Best Items for Keeping Cool This Summer

So hot in ‘ere!

Over the years, we’ve amassed a list of our favorite products for battling the summertime heat. These include items for keeping cool in car seats, strollers, and at home; also: breathable baby carriers, sippy cups and other hot weather must-haves. Enjoy!

• Nursery Items
• Baby Carriers
• Car Seat/Stroller Accessories
• Cooling Garment
• Insulated Cups

Best Summer Baby Accessories

HALO Cotton Muslin Sleepsack ~ $43

For hot summer nights, a lightweight wearable blanket (or swaddle) is a must for little ones who still need something to cover them. 100% cotton muslin fabric is breathable and very lightweight.

Lasko Wind Bladeless Curve Tower Fan ~ $81

If your nursery doesn’t have an overhead fan, we recommend this blade-less tower fan.

Safe for little fingers, an oscillating fan is also great because it circulates air without concentrating it in one spot. We also love that it helps with air quality. Remote included.

*Note this is just a fan, not an air conditioner.

Best Baby Carriers for Hot Weather

Just because it’s hotter than h*ll outside, doesn’t mean you should stop babywearing. Here are the carriers we love for summer —

Ergobaby Cool Air Mesh Carriers ~$199 +

For babywearing in a warm/hot climate, I highly recommend Ergobaby Cool Air Mesh technology. Available in these lines:

• Omni 360 Mesh (~$179): the regular Omni 360, but in mesh fabrics
• Omni Breeze (~$199): Made with diamond-shaped mesh, it also has foam cut outs in the waistbelt and lumbar support for max breathability.

Both carriers offer all four carry positions (inward, outward, hip and back carry) and grow from newborn to toddler. In essence, the Breeze version is specifically designed for cooling, while the Omni 360 Mesh is simply the regular 360 available in a mesh fabric, and is $20 cheaper. 

*Read more about why we love Ergobaby carriers.

Lillebaby Complete All Seasons ~$99

Get more bang for your buck with the Lillebaby All Seasons carrier. In hot weather, zip down the front flap to allow air through the meshy back area. In the wintertime, zip it back up to keep baby warm in cold weather.

For year-round warm climates, check out Lillebaby’s new line of Airflow carriers ($74), which features even mo’ mesh. Options, people!!

Beachfront Baby Wrap ~ $55

This super light and stretchy infant wrap is made of performance athletic mesh, which is extremely breathable, lightweight and fast-drying – you can even babywear in the water. These are SO cool, I wish I knew about them when my littles were little!!

It’s also great for moms with older kid(s) who need an extra hand in the water. Perfect for everyday use as well. Comes in wrap and ring sling versions.

How to Keep Baby Cool in a Car Seat

The interior of a car can get up to 170° on a hot day, which leaves every surface as hot as lava. The darker your car seats, the hotter they will get. Here are some tools for keeping your little ones cool(er) in the car and stroller.

The fact is that rear-facing car seats are inherently hotter than forward-facing seats because they get no direction ventilation (unless you have vents in your ceiling, as some of the larger vehicles do). Here are some of our fave products for keeping those car seats cool in the summertime.

The Noggle Air Conditioner Extender ~ $63

These funny-looking air hoses are called Noggles and parents swear by them. They deliver air to anywhere in your car, especially to rear-facing kiddos who don’t get direct ventilation. Works with a/c in the summer and heat in the winter, huzzah! Great for older cars that don’t have back seat vents.

Manito Auxillary Car Seat Shade ~ $31

*currently unavailable

Even the best car seats lack adequate sun coverage, which is why the Manito sun shade is a key addition for sunny, warm-weather months, especially for convertible seats that lack a shade.

The adjustable straps securely wrap around the car seat, and the stretchy fabric (complete with UPF 50+) allows you to easily maneuver the canopy down as far as needed to keep your child protected from the sun. It’s a bit floppy, but it’s the best option from the available car seat shades out there and seems to work for most car seats.

Car Seat Sun Canopy ~ $26

Don’t let the sun get between your kiddo and a much-needed car nap (right??).

This car seat shade spans the front and back headrests to provide shade while still maintaining some ventilation out the side. It has an extra tie to secure it to the handle above the passenger door. This Etsy product is made of 100% cotton, it blocks UV rays, and works in nearly any vehicle.

Muslin Car Seat Cover ~$15+

For infant car seats: muslin car seat covers are airy, breathable, and keep direct sun out of baby’s eyes. There are so many out there, it’s hard to pick just one. Check out the many options that are available at various price points.

Car Sunshades by Enovoe ~$15 (4-pack)

These window clings keep direct sun out of eyes, keep the temperature down and protect from UV rays. They are the highest-rated shades on the market and use static to stick to your window without leaving residue.

Cool Carats Car Seat Cooler with COOLTECH ~$39

Typical car seats have a solid back surface or a cushion with material that isn’t vented, and — especially in super hot states — can make for a very uncomfortable ride for babies. Enter Cool Carats Car Seat Cooler.

This is a self insulated baby car seat cooler made with COOLTECH technology. Simply fold the cooler flat and keep it in the freezer over night. Once frozen, place on your empty car seat before you leave. It takes about 10 minutes to cool down a hot car seat and buckles. Once cool, remove the cooler and place baby in the car seat for a much more comfortable ride.

How to Keep Baby Cool in the Stroller

Jolly Jumper Stroller Sunshade ~$24

Strollers come with a built-in canopy, but most of them don’t cover your entire kiddo. We like the Jolly Jumper sunshade because it fits most strollers, play yards and protects against UV rays. Keeps bugs out too!

Diono Stroller Clip-On Fan ~$13

Keep your child cool while on the go with this highly-rated stroller clip on fan.

Cooling Garments

Cooling Towel by Ergodyne ~$7

More tools for keeping cool: the best-selling Cooling Towel by Ergodyne. All you need to do is wet it (run it under the tap for one minute), and you can re-use it throughout the day. Bring this one out on a scorcher in August — you won’t regret it.

Insulated Cups and Bottles

Polar Bottle Kids Insulated Bottle ~$12

This affordable plastic bottle uses special insulated foil to keep liquids cold. Unlike heavy stainless steel water bottles, this one’s easy for little ones to drink from, and the opening is large enough to fit ice. We have three and use them almost daily.

Thermos Funtainer 12 oz ~$17

Drinking lukewarm water in the heat is no fun. The Thermos Funtainer is highly-rated and for good reason — it’s vacuum insulated for up to 12 hours (for cooling only).

Hydro Flask Insulated Water Bottle ~$46+

Another very highly-rated insulated bottle (but for triple the cost), is the Hydro Flask. It keeps drinks cold for up to 24 hours AND it keeps drinks hot for up to 6 hours.

Green Sprouts Water Bottle Adapter ~$4

Should you ever find yourself out of the house without a sippy, this water bottle adapter may come in handy. At this price, you can throw one in your car and one in your diaper bag for hydration emergencies.

That is all — enjoy!!