Five Indoor Activities to Help Keep You Cool During the Dog Days of Summer

Five Indoor Activities to Help Keep You Cool During the Dog Days of Summer

There’s no beating around the bush; Louisiana summers are brutal! Even constant rainfall, that would normally give reprieve, more often results in soupy humidity and steam that’s suffocating. I know I’m not telling anyone around here anything they don’t already know.

Playing outside is great for kids but when a good portion of outside hours are during the hottest part of the day (when you are supposed to stay out of the sun) and the other part is filled with Louisiana’s unofficial state bird-the mosquito, it’s hard to enjoy quality time outdoors.

To help beat the heat (literally), I’ve collected some ideas to bring the summer fun indoors where everyone can have fun and keep cool.

Build a Fort and Play Board Games

I think we can all remember a time when we would take blankets, sheets and pillows into the living room and make tents in between the furniture. Kick this childhood tradition up a notch by playing your child’s favorite board game or putting together a puzzle under their fort creation. It can turn games which are already fun into great core memories!

Have an Indoor Picnic

Put a blanket on the ground, pack lunches in a basket or cooler, and sit by a window to enjoy the outdoor view. Or maybe eat under your newly built living room fort, if so desired. It’s fun for kids to have an everyday meal in an unordinary way. Maybe pack a few extra snacks to enjoy mealtime for a little while longer.

Keepy Uppy

Calling all Bluey fans (and even those of you who aren’t!)! This simple game of blowing up a balloon and keeping it in the air is a lot more entertaining than one might think. It may be more for the younger crowd but it’s sure to keep them busy for a while. Just make sure you have plenty of open space and move away from any breakables.

Read a Book, then Watch the Movie

For kids of reading age, find age-appropriate books that have also been made into movies. Read a few chapters each day together, then plan a movie night to watch it when you’re done. This can be a fun learning experience to compare similarities and differences between movies and books. A few examples to check out include Charlotte’s Web, Matilda, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, the Harry Potter Series, How to Train Your Dragon, Bridge to Terabithia and the Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series. More options can be found here.

Hide and Seek

Take this old classic and put a twist on it by hiding a stuffed animal your child likes and helping them find it by using the hot and cold method. Tell them they’re getting warmer as they get closer to the hiding spot or colder as they venture further away. This version of hide and seek keeps you and your child involved in the game together.

There you have it! Hopefully, I’ve shared some new ideas you haven’t thought of and given you ways to dust off old ones and bring them new life.

Here’s to having fun while staying cool!