What to Do with Kids Around the Newcastle Region When It’s HOT

When the mercury soars, it can be a challenge to beat the heat. Here are some tips on keeping kids cool in a heatwave in the Newcastle, Lake Macquarie & Hunter region as well as places to escape the heat when it gets unbearable.

Go for a swim

Check out your local pool when the mercury starts to soar. Plan your day around the heat though– avoid being outdoors between 11am and 5pm. Stockton, Mayfield, Wallsend, Beresfield and Lambton pools are available in the Newcastle area.

You can’t beat Lambton Pool though with its aquatic playground (check opening hours for playground). Don’t forget about the shaded toddler pool and the learner pool and of course the giant waterslide.

There’s also a giant bucket at Maitland Pool‘s aquatic playground.  In addition to the playground, they feature the usual pool amenities such as shaded baby pool, café and picnic areas. Also nearby is the East Maitland pool. In Lake Macquarie, there are six pools in which to cool off – Charlestown Pool (which has a splash pad), Morisset, Speers Point, Swansea, Toronto and West Wallsend.

You can also head to the beach before the temperature starts to climb too much. We’ve put together a list of 15 best beaches and ocean baths for families in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie. There are lots of great places to go for a swim.

For beach fun with little ones, check out the Canoe Pool at Newcastle Beach. The water isn’t too deep and the sand is perfect for erecting sandcastles. Just don’t forget a sun shelter to get some shade and make sure that the sand isn’t too hot.

Bigger kids can splash around in the Newcastle Ocean Baths (currently closed due to renovation).

Merewether Ocean Baths are also a great choice in the summer months.  It also has a shallower sandy area protected by rocks from the ocean on the side of the baths, which is suitable for younger kids.

In Lake Macquarie, take kids to Grannies’ Pool. It’s a swimming lagoon near Blacksmiths Beach in Lake Macquarie. Facing the Swansea Channel, this shallow tidal pool is perfect for the preschooler set to splash around. As it’s a tidal pool, the depth varies so don’t go at low tide.

Older kids will love splashing around in Belmont Baths. The swimming enclosure consists of a shark-netted swimming area 70m long and 45m wide along with a 70-metre jetty that’s fun to jump off. There’s plenty of room for everyone including those with inflatables.

If you can’t be bothered to drag the kids and all the required paraphernalia to a pool, make your own aquatic fun at home.

There are lots of fun water activities you can enjoy at home including running through a sprinkler, water balloons, water gun fights, water spraypainting and more. In our article, 25 Water Play Activities To Do With Kids All Summer Long, we’ve included a range of activities suitable for all ages of kids from babies and toddlers to teens.

Just don’t forget the usual sun smart rules of Slip, Slop and Slap and avoid being outdoors between 11am and 5pm or during periods of extreme heat. Also, abide by COVID Safe rules and keep a towel-length distance apart from other groups.

Stay cool inside

On days when it’s really hot, keep your house cool by keeping curtains or blinds closed to keep out heat.  Hopefully, you might have one or two rooms that are cooler or in which you can run a fan (cheaper for electricity bill) or air conditioning. Keep kids occupied with indoor activities such as movie marathons, video games, boardgames, craft, etc

When you need a break from the heat, go enjoy someone else’s air conditioning. Libraries are great places for some free cold air. Each City of Newcastle library is a designated “community cool spot”, which residents can visit for free to cool down. You and the kids can cool down plus get some books, magazines, CDs or DVDs. Lake Mac Libraries are also cool spots so visit them if there’s a branch close to you.

In the Hunter Valley area, visit one of the Maitland City Council library branches such as Maitland Library, East Maitland Library, Rutherford Library or Thornton Library. Cessnock & Kurri Kurri libraries are also designated community cool spots so visit them to escape the heat.

Also, check out museums and galleries such as the Newcastle Museum, Newcastle Art Gallery (currently closed for renovation), Museum of Art and Culture and Maitland Regional Art Gallery. The kids will enjoy themselves and they might even learn something.

If you don’t mind paying, indoor play centres like EMF jnr at Westfield Kotara, Kids World Playland in Maitland and Chameleon Play Cafe in Cessnock can be a godsend in the heat.

Don’t forget about a chilled movie theatre. For those with babies, enjoy a session of Spit the Dummy at Reading Cinemas Charlestown or Bring Your Baby at Event Cinemas at Glendale and Kotara during the week. For older kids, there are usually kids movies screening at the cinemas. 

When all else fails, just grab your kids and go to Charlestown Square, Westfield Kotara, Stockland Greenhills or another indoor shopping centre and enjoy the air-conditioned surrounds.

Get out of the heat and have some fun at Strike Bowling and Holey Moley at Charlestown Square. Challenge your friends or family to a game of bowling or 18 holes of mini-golf in the coolest mini-golf course in Newcastle. Head to Dullboys in Warners Bay or Rutherford for bowling and arcade games.

A top place to go in a heatwave is the Hunter Ice Skating Stadium in Warners Bay. You can cool down and try iceskating. Skate hire is included in the price.

Drink lots of water & and eat cool food

Stay hydrated – make sure your family drinks lots of water to ensure that you don’t get dehydrated. Frozen bottles of water are also essential. Keep a few in the freezer. Not only are they great in coolers to keep everything cold, the frigid water is lovely when it starts to melt.

Beat the heat with some cool food. Keep containers of washed fruit and veggies in the fridge such as strawberries, blueberries, grapes, watermelon, cucumbers and baby carrots. If you chill them in the freezer for 30 minutes before eating, that’s sure to cool kids down.

Keep the cool theme going for lunch and dinner. Cucumber sandwiches are always refreshing especially with a cold pasta or garden salad. Finish with some yoghurt or a smoothie for dessert.

For treats, have homemade ice blocks ready in the freezer. Décor makes Lickety-Sips which is a great ice block mould that kids can eat lick or sip using a built-in straw. You can use a variety of liquids such as fruit juice, cordial, milk or yoghurt to create delicious and fun treats.

Dress cool

When it’s hot, clothe kids appropriately. Choose loose, lightweight clothing such as cotton or strip down. Keep yourself and kids hydrated. Children can be especially prone to dehydration so it’s important to keep up their intake of liquids especially water. Keep a water jug in the fridge to make it easy to top up liquids.

The heat does make everyone lethargic so an afternoon nap may be necessary. Cool yourself off with wet towels or cool packs on your arms or neck or soak your feet in cool water. Kids may find it difficult to settle so try giving them a bath to cool them down. Otherwise, give them a cold or frozen facecloth to cuddle or give them a spritz from a spray bottle of water stored in the fridge.

Don’t forget about your pets as well. Make sure they have shade and stay hydrated.

Watch for heat-related illnesses

Signs of heat-related illness include nausea, vomiting, faintness and dizziness, loss of appetite, weakness, headaches, loss of sweating and reduced urine output. If you feel unwell, seek medical advice from your doctor or nearest hospital. Check on elderly family members, friends and neighbours to ensure that they are managing in the heat.

For more information, visit the NSW Health website for information about staying healthy in the heat. If you’re not sure if your or your kids are drinking enough water, check out the NSW Health urine colour chart!

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