Beat the Summer Heat with Fun Indoor Activities for Your Child
North Carolina is rumored to have an El Niño summer this year, which means temperatures may be far hotter than they normally are. Even though summer is often the ideal time to play outdoors, prepare for the summer heat (or rain) with this toolbox of fun indoor activities to keep your child safe.
10 Ways to Beat the Heat at Home
Take a trip to the library. The library is a great place to cool off, explore books and movies, and even spend time reading together. You can encourage your child to pick out a few books that excite them and read them together when you get home. Or, visit the Little Free Library nearest to you where you can take a book a book home, or clean out some of your books and share a book with the community.
Play board games and puzzles. Dust off the board games and have a family game night! Or, if you have more than one child, you can encourage them to play together. There are a number of games that are suitable for just two players.
Create an arts and crafts station. Take a trip to the art store and set up an arts and crafts station. Try experimenting with a variety of materials—crayons, paint, pastels, or clay depending on your child’s age and motor skills.
Have a movie marathon. Make popcorn or cool off with some popsicles or ice cream while you watch a movie. You can also check your nearby movie theater for screenings—some have discounted tickets during the summer for kids.
Visit the children’s museum. The Zing Zumm Children’s Museum in Jacksonville is a fun and imaginative space for children between the ages of 0 and 10. The museum is hands-on and interactive, giving your child the opportunity to explore their interests and learn new things.
Explore virtual activities. Many organizations, such as zoos and aquariums, now offer virtual visits—bringing the animals straight to your home. Watch the live cams at the Bronx Zoo, San Diego Zoo, or the Monterey Bay Aquarium. We have a list of virtual activities on our parent resources page: https://www.oneplaceonslow.org/for-parents-and-early-educators/family-resources/#covid
Try Lunch Doodles. Beloved children’s book author, Mo Willems offered live-streaming doodle lessons during the pandemic. Now, you can replay all 15 episodes and encourage your child to join in on the fun.
Attempt at-home yoga. If you have a high-energy child and you’re looking for some physical activities at home, try a virtual yoga class. Cosmic Kids offers popular “yoga adventures” for children or you can peruse Youtube for classes. The highly-popular Yoga with Adriene has a special yoga for kids lesson.
Need to get the sillies out? Try some indoor gross motor fun.
Learn to cook or bake. Learning to bake or cook is not only a fun and enjoyable activity to beat the summer heat—but it’s also a great way for your child to learn more about math, science, and healthy foods. You can come up with some kid-friendly recipes to practice, or join in virtually with our friends at Sesame Street to “Cook with Cookie Monster.”
We’re here to help.
Whether you’re searching for the perfect book for your child or looking to connect with other families in Onslow County, One Place is here to help.
Early literacy and learning. We provide a number of early literacy and learning programs for families, including Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, Story Walks at the Park, and Little Free Libraries. Learn more here.
Other family resources. We’ve created a hub on our website with access to all the resources you might need as a parent—from health and transportation to employment and parenting tips. Learn more here.