Summer Heatwave Hacks: Keeping Kids Cool and Safe

It's hot, everyone's grumbling and nobody in your house can sleep - which means summer has officially arrived. Temperatures will increase significantly in the next few days and could hit 40C in places by Wednesday and Thursday. Whether you are staying at home or planning a holiday abroad, battling the heat can be hard - especially for babies and young children. Their bodies heat up more quickly than adults' and they sweat less, making it more difficult for them to cool down. So here are some hacks to keep your kids cool and safe - this summer and beyond. Getting kids to drink water can be a thankless task - they would often rather do anything else. But the answer could be in foods that contain lots of water. From 12 months old, try frozen lollies made from plain water or very diluted fruit juice. For older kids, ramp up fruit intake - particularly juicy fruit, such as watermelon and oranges. Eating salad, ice cream, jelly and soup are all good sources of water too. Babies who breastfeed should get all the water they need from breast milk and do not need any extra, the NHS says - but they may want to feed more than normal. If feeding your baby formula, you can give them a little cooled boiled water as well as their usual feeds. Once-a-day sunscreens overpromise and rarely last as long as they claim to, experts warn. And even if sunscreen is described as "water repellent" or "water resistant", it should still be reapplied after swimming. Towel drying and sweat may have rubbed it off. Look for two things when buying your sunscreen: the sun protection factor or SPF, ranging from 2 to 50+, and the star rating on the bottle. The advice is to smother your child with at least SPF 30 and four stars, about 30 minutes before you go outside. Then reapply every two hours while avoiding the hottest part of the day. Do not forget the tops of their feet, round the ears, their neck and all over the shoulders – which can often get burned. Remember sunscreen is not recommended for babies under six months, because their skin is sensitive. They should be kept out of direct sunlight completely. Everyone's skin needs protecting, no matter the colour. But some can be more vulnerable than others. Families with pale skin, freckles or a history of skin cancer should be extra careful. Keeping children out of the sun altogether between 11:00 and 15:00 is the easiest way to keep them safe. If you do go out in the heat, use a parasol or sunshade. But do not be tempted to cover a pram or pushchair with a muslin cloth or blanket - even if it's in the shade - because it can stop airflow and get too hot. If children are desperate to go to the park or paddle at the beach, wait until it's cooler in the evening. There's nothing worse than putting a child to sleep in a stuffy bedroom when you're already sweating. Avoid that by keeping bedrooms cool during the day - closing blinds or curtains and using an electric fan to move the air around. But do not direct it at a child's body because that can dehydrate them. A cool bath before bedtime might bring their temperature down, and help yours too. In bed, keep layers to a minimum and leave the door and window slightly open to encourage a breeze.