As a parent, it can be a real challenge to keep your kiddos cool and entertained during hot weather. But, one mom in Northeast Portland turned her toddler’s love of playing with water to her advantage this past weekend when she set her daughter up with a hose in a part of the garden that needed to be watered. 

“Hazel regularly helps me water our vegetable garden,” said Bonny, a program specialist with the Water Bureau. “But, this was really a win-win situation since it kept her entertained for quite a while, and it gave the garden bed surrounding our patio a much needed soak.”

The Portland metro area is set to see more sizzling temperatures over the coming weekend and into next week. This means that many Portlanders will spend at least some of their time outdoors tending to lawns, gardens, and landscapes.

Here are 10 ways to help you beat the heat and use water efficiently outdoors.