10 Cool Ideas to Escape the Heat with your Family

When we see those scorching 35 degree and above days on the weather outlook, we can’t help but sweat about it. It may seem that there’s not much to do with the kids on those hot days but here are 10 cool ideas that may assist you in escaping the heat and maintaining your sanity.

1.Visit your library: Cool, calm, full of books! What’s not to love about the local library? In the Macedon Ranges we have libraries in Kyneton, Gisborne, Woodend and Romsey. Check out their social media pages for opening hours and upcoming events.

2. Head to the local watering holes: A no-brainer, I know. Check out Kyneton Toyota Sports and Aquatic Centre, Gisborne Aquatic Centre, the Lancefield Pool, the Woodend Pool, and the Daylesford Olympic Pool for their opening hours and summer holiday program activities. If you like to splash in water out in nature check out, Nursery Reservoir in Macedon, Lake Daylesford, Lake Jubilee in Daylesford, Lerderderg Gorge in Bacchus Marsh and The Nook in Sunbury.

3. Explore indoor landmarks or head to the movies: Check out local art galleries and museums like: the Kyneton Museum, The Old Auction House in Kyneton, The Gallery in Mount Macedon. For a movie, visit Readings Cinema in Sunbury.

4. Go to a park with water play: Community Bank Playground in Wallan has an epic water play area. Kyneton Community Park has a smaller water play area which is supposed to be operating in the summer months but sometimes is not turned on. Romsey Ecotherapy Park has a new area with taps and pumps (but not water for kids to run under as such).

5. Go for an icecream! There’s nothing like an ice cold icecream or icypole on a steaming, hot day. We get our icecream in at Gisborne Icecream Co, Woodend Icecream Co, Gis Donuts in Gisborne or Augustus Gelatery in Sunbury, just out of the Macedon Ranges.

6. Shop with/for the kids: We don’t have any huge shopping centres in the Ranges but you could head to a variety of kid friendly shops to cool down, peruse, and, who am I kidding, you will probably end up buying something. Head to the Gisborne Village Shopping Centre which has a new kids gaming centre, Pop Gaming, Myths and Legends in Gisborne (aka The Fairy Shop), Squishy Minnie Bookstore in Kyneton and Karismatic Kids toy store in Woodend.

7. Lunch at a cool child friendly cafe or restaurant: Know a great, air conditioned cafe that is child friendly? Have an extra long lunch with the minions. Some of our favourites are 3 Little Pigs in Gisborne, the Riddells Creek Hotel, Ruby Cafe in Kyneton, and Cosy Corner Cafe in Woodend.

8. Do some chores that involve water: Get the kids involved with washing the car, cleaning off the outdoor chairs with the hose or watering the garden. Try to keep the water on the grass for the aforementioned activities so it is not wasted.

9. Have some water fun outside: You could go old school style and let the kids run through the sprinkler like we did in the ’80s, put the hose over the trampoline for cool jumping fun or fill a paddling pool and add plastic cups and toys. Other fun ideas include: having the kids wash the ‘dishes’ or their dolls in buckets of cool water; getting them to chip away treasures you have frozen into blocks of ice; or creating a slip ‘n’ slide. (Obviously you should try not to waste water if you undertake these activities and adhere to any local water restrictions).

10. Choose inside activities: If the air con is working well inside and you want some great indoor activities, check out some of our ideas in our Ten of Our Favourite Wet Weather Activities blog that apply for extremely hot weather.

Have we missed any other ways you escape the heat? Let us know in the comments section. Stay cool and take care in the upcoming extreme heat.