Oklahoma City family fun isn't always outdoors.
Indoor play has its place in local things to do. The weather here can be extreme and newcomers always mention this fact: it's often too hot and sometimes too icy or cold to be outdoors with little ones during certain times of the year.
The calendar is about to roll over to August and school starts soon. Those factors, however, don't make it any easier to play outdoors. The weather still feels like the dog days of summer, with its sunshine and lemonade.
Here are five ways to beat the heat:
Find an indoor play place: It doesn't have to be a rainy day to enjoy our Rainy Day Round Up either. There are some terrific new venues to check out too. My son, Sam, is 8 and he's consistently asked every week to attend a matinee or go back to CurioCity at Science Museum Oklahoma.
- Cook together: Turning on the oven or stove when it's hot outside may seem counterintuitive but there are plenty of cold recipes to make too: salads, chilled pasta, popsicles, drinks and smoothies. Isaac, 3, is just at the age where we can get in the kitchen together and recognize basic measures, numbers and the ever-important dictum, "Let's wash our hands!" Check out these kid-friendly recipes from local chef Marc Dunham.
- Create a kitchen garden: The Easter Bunny brought seed kits way back in April and we just pulled them out of a forgotten cabinet recently. Take advantage of the full sun still beaming through your kitchen curtains and let your kids learn about germination, water seeds and have fresh herbs to add to recipes you make together.
- Go get a snow cone: This list of reader-suggested snow cone spots has been really popular. Cool off with one at a snow cone stand near you.
- Swim: Find our list of best splash pads, pools and water parks in the metro if do want to venture out. We're giving away five tickets to White Water Bay here. Enter to win before this Sunday, Aug. 2, at 10 p.m.
Do you have a favorite indoor play place or summer activity that we should include in our lists? Write to callie@metrofamilymagazine.com and it could be featured.