I know there are many of you out there who love the heat, who have experienced hotter temperatures, but the heat makes my kids and me grumpy. I’ve always joked with my husband that when we retire we are morphing into reverse snowbirds. I’m following the cold and the rain. Heat is not my friend. So, in an effort to remain civil and help everyone survive this heat, here are a few ideas for you:

Visit a local spray park. Who doesn’t love splashing in the water? Kids are entertained, adults can pop in and out under the guise of “checking on the kids” and everyone remains cool. And should you have one kid that likes water parks and one who doesn’t check out this list of the 10 Best Playground Water Park Combos. The best of both worlds!

Head to a nearby outdoor pool. We practically live at our local outdoor pool as soon as summer hits. There is something rather charming about the old-style pool that is designed solely for swimming. If you have little ones, check out the wading pools, they are a great option. And don’t forget ALL of the City of Surrey’s outdoor pools are FREE in the summer.

After paddling around in the water, an ice cream treat is a must-do. Sure you can head to the local corner store but why not check out one of these amazing boutique, small batch ice cream shops? I do warn you, once you’ve had their ice cream you will be ruined for the grocery-store version.

And at the end of the day, who feels like cooking? Why not check out one of these super family-friendly restaurants where kids eat FREE? Saves parents from trying to come up with another meal idea that everyone will eat and prevents the house from getting heated up from the oven.

Enjoy the sun, drink lots of water, slather on the sunscreen, and have a wonderful time in this rather late-to-the-party heat wave!