How do your kids handle really hot summer days? Do they want to stay indoors, enjoying the air conditioning and spending all their time playing with electronics? Or if you don’t have air conditioning, do they just sit around doing nothing because it’s too hot?
Help your children use the hot weather as a positive inducement to have fun. Fun and physical comfort don’t require air conditioning, electronic games or computers. It just takes some old-fashioning approaches to enjoying the “good old summertime” that you just might enjoy doing with the kids.
Related read: Summer is Here: How are Heat Exhaustion and Heatstroke Different?
Make Your Own Icy Treats
There is nothing like a cold and delicious treat on a steaming hot day, but if you’re like most parents, you may worry about what your kids put into their bodies. Many of the frozen treats you buy in stores have more chemicals than real ingredients. But making your own cool, healthy treats is easy to do. Cut fruits like pineapple, peaches, apples and berries into small pieces. Skewer a piece of fruit on a wood stick and place one in each section of an ice cube tray. Pour your favorite fruit juice, flavored seltzer or other liquid over the top and freeze until set.
Travel to Water
If you want your kids to stay cool and have fun, plan a trip to some water. Among kids’ top choices are water parks. By the time you go down all the slides and thrill rides and splash in the pools, you’ll feel cooler than ever before. You can also check your city and surrounding cities for community pools. Many cities sell family passes that let your family stop by every day during the summer. Or head to a local lake or state park with a beach and enjoy swimming the natural way.
Play Under the Sprinkler
Every kid likes to play under a lawn sprinkler. Sprinklers that look like cartoon characters are available, but we doubt they’re more fun than the strictly functional item you probably have in your garage. And if you don’t own a real sprinkler, you can make a play-worthy one for a fraction of the price. All you need is a sharp knife or a pair or scissors and a two-liter plastic soda bottle. Rinse the bottle clean and poke small and large holes around the sides. Stick the end of your garden hose into the bottle, secure it in place with duct tape, and turn the water on high.
Plan a Water Fight
Kids also love water fights. Have the children invite their friends over, and give each an inexpensive water gun. Or you can also pick up a package of balloons to make water bombs that you fill at the sink or the outdoor spigot. This is a particularly fun activity for days when the temperature rises and no one wants to stay inside.
Staying cool this summer is easy. You and your kids can beat summer heat and have plenty of fun while you do it.
Related read: Will Your A/C Make it Through the Summer?
After you’re done having fun on a hot summer’s day, you still have to come indoors, where air conditioning can make your home a lot more comfortable. Home Comfort Experts is a family run company that specializes in providing expert HVAC service and maintenance throughout northern Indiana and southwestern Michigan. Our goal is to provide comfort with a 100 percent guarantee of satisfaction. We’re headquartered in Mishawaka and Fort Wayne, Indiana, and you can reach us through our website.