Tips for Traveling in the Heat with Kids

Kids define summer as no school, no homework, sunny days, and summer vacations. Taking a fun trip to someplace sunny and warm, or to an exciting destination like Disney World or Los Angeles is something kids look forward to all year round. But what happens when those trips coincide with sweltering heat and unbearable humidity? We've come up with a few tips for traveling in the heat with kids.

 

1. Consider your destination and the tolerance of the kids you're with. While an older group may be able to deal with Grand Canyon or Texas heat in the dead of summer, younger groups may not have a high enough heat tolerance based on their size. Match the age group with the destination and talk to the kids in your group to see how they feel.

 

2. Stick with water destinations for younger kids. If your group is dead set on Disney World or Universal Studios, make sure you're staying in a Florida or California hotel with accessible pool use, or plan out a few days at a nearby water park. As long as there is promise of a fun pool day, kids will tend to tolerate the heat a bit better with a fun end-goal in mind, and the days in the water will help keep them cooled down.

 

3. Stay hydrated! This may seem like a no-brainer, but it's really crucial that you have a water bottle available for every kid in your group. There's no such thing as too much water (though there may be more bathroom breaks than anticipated) when dealing with extreme heat. Have your group bring reusable bottles from home so you can all fill up at each break, and stay hydrated throughout the day.

 

4. Eat lightly, and choose healthy meals. Nothing will bog you down like a stomach stuffed with pizza and hamburgers, so choose light meals filled with fruits and veggies to keep everyone feeling satisfied, but still light on their toes. Mix in carbs to stay energized and alert so no one let's the sun wear them out.

 

5. Time out your activities carefully. Don't go on your hike after lunch during the hottest noon hours, and don't save your indoor activities for the cool nights. Try to do the outdoor activities early in the morning before the sun reaches the middle of the sky, or save them for an early evening/late afternoon time. If there's something you really want to see indoors, squeeze that in between the hottest hours of 11 am - 2 pm.