Things to do on a too hot summer day.....

[MediumBrownDog]

Any suggestions? We live at the beach, but with the 110 degree heat index, the oceanfront is a bit intimidating. We've done the aquarium, the mall, the children's museum, the adult museum..... any suggestions for indoor activities when outside is an oven?

[SoCalDem]

1. A lot depends on the ages of the kids involved

You could put drop cloths down, and let them paint...the markdown shelf at Lowes is a good place to find cheap paint and brushes & poster board are pretty cheap..


Hold a room cleaning "contest".. Winner gets dinner out at the restaurant of their choice ...alone with Mom/Dad...

If they can write.. Pick a 'family event" and ask each one to write their recollections of the event.. This can be hysterical, since each child will bring their own "flavor" to it..

If they are big and strong, let them help you rer-arrange furniture:)

Hold an "in-house" scavenger hunt.. (a great way to finally locate the stapler..scissors..hairbrushes)

[wildeyed]

2. It has been hot here, too.

We built a fort. But then the two year old destroyed it, so that was upsetting.

Lots of playdates with other families in a similar situation. When we go to a new house, there are new toys and exciting playmates.

Sometimes we go to the pool after 5pm. I bring a picnic dinner and everyone gets a chance to swim after the worst heat of the day has past.

[demgurl]

3. My children....

took up bowling this summer.It is air conditioned and once you call around town, you will find most places have specials during different days of the week. We have four of these in our town and that means we can get specials any day of the week. $1 a game makes it very cheap.

How about doing arts and crafts? Make playdoh with them one day. Make a scrapbook with them everyday. Use photos from that day or the summer and put down activities they did/enjoyed. We did this for Disney and sometimes we take it out as a bedtime story and the kids love it. It is sort of like a picture journal.

Movies are always a nice cool place and they have a lot more out for kids than when I was young. (am I showing my age?)

How about making homemade ice cream? There are sites out there that teach you how to do it with an old coffee can!

Read a book or better yet, have them read you a book.

Anyway, just a few suggestions off the top of my head.

demgurl

[SW FL Dem]

4. My sister lives in Phoenix and turned her living room

into an indoor playground. She found several inflatable jumping and climbing toys at Onestepahead.com. They have great things for older kids at their Leaps and Bounds section. My 2 yr old niece loves them!!

http://www.onestepahead.com/product/28185/1708/118.html

[mopinko]

5. hot days were always

naked painting in the back yard when mine were little. they always liked painting themselves best. and they liked the very patient white boxer, also.