You’ll know if something is right because you’ll know if you would want to be wearing it in the heat or not!
For putting small children to bed at night, dressing them can be a little challenging – giving them a simple cotton sheet and a vest to wear can be the best option, although cellular blankets (the ones with holes in them) are good if needed.
Pro tip: Having a cool bath during the day or before bed is refreshing and can help with a good night’s sleep. They’re also good for burning off that last bit of energy too of course.
7. Paddling pools
Make sure you have the right amount of space in your garden for the paddling pool you want – it’s best that it doesn’t take up the entire available space.
Children can be perfectly happy and cooled by a classic small paddling pool or jump around in something much larger which includes inflatable dinosaurs.
To dress for the paddling pool, pre-potty-trained children will need some swim nappies – we’re a fan of the Huggies Little Swimmers. As always with nappies, pack extras in case of accidents.
Last but not least, a swimsuit is good for the paddling pool too. Don’t make the mistake of thinking more is less – you can get lightweight swimsuits which cover the arms and legs without being too warm. Some swimsuits also come with a UPF 50+ classification too so you can have that added level of peace of mind.
And just to give you an idea of the scale of that second pool I mentioned earlier…
8. Sunglasses
You can get ones which have UV protection – it’s worth being a little bit careful with sunglasses as the wrong pair could be bad for their eyes.
Also, for small children, don’t expect a pair of sunglasses to stay on in all circumstances and if they like wearing the sunglasses, be prepared for yours to go missing occasionally too.
Some other things to remember
We Brits like the sun, which is cruel because we don’t get to see this much of it very often, so when we do see it we rush outside immediately to get as much of it as possible. You’ll hear this a lot, but it bears repeating: Avoid the midday sun between 11am and 3pm. The world thinks we’re mad for being out in the middle of the day. It burns you and can make you seriously ill.
Also, remember to keep babies under 6 months old out of direct sunlight.
Most importantly, have fun!
Some honourable mentions
- Some mums swear by a clip on fan for the buggy and whilst we’ve not tried it, we thought it was worth a mention anyway.
- If you don’t want a full-on paddling pool, water pits can be a huge hit, especially in summer where they can have a good splash around! There is a massive range of these so it really depends on your budget, but we’d recommend the Little Tykes Spirallin’ Seas Water Table and the Chad Valley sand and water pit.
Post written by Paula Hing and Michelle Hayes
