Staying Cool While Staying Active This Summer
During the summer months people often feel like they have to choose between staying cool and staying active. The truth is, though, that there’s no reason you can’t give your kids a fun and activity filled summer while also finding ways to beat the heat. Here are some suggestions.
Water Fight!
Normally you want to conserve water but sometimes a good old fashioned water fight is exactly what your kids need. Freezing water tag, in particular, is a great way to stay cool while still getting in some exercise and having a ton of fun.
PRO TIP: Make sure that you cover your cars and outdoor furniture to keep everything nice (and dry). You can find replacement fabric affordably online to serve this purpose. This way you can have a water fight and sit your kids down to have lunch at a perfectly dry picnic table.
The Arcade
You might not like the idea of sitting your kids down in front of a video game all summer. That’s why going to the arcade can be such a fun time. Arcades have changed since we were kids. Now, instead of a dark room filled with stationary games, arcades are outfitted with games that encourage movement. You have the classic Dance Dance Revolution, the games that involve snowboarding, skiing and skateboarding (with actual skis, snowboards and skateboards on mechanical sensors) and a bunch of others. Some will even rent time with an Xbox Kinect system or the Wii so that your kids can play all sorts of activity filled games. They have fun playing games. You get to spend time in an air conditioned environment.
PRO TIP: Wear earplugs to protect everybody’s hearing. The noise level at the Arcade is the one thing that hasn’t changed since we were kids.
The Pool
Going to a community pool is a classic way to spend a summer day. Community centers and YWCA (or YMCA)s have great family rates that your family can use to its advantage if you want to spend the summer poolside.
You can buy affordable outdoor above ground pools at stores like Target if you don’t like the idea of joining a community pool. These can be great ways to beat the heat at home but these pools aren’t usually big enough for real swimming or water games. For those you’d have to go to a “real” pool. Plus, going to a community or neighborhood pool lets your kids play with other kids while you keep watch (and stay cool either in the water with them or from a shady spot nearby).
Whenever possible encourage your family to be the most active in the mornings. Get outside and go to the playground, play tag, ride bikes, etc in the mornings while the world is still warming up. Then you can spend the afternoon resting and recuperating inside where it is cooler without feeling guilty about spending the summer sitting around.
You can also use your afternoons for trips to air conditioned places like libraries and movie theaters—this way you’re still getting out of the house even if you aren’t being physically active when you get to your destination.
Above all else, don’t forget to have fun! As long as you’re having fun and staying healthy, who cares what the temperature is outside?
To celebrate summer and staying cool, we’re going to give away a Paddington prize pack! The water bottle is perfect for on the go hydration.
WIN IT:
ONE OurKidsMom reader is going to win a Paddington Summer Prize Pack!
(1 ) Paddington Water Bottle
(1)Paddington Plush
(1) Paddington Blu-ray Combo Pack
This giveaway ends at 11:59 PM EST on June 22, 2015.
I love summertime, you will never hear me complain about the heat 🙂 To stay cool we like to swim and play in a water table! (Central air helps too lol)
I love the activities, will be sure to play them with my grandson. The Zoobe app to make your own animated films looks awesome. I also found out there was a chance to win a trip to Seville. 😀
I didn’t know how Paddington originally came about so it was interesting to read “24th December: a BBC cameraman buys a small toy bear left alone on a shelf in Selfridges store, London, for his wife Brenda. Named Paddington, after the station close to Michael Bond’s home, the bear inspires him to write eight episodes in just over a week.”
I love the trailers! The one where Paddington is riding the bathtub down the stairs is hilarious! This movie looks so funny!
My kids love Paddington! Excited to show them the activities.
I love the History section. It’s fun hearing the story behind the story
Visited the site and I like the adventure diary
My kids like the activities.
I thought that the History Timeline of Paddington was interesting. This looks like a cute movie the whole family would enjoy.
Thank you!
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My grand kids love Paddington this is so fun I cant wait to go to the sight and show them they will be so excited. I enjoyed checking the sight out myself. They will be excited the sight has activities this is so great.
I love that Paddington is still out and popular! Love that my kids get to enjoy the same classics!
I learned Hugh Bonneville was in the movie. It looks cute
I like the activities section on the site. This movie looks super cute and I think my children are going to love it!
I learned how Paddington bear came about!
I learned that it’s from the Producers of Harry Potter.
I visited the site and I like that it includes some Paddington themed activities.
The adventure diary looks very interesting.
I learned that Paddington was published in the US by Houghton Mifflin of Boston in 1960. Thanks.
partymix25(at)Hotmail(dot)com
he’s named after a station stop in London
I liked the movie trailers on the site.
I liked the History section.
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I just like how cute Paddington is. We really wanted to see this in the theaters but didn’t get the chance. Thank you!
I like the Adventure Diary.
I like the activities they have!
Thanks for the opportunity to win 🙂
I learned that the book, A Bear Called Paddington was written by Michael Bond.
I learned that in 1958 Williams Collins published the very first book ‘A Bear Called Paddington’, in hardback, illustrated by Peggy Fortnum.
Awesome activities for the kids
I enjoyed reading the,history behind the Paddington movie and book, A Bear CalleD Paddington
I like that they gave the history of Paddington on the web site!
I like that they have activities on the site.
I have liked the paddington show for many years now, use to watch it with my oldest son all the time when he was younger.
I like the adventure diary. Thank you!
I actually would love a doll that is dressed as Paddington Bear.
It’s based on books and TV episodes – looks like it would be a cute family movie
I love the kids books selections – especially the PADDINGTON GOES FOR GOLD
I like the history section because I love learning the background. Thank you 🙂
I learned that Paddington was based off a bear that a BBC cameraman bought and named after the station close to his home. He then went on to write eight episodes in just over a week.
I entered the Fisher Nut Exactly giveaway.
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I liked the history section of the website.
I like the book Paddington Goes for Gold, first published in 2012.
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I like the Adventures Diary
I entered the Warner Bros. toy basket giveaway
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I like the trailers.
I also entered the Jurassic World Prize Pack giveaway.
I also entered the Fisher NUT EXACTLY giveaway.
I entered the Osmo giveaway.
I learned that in 1958 Williams Collins publish the very first book ‘A Bear Called Paddington’
I learned you can win a family trip to seville
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I learned that there are a lot of Paddington books.
We love everything about this movie, we love that Hugh Bonneville from Downton Abbey is in it!
I love the adventure diary so super cute
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I like the Adventure Diary- what a fun site. Thanks for the chance.
I like the History section
I love that they did a live action version instead of just doing an animated one. Having Nicole Kidman in it helps too.
I would love to have the book, “Paddington at the Zoo”. My kids have all loved Paddington!
liked the adventure diary
the zoobe app under ‘activities’ looks so fun!
I love that they have all the books as well. Thanks for hosting!
I liked the history section.
I learned that after several books and Tv shows, this is the first time Paddington made it to the big screen.
I like the history timeline.
my kids and I love the activities!
We love the activities too!
The kids love the activities
13th October: Williams Collins publish the very first book ‘A Bear Called Paddington’, in hardback, illustrated by Peggy Fortnum.
My daughter really wants to see the Paddington Bear movie so I loved the activity sheet they had on the site to allow her to get even more excited to see this film.
I thought that the History Timeline of Paddington on the site was interesting
I learned that this is the first movie for Paddington Bear.
I like the history timeline.
I like that they have a downloadable activity sheet.
The movie was from the producer of Harry Potter.
The trailers are really neat.
Having been the subject of countless books and TV episodes, Paddington Bear has finally arrived on the big screen for the very first time in a magical adventure film.
I entered the Jurassic World giveaway.
I like the selection of Paddington books including the novels and picture books available
I like the Zoobe App.
My nephew loves the activities
I LOVE PADDINGTON BEAR!!
I love that the site has activity sheets and games to download for my kids.
jweezie43[at]gmail[dot]com
I like that it’s from the producers of Harry Potter.
I liked the trailer, it looks as cute as the books ever were.
I like the cute website.
I liked the Adventure diary from many fans talking about the movie and places they have seen the bear.I could spend a long time there,it is so interesting.
I learned that Ben Whishaw is the voice of Paddington.
I like the Paddington posters.
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I learned that Harper Collins publishes the Paddington Bear books in the US.
My kids like the trailers.
I like the posters that you can download.
I like the activities. especially the Spot the Difference activity sheet.
I liked the activity sheets on the website!
LOVE the Paddington movie, it was so so good, My kiddo loved it, love the activity sheets as well.
I love the History section to see the real life