Here at SnoozeShade we're not sure when we're going to feel comfortable classing our recent weather as 'summer'- but for now it's a heatwave, and so this week we're looking at ways to cope. We asked our lovely community for their top tips, and we've got some great brands for you to check out too.

Read on to find out our top tips for coping in a heatwave...

Sun protection!

It goes without saying that sun protection is of utmost importance throughout the summer months, and especially during a heatwave. Please, please, make this a vital part of your daily routine. Read this post for more information on SnoozeShade and sun safety,  , this post for information on easy ways to protect kids from the sun, and this post for information on blankets over prams. Please do get in touch if you have any questions at all.

Stay hydrated

More than anything during a heatwave, staying hydrated is so important. Beth at Twinderelmo  has been treating her kids to frozen squeeze yogurts, and Amy at The Smallest of Things says she makes her own iced lollies so the knows exactly what goes into them. We love this idea, and recommend using a Fill n Squeeze kit to make your own healthy fruit smoothies to take out and about with you to cool little ones when you need to.

Make sure your little ones are drinking enough water too. We love Babycup for tiny hands, and these super cute water bottles from Tum Tum for older kids. Younger babies should be offered frequent feeds throughout the day- and if you're breastfeeding and you have time, you can take Abi's advice to make a breastmilk lolly as a special treat!

Freeze!

Re-usable ice cubes are your friend! Thanks to Victoria at Mummy to My Little Cheeky Monkey and thanks to the Gummee Glove for being the first handy teething mitten with removable teething ring that you can pop into the freezer to soothe sore gums. Genius! Pippa at Red Rose Mummy  says she always pops a few ice cubes in some water and leaves them infront of a fan to help cool the air down too.

Water play!

Water play is an excellent way to cool little ones during a heatwave. Make sure you find as much shade as you can, and re-apply sunscreen frequently too. Petra at A Mum Reviews recommends a good old paddling pool to keep little ones cool, and Chelle says she likes to treat the kids to an alfresco bath time when it's too hot inside. We love that idea! If space is an issue for you, you might find Katy's tips useful:  "We don't have garden so we use the bathroom sink as a toy paddling pool and wash our faces lots throughout the day."

Tips to cool down

Despite all the best intentions, we can all get a little hot and bothered during a heatwave. Carrie at Flying with Baby says she keeps a spray bottle of water to hand while she's out and about to spritz over faces when she needs to. Sophie at Soph Obsessed says she keeps the curtains drawn throughout the day to keep rooms cooler, while Vi at Dancing in my Wellies keeps windows open and strips baby down to nappy and vest when she needs to. For more tips on keeping little ones cool at bedtime, check our Maria's post here, Lastly, if you're worried about your little one we recommend a Pacif-i to keep an eye on baby's temperature safely and easily.

What are your top tips for coping in a heatwave?