How the heat affects children as they learn, play and do sport, and how parents can help

by Stacey Cowe, Caroline Sunderland, Simon Cooper, The Conversation

edited by Gaby Clark, reviewed by Andrew Zinin

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Schools in the UK are closing as temperatures soar. If you're a parent, you might be wondering what effect the heat has on your child. If they're at school, will they be able to learn properly? If they're at home, should they be playing or attending their normal clubs? How can you help keep them cool?

Understanding how high temperatures influence not only physical health, but also thinking and learning, is critical.

Our research group investigates how heat influences the body and brain, and how targeted interventions can improve performance and safety. We study how heat affects cognitive and exercise performance, as well as mitigation strategies to improve cognitive and exercise performance in the heat, and how exercise influences young people's learning.

You have probably noticed that, on very hot days, it is harder to concentrate and stay motivated.

The heat can slow our ability to process information and make quick, accurate decisions, and it tends to make us feel more tired, distracted and irritable. Together, these changes mean our cognitive function is reduced. We don't think, remember and focus as well as we normally would.

Research suggests that these high levels of exhaustion, irritability and thermal discomfort that come from being hot pose a particular risk to children's learning and cognitive ability.

Children's thermoregulatory systems are still developing, so they may struggle more than adults to manage the heat. On top of this, children often don't drink enough fluids to replace the sweat they lose, putting them at greater risk during hot weather.

Children also tend to spend more time outdoors playing, running around and generating more body heat. This adds to the heat strain already experienced in hot weather, making it harder for them to focus and learn.

With children spending more time outdoors and having less developed cooling systems, children's cognitive function is affected by the heat more noticeably and more quickly than adults'.

Social and sporting activities

Another important consideration is how the heat affects day-to-day school activities that are essential to children's physical and social development, such as after-school clubs.

Previous research shows that exercising in a hot environment, particularly in team sports, leads to declines in performance because of increased core and muscle temperatures.

Because children are more vulnerable to heat-related strain, it can be safer for them to sit out activities when temperatures become very high. However, cooling strategies can also help counteract the negative effects of the heat on both cognitive and exercise performance.

Simple methods such as providing cold and icy drinks and fans are effective at lowering body temperature, heart rate and negative subjective feelings toward the heat, such as feeling uncomfortable because you're too hot. These methods can be simple yet practical tools to help manage children's exposure to the heat, keeping them safe and more comfortable.

You can also choose lightweight, more breathable clothing for your children when it is hot to help keep their skin temperature down. Encourage fluid intake with electrolytes to maintain hydration, and prompt them to take breaks inside or in shaded areas to minimize heat exposure.

Alongside these practical cooling strategies and easily implemented changes to their day, it is important for parents to keep an eye out for signs of heat stress. These can include changes in mood, headaches or unusual tiredness, which often point to early signs that the heat is becoming unmanageable.

Spotting this early will help parents step in with cool air, rest or shade and help their children be more comfortable and safer in the heat.

Key medical concepts

Cognitive functionHeat Stress DisordersthermoregulationHyperthermia

Clinical categories

PediatricsChildren's healthHealthy livingFitness & Physical activity Provided by The Conversation Who's behind this story?

Gaby Clark

MA in English, copy editor since 2021 with experience in higher education and health content. Dedicated to trustworthy science news. Full profile →

Andrew Zinin

Master's in physics with research experience. Long-time science news enthusiast. Plays key role in Science X's editorial success. Full profile →

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Citation: How the heat affects children as they learn, play and do sport, and how parents can help (2026, June 25) retrieved 25 June 2026 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-affects-children-play-sport-parents.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.