Today I spent most of my day volunteering at my boys’ elementary school in the library. I’ve been volunteering for years and I’m happy to do so. But I can tell you that today was a record high temperature for September and the school is not equipped with a/c. It was one of those days I would have loved to just sit in front of a fan all day, I can’t imagine what it was like in classrooms with the kids. Some teachers said it was hard for the kids to concentrate in this heat. Of course it was! Even I had trouble concentrating!
Usually, the heat hits Montreal at the end of the year and at that point, everyone is just ready to get the summer break started. But right now, kids need to be focused. So it got me thinking, what could I send with my boys to help them stay cool?
- I made a joke a couple of weeks ago, saying this was the only snack left in my house to send the kids to school with, but now it seems like an awesome idea. Freeze the thermos containers overnight. Add yogurt and frozen berries in the morning. If your kids love granola, you can add some on top. These are perfect first snacks at recess.
- Frozen grapes – these are a big hit with my boys. In the summer, we have them often. They are the perfect combination of refreshing and satisfying on a hot day. Again, I would suggest placing them in the cold thermos so they stay frozen until it’s time to eat them.
- We love our GoGoSqueeZ fruit packs in the winter months when fresh produce is low. But this, again is a perfect thing to freeze overnight so the kids have a slushy-type fruit snack at school.
- Coconut water – I always send my boys to school with water in their reusable bottle, but these days have been so hot, it may be a good thing to add coconut water to help them stay hydrated at school. Adding a couple of pieces of ice to that will also keep things cooler.
Other tips
- An ice pack in the lunch box is helpful to keep things cool. If they need it, it’s there for them to cool down as well.
- On hot days in the summer, sometimes we have carried a frozen facecloth in a sealed plastic bag (just pop a wet cloth in the freezer overnight). Placing that on the back of their neck could help during class time.
- On hot days, kids are going to sweat. If they feel uncomfortable, a second pair of socks and an extra t-shirt in the backpack can be helpful.
That’s all I can think of, the heat is getting to me! Do you have suggestions for hot school days?
1 comment
Love it! Nice suggestions! I will try them!