Last year, Moments A Day blogger Chelsea Lee Smith gave us 5 simple games to play with your kids. Now she's returned to provide some helpful kid-friendly tips to dealing with the heat.

It is no secret that I am not always in the best mood when I'm incredibly hot, and neither are my kids. Exhaustion and grumpiness are so easy to succumb to when it feels nearly impossible to move because of the heat...

With this reality in mind, it has been important for me to truly recognise the value in finding ways our family can survive the summer season without letting our moods be dictated by the weather. After all, if sucking on a few ice cubes helps me feel alive enough to play with my kids on a scorching hot day, that is definitely a trick I want to replicate often!

Since we moved to northeast Queensland during the last couple of unbearably hot and humid months, I have been compiling a list of ways we can overcome the heat.

10 Hacks to Handle Hot Weather

1. Drink, Drink, Drink!

A pitcher (or two) of water in the fridge is a must during summer. Pop extra water bottles filled with water in there too so you can exchange them with your empty bottles when necessary. You may like to keep a bowl of lemon or orange wedges handy as well, if a squeeze of flavour in each cup will encourage better hydration.

2. Make Ice

I have found that a few extra ice cube trays are definitely worth investing in. We eat it, toss it around as a game, hold onto it until it melts, or pop it into a cold bath for a little extra fun.

3. Enjoy Water Play

If you don't have a pool or sprinkler in the backyard, a bathtub or bucket of water can do just fine. Add some plastic cups, containers, spoons, small plastic figurines and let the kids splash around as long as they want. Older kids might enjoy water balloons or water shooters.

4. Wear as Little as Possible

No need to get dressed if you aren't going out. Undies or swimmers are just fine when you're at home!

5. Chase the Aircon

Libraries, shopping centre playgrounds, museum exhibits, cafes, play centres ... Find out all the local spots your kids will have a good time and rotate your outings so that you can enjoy some nice cool air conditioning together.

6. Make Smoothies or Eat Frozen Fruit

My favourite smoothie is a bit of ice with frozen banana chunks, chilled oranges and frozen berries. If you are short on time, plain frozen fruit is great too! We especially love berries or diced mango as a cold, sweet treat.

7. Freeze Popsicles

There are so many amazing recipes out there these days so just google your choice of flavour and "popsicle" for a gazillion options to try.

8. Wet Your Hat

You don't have to get it soaking wet, but if you are outside why not dunk your hat in water. It keeps your head cool for a while and a little dribble of water down a hot neck can be so nice on a relentless summer day.

9. Use a Cold Cloth

My husband swears by the wet towel trick. That is, he puts a hand towel under running water then wears it on his neck like a scarf. The kids don't usually like to wear the towel for long but they will agree to a little wipe down which definitely helps them cool down for a bit.

10. Go on a Drive

When all else fails: get into the car, crank up the aircon and turn on your favourite music or audio story. Just sitting down facing a cool stream of air, knowing the kids are all safe in the back seats can be such a relief.

If you have an errand that is a bit further away than you'd usually like to drive, this may be the perfect time to get on it. Otherwise just do a few loops around the neighbourhood until everyone is cool enough to get out and brave the heat again...

What other tricks do you have to handle the hot weather? Do you sometimes find it challenging to stay patient and engaged with your kids during the hot summer like I do?

Check out some of our other top parenting tips to keep the kids happy and you sane on the Bobux blog today!