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MOPS Take on the Heat

Thanks to everyone who came to our play date at Elm Creek Park!  Talk about an awesome park, right?

So here's the thing.  We moms are full of good ideas and energy and enthusiasm at all times (right?  RIGHT??).  But sometimes we run out of ideas.  Or things don't go quite as planned.  For example, next time I take my kids to a gigantic playground, I am putting in an order for a nice cloud cover to keep us all cool and I'm dressing the kids in bright orange t-shirts so they can get in on a free Summer Camp lunch with the rest of the munchkins swarming the park.

In the meantime, I need a plan for the rest of the summer.  You too?  Good.  Here are some ideas I found and links to where I found them.

Tips for a Hot Playground:

*Bring along a spray bottle to spray the slides when they get hot!  Of course this will leave the kiddos with wet shorts, but if yours are like mine, they won't even bat an eye about it and the sun will dry them out before you have to pack them back into their car seats.

*Bring some books, bucket and shovel, or some other toys to take a break in the shade between trips across the monkey bars.

*Try dressing the kids in swim trunks and hats and head to the park in the rain, turning the slides into watercoasters and the scorching sand into the best splash park you never paid a penny for!

Tips for the Beach:

*To give your kids a break in the shade, use masking tape to make a tic-tac-toe board on a beach towel. Your kids can collect shells or rocks from the beach to use instead of X's and O's.

*Get that sticky, wet sand off your kids' feet with baby powder!  The powder dries up the sand so you can easily brush it off before putting those little feet back in their shoes.

Tips for Fun at Home:

*Make your own popsicles!  If you don't have a kit, just use an ice cube tray.  You can make mini popsicle sticks by wrapping waxed paper around a small strip of cardboard (a diaper box, perhaps?) and taping the handle end to hold it together.  Be creative with your popsicles...use anything from Jell-o to pureed carrots.  Kids will love anything frozen!

1/4 c cornstarch
1/4 c cold water
6-8 drops of food coloring
Directions:  Mix cornstarch and cold water together in a small plastic bowl.  Add food coloring and stir.  Repeat this process to create different colors of paint that can be easily washed away with water!

Do you have a great summer idea you want to share with us?  Leave us a comment!  And don't forget to mark your calendar to join us at Camelot Park on July 24th!

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