Forgetful Momma

Secular Homeschooling in Canada

summer fun

Pool Safety in the Heat of Summer

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This year was our first year having a pool in our backyard. It was a “grading gift” to my girls for such an awesome school year, but it was also a gift to all of us for the hot Saskatchewan summers. Pool safety was something that we started talking to our kids about from the moment we bought our pool.

Pool Safety in the Heat of Summer

Pool Safety in the Heat of Summer

Pool Safety in the Heat of Summer

*This post contains affiliate links, see my disclosure policy for more information.*

This summer we focused our pool fun on learning water and pool safety. The biggest rule we made and make sure our kids remember is that the pool is off limits unless Momma or Dadda are outside with them.

I do believe that our oldest, Austin, has gills hidden somewhere because she took to the water like a fish. Within a day she was swimming, and then after that everything else was fair game – swimming under water included.

When You Have A Reluctant Swimmer

Our youngest, Gauge, is unable to touch the bottom of our pool, but we bought him a pool float swimming aid, a Superman one that encouraged him to want to wear it and want to go in the pool. He was the most reluctant to get into the pool, but the most important thing we could have done (other than being with him in the pool and having a float aid) was to not rush him.

By letting him set the pace in which he got into the pool he had some control in a new situation, in unknown territory, and in a potentially dangerous situation.

Pool Dangers

  • Tragically, Canadians drown in pools and natural bodies of water like lakes and oceans every year.
  • 1 in 5 fatalities from falls into water are children under the age of 5
  • According to drowning statistics (2009-2014), an average of 35 children age 1-14 died by drowning each year while playing in or around water.

These tragedies could have been prevented through active supervision by a responsible adult.

Similar posts that you may be interested in:

Taking Homeschool Outside this Spring and Summer

Taking Homeschool Outside this Spring and Summer

Summer Learning Made Easy

Summer Learning Made Easy

4 Ways to Keep Learning All Summer

4 Ways to Keep Learning All Summer

Beating the Heat with Young Kids

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Last summer was a hot one! And I’m sure this one will be no different, being as we live in the prairies. Instead of wasting wishes, I’m finding ways for beating the heat with our kids. Having fun, staying cool, and enjoying the summer weather… before the cold of winter hits.

beating the heat with young kids

Last year we were living in a rented house, with no air conditioner and a living room without opening windows. Add in 38°C temperatures and we were HOT! The girls were old enough to understand that there really wasn’t much Momma and Dadda could do about the heat, but poor Gauge didn’t understand, he just knew it was hot, and everyone was getting cranky (from a lack of sleep and being over heated).

This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.

Beating the Heat with Young Kids

Get wet!

  • Water guns are a great way to cool down
  • Puddle jumping. Yes, jump in a puddle, young kids love it, the key to this one is getting wet
  • Water balloon fight (sponges take the place of water balloons nicely)
  • Plastic bowls of water for young ones to splash in

Ice

I give ice a category all on its own because it’s different than water.

  • Toys frozen in ice blocks
  • juice or apple sauce ice pops to snack on
  • Ice cubes in the pool – make them extra special by added food coloring

Things to Make

  • Ice cream in a bag
  • Make ice chalk to melted drawing fun
  • Ice pops – let your kids choose some fruit to freeze in molds

Ways We Cool Down:

  • kiddie pool in the back yard
  • sprinkler (even this Momma will run through it)
  • freezies – what summer is complete without them?
  • cool baths before bed
  • trips to the public wadding pool
  • eating cool/cold meals – salad almost everyday with our supper

This year we do have AC but we’re still spending lots of time outside. Hot weather started early in May this year. We have been spending time outside in the shade of trees on blankets for quiet reading time, for drawing, etc.

 How do you keep cool in the summer heat?

Frozen Chalk Paint for Hot Days

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I’m always looking for new ideas for some fun with my girls, whether it’s for inside or for something for outside. I often turn to Pinterest for ideas, and just for something to do in the evenings. You can find a lot of great ideas and kids activities on Pinterest. This frozen chalk paint is easy to do, and fun for kids.

Frozen Chalk Paint

Frozen Chalk Paint for Hot Days

This post contains affiliate links, see my disclosure policy for more information.

We’ve painted outside with chalk paint (which is just equal parts water and cornstarch with food color) and my kids always enjoy it, so I though I would add a new element to it. Freezing it! A fun, cool activity on a hot summer day.

What you need:

How to make Frozen Chalk Paint:

Mix equal parts water and cornstarch together. I used a small bowl, and mixed the colors individually this way. I used small popsicle molds. But you could also use ice cube trays with popsicle sticks for the handles.

Apparently my girls are messy painters and would prefer waiting until the ice melts and then pouring the paint on the ground. In the 30°C that we are experiencing they are quickly melting.

Frozen Chalk Paint

After painting a number rooms in a few different houses, I can attest to the fact that they get their messy painting skills from me, their mothers.

The main thing is, they had fun, no matter how they went about it.

Frozen Chalk Paint

We’ll be doing this again and again. It is an easy to make activity and something you can make up and keep in the freeze for some fun through the week.

Tip – add a tiny drop of Dawn to the water and cornstarch mix for easier clean up off hands and clothing.

Frozen Chalk Paint

Ice Chalk Paint

Yield: 1
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Active Time: 10 minutes
Additional Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 12 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Homemade chalk paint for hot summer, art time outside.

Materials

  • cornstarch
  • water
  • Food Coloring
  • Dish soap

Tools

  • ice cube tray & popsicle sticks
  • popsicle tray

Instructions

  1. Mix together equal parts of water and cornstarch. Add in food color.
  2. For easier clean up add a tiny drop of Dawn dish soap.
© Ashley Mullen
Category: Kids Activities