Last updated: February 2026.
How to keep baby cool in summer: why UK parents need this guide
UK summers these days see temperatures hit 32°C, and like many parents, I am frantic about keeping R comfortable in the heat. Air conditioning is rare in UK homes, but we still needed to get out during the day.
After 2025’s May heatwave, a balmy trip to Norway, and a 37°C holiday in Mallorca with a 6-month-old, August in Cape Cod and December in Florida, I’ve tested what actually works to keep babies cool in hot weather.
How to keep baby cool: quick checklist
Before the product recommendations, here are my essential tips:
At home:
- Room temperature should be 16-20°C (use GroEgg to monitor)
- 0.5 tog sleeping bag for hot weather
- Blackout blinds to keep sun out during day
- Fan pointing at wall (not directly at baby)
Outside in hot weather:
- UV pram cover with mesh panels for airflow
- Clip-on pram fan (battery-powered)
- UV sunhat with neck flap
- Avoid 11am-3pm when possible
Signs baby is too hot:
- Sweaty neck/back
- Red face
- Rapid breathing
- Fussy, uncomfortable
- Hot to touch on tummy
This guide covers 13 products that kept R comfortable in warm temperatures at home, travelling, and outside. These aren’t just products I bought – these are the ones I actually use repeatedly and would pack again.
1. Tommee Tippee Groegg2
The Tommee Tippee Groegg2 is our go-to temperature monitor at home and on holiday. It gives a colour-coded reading so you quickly know if the nursery, hotel room or wherever you’re staying is in the safe zone. I also love the handy night light, so I don’t need to turn on a proper light when feeding at night. This temperature monitor is a must for safety in my opinion as well as peace of mind. Some reviews say they aren’t sure how accurate it is but if you’re used to using it at home and know it’s in the right ballpark then I’d assume as long as you’re comparing like for like with the same GroEgg you’ll feel confident in what the temp is telling you and if your baby is cool enough.
2. Babymoov Aquani anti UV tent and paddling pool
The Babymoov popup tent is a sturdy, instant pop-up tent with UV protection that creates a shady spot for napping, playing, or nappy changes. In my eyes it’s perfect on the beach or in a garden, and can also double up as a refreshing paddling pool, a ball pit, or just as somewhere to pop the baby without them being able to escape if they are pre-walking. It is a little more expensive than ones you might see in Aldi or elsewhere on Amazon but I think you pay for the sturdiness and the built in mesh panels for air flow, having seen others in the flesh.
3. CoziGo or SnoozeShade pram cover
Like me, I’m sure you’d pay for leisurely, worry-free naps while on holiday and the CoziGo pram cover (or more fabricy SnoozeShade cover) creates a darker, UV-blocked environment while allowing safe airflow, so your baby can nap outdoors without overheating. It’s an amazing invention and I don’t know how you’d relax abroad in the sun with your infant if you didn’t take one with you – plus it doubles up as a good mosquito net. I particularly like the peekaboo flap which lets you check on your baby without completely exposing them to the sun. SnoozeShade also do other products like a cot cover, and the CoziGo doubles up as an amazing bassinet cover for use on long-haul flights.
4. Momcozy pram fan
4. Our Momcozy pram fan may be chunky but this clip on fan is a must have for us when travelling. With 4 settings including a ‘natural winsd’, it blows cool air (rather than circulates the warm air), comes in some nice colours and has 2 light functions on it. Just don’t forget a battery pack in your bag – while it’s got a decent battery life, I can tell you from experience that it’s frustrating when it runs out when you really need it!
5. Frogg Toggs instant cooling towel/pad
I’d heard that Frogg Toggs chilly cooling pads are good for baby wearing, and admittedly I haven’t tried this as I tend to avoid putting R in the carrier when it’s hot. But these cooling towels are great for putting in or on top of the baby in a pram or on their playmat when it’s a really warm day. They obviously won’t replace air con or shade, and you need to get them damp to be effective.
If you want to save money, I heard putting wipes in the fridge can be a good way to give your little one a quick cool down.
6. Jan & Jul cotton sunhats
These Jan & Jul cotton sunhats with neck flaps are great and I like that there’s a style for every baby, whether that’s a cute floppy hat, a wide brimmed baby sunhat, or the neck flap hat like the one I linked to above. If you want a swim-friendly hat, I recommend the JoJo Maman Bebe ones, and you can usually find them new with tags on Vinted too.
7. Child’s Farm sun cream
Ok, it’s a little obvious that you’ll need baby sun cream if your baby is 6+ months, but there’s a lot of confusion over whether you can use sun cream before then. I read that baby sun cream just isn’t tested on infants under 6 months old which is why it’s not recommended, but the consensus from what I’ve read is that it’s better to use sun cream then burn them. I always keep this Child’s Farm sun cream in our nappy bag just in case. It comes in multiple types: roll on, cream and spray. I’ve got the cream plus the roll on for R’s little but squirmy hands and face!
8. Baby sunglasses
These sunglasses are perfect for protecting R’s eyes from the bright sunshine. With a decent strap round the back of the head, they stayed on him and looked great!
9. Mori 0.5 tog sleeping bag
Mori’s sleeping bags may be pricey but I adore ours and we have a few in different togs. I feel they are worth the price tag because they are super soft and importantly long lasting, growing with your baby thanks to handy poppers. They last up to 2 years in size and I can vouch for that, having bought my nephew one 4 years ago and his little brother still using it years later! These are perfect for keeping your baby cool at night.
10. Ergobaby Omni360 baby carrier
If you’re going to use a baby carrier, opt for a mesh style one that aids air circulation. I’ve raved about our Ergobaby Omni360 and we have the cool air mesh one, which gives an added dose of reassurance when we have to use it in the warm weather.
11. Phillips Avent baby monitor
While not cooling the baby, I would struggle to relax during nap times in the heat if I couldn’t see R on our fab baby monitor. We put it, along with our camera stand, in our checked luggage on all our flights and it fits easily.
I have recommended the Phillips camera and monitor to a lot of friends, and it is brilliant in the middle of the night, preventing us having to get up and check on R many a time. It also plays a variety of sounds including white noise and shushing (although I never travel without our portable white noise machine which works well on the pram as well as in the bedroom), and has worked well to help R to self-soothe when he wakes up.
12. JoJo Maman Bebe UV suit
I’ve just ordered more of these sun suits in size 1-2 years after really rating them this year for swimming lessons and beach days. They are easy enough to put on, protective, and come in great patterns! There are plenty of other options on Amazon too, like these ones (just make sure you check the thickness of any you buy, as some on Amazon are more wetsuit like and if it’s like the Splash About one I had, it was too thick).
13. Ice-cold cooling toys
If you’re taking toys with you on a warm weather holiday, then it’s a good idea to pack one you can pop in the fridge. This means it can double up as another way to keep your baby cool. I have a few that I rotate, such as this Infatot mitt which R loves (and it’s freezer safe) or these fun Nuby ‘IcyBite’ keys. I also am a big fan of the Matchstick Monkey range which can go in the fridge too.
Not a cool-down essential, but on the same theme, I really rated this pool float that we took to Mallorca for R. It comes in two sizes and was suggested by our swimming instructor at home as something that will help remind him to kick his legs due to the tilt, which the up front ones don’t really do.
Travelling with a baby in hot weather can quickly turn into a sweaty scramble. Whether you’re worrying about sunburn, overheating in a pram, or finding a shaded spot to sit in, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when trying to keep your baby cool.In this guide, I share my baby travel essentials for summer heat, so you too can keep your infant cool, comfortable and safe. I hope you’ve found these tips useful, but let me know what other hot weather essentials I’m missing before I go on our next hot trip.
Finally – one extra tip from me – when we’re at home we remove those ‘what to dress the baby in’ worries when we have those annual heatwaves thanks to this portable aircon unit. It’s surprisingly cheap and way better than a Dyson or similar fan (but I imagine you’re paying more in energy – but for only a few weeks a year I don’t think it matters).
P.S. if you’re new here, take a peek at who we are and what we’re up to. You may also like this checklist on what to pack when travelling with a baby.
See you soon!
Allie, Jack and R x
How to keep baby cool: FAQs
Check the back of baby’s neck or tummy – if sweaty or very warm, they’re too hot. Other signs: flushed cheeks, rapid breathing, fussiness. Remove a layer and offer water if 6+ months.
Yes, but never point directly at baby. Point fan at wall so air circulates. Pram fans are designed for babies and safe to use. Battery-powered pram fans (like Momcozy) work well for outdoor use.
One layer less than you’d wear. In 25°C+: vest and shorts, or just nappy at home. For sleep: 0.5 tog sleeping bag with just vest underneath. Check baby isn’t sweaty on back/neck.
Yes, but avoid 11am-3pm when sun is strongest. Use UV pram cover, fan, keep in shade, offer regular feeds. Watch for overheating signs. We took R out in 37°C in Mallorca with proper precautions.
0.5 tog for UK summer or hot countries. If very hot (25°C+ in bedroom), just vest under sleeping bag or even just nappy. We use Mori 0.5 tog.
This post contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
