It's Hot!

Baby it's hot outside! Summers in St. Louis can be sweltering. The humidity along with the high temperatures can make you feel like you are suffocating! It's so hard to get a good breath on days like this when the air feels so thick! So you're sweating everywhere and wondering just what to do to keep yourself and the kiddos comfortable. Here are five suggestions to help you stay cool on a warm summer day:

1. If the children are old enough to shop (without it being too much of a hassle for you), then go to your local shopping mall or department store. Start early looking for school supplies and back to school clothing. And of course, don't forget to pick out the perfect kid backpack for school. Backpacks featuring the Disney characters from Frozen, Cinderella, and Cars are still popular with the little ones. And of course the superheroes such as Spiderman, Superman, and Batman are always best sellers. Then go back to the store on Tax Free weekend to make your purchases. In Missouri, the annual Back To School Tax Holiday begins at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, August 7th and runs through Sunday, August 9th. Certain back to school purchases such as school supplies, clothing, computers, and other items may be exempt from sales tax during this time period. You can also check out the blog Passion For Savings for their list of Back To School Tax Free Weekend dates and other participating states.

2. Spend the afternoon at the neighborhood pool. If you don't have access to a public or private swimming pool then fill a small plastic pool or plastic storage bin with water for the kids to play in and cool off. And if you don't have a kiddie pool just turn on your sprinkler and let the kiddos run through the waterfall. Or just let your children squirt one another with cool water from a hose. But you'll want to be sure to protect your little ones from the suns hot rays by covering them with sunscreen and remember to reapply often.

3. Instead of staying indoors all day and getting cabin fever, take a drive in your air conditioned car or van. Everyone will stay cool and the little ones often will nap in comfort in the car seat. Stop for an ice cream for an extra special treat on a very hot day. Many ice cream shops have drive thru windows too so you don't have to worry about getting everyone unbuckled from the car seat.

4. Spend the day at a favorite children's indoor museum. If you live in or near St. Louis you might want to take a trip to the St. Louis Science Center where the offer numerous programs and activities for children. Another fun place to visit on a warm St. Louis day is the The Magic House which is also known as the St. Louis Children's Museum. Kids and adults both love the many fun and educational activities offered at the Magic House which is located in Kirkwood, MO.

5. Lastly, just stay home! Make it a movie day! Draw the curtains, turn the lights down, make popcorn, and put on a favorite family movie. Better yet, let everyone choose their favorite movie and have a movie marathon day. My favorite movie is Beauty and the Beast! What's yours?

Whatever your plans are for these lazy, crazy hot days of summer, stay safe and have lots of fun!