Keeping Your Cool
We need a healthy balance of fun to function at an optimal level. And we certainly cannot function optimally when we are overheating! Read on for a rundown of our favorite fun ways to beat the heat at home and stay healthy this month!
OUTDOORS
Water Balloon Piñatas
Kick off a new summertime memory with a fun spin on an old party favorite – fill water balloons and string them up like piñatas. Let your young family members (or the young at heart) go wild as they whack them down – at their own splashing risk! Since you can’t quite squeeze a treat in the balloon like you would a traditional piñata, try serving up your choice of healthy homemade frozen fruit popsicles after – one of our favorite combos is equal parts mango, strawberry and banana!
Frozen T-Shirt Relay
This race is sure to cover your skin in goosebumps – which is welcomed on a sweltering day! Prep T-shirts (or any clothes for that matter) by wetting them, wrapping them with waxed paper, and popping them in the freezer until they are stiff. Divvy them up to players; the first to fully don their frozen outfit wins! You select the fun or tasty prize! For a variation or for larger groups, try forming teams; the first team to be fully clothed in their frozen getup takes the cake!
Splash Jump Rope Contest for All Ages
Hand out a full plastic cup of hose water to all contestants (minimum of three players needed to play this game). Using a long jump rope held between two players, the jumper’s goal is to complete 10 jumps (or you select the number) while holding onto the cup. The player who accomplishes this with the most water remaining wins; though you’d have to be a magician to have a full cup at the end!
Duck, Duck…Splash!
This might sound like a tot’s game but is better suited for older participants. Like in the traditional kid’s romp, the player who has been chosen as the “goose” circles the group but this time, with a cup of chilly water. To select the next “goose,” this player must splash water on that person and will then bolt for their reentrance into the seated circle. Feel free to customize the rules as you’d like!
Kid Pool Kickball
Create a diamond-shaped kickball field from heavy-duty plastic sheeting and set up four inexpensive kid pools as the bases – the cheaper the pool, the better, because they might rip in the mayhem. Then, play ball. To make it to each base, players will need to run and slide into each pool. You set the other rules!
Hose Limbo
As temperatures soar, how low can you drop? Grab the hose and challenge anyone willing to take you on in a watery limbo contest! The goal is to dip below the stream without breaking the flow of the water.
INDOORS
Cool Down Your Pulse Points
For a quick cooldown, target your major pulse points that radiate heat. Place an ice pack, hot-water bottle (filled and placed in the freezer), or homemade cold compress on your wrists, neck (front and back), elbows, ankles and behind your knees. To make your own cold compress, fill a sock with rice, tie the top, and pop it in the freezer for at least one hour before use. It should stay cool for roughly 30 minutes. You can also try an ice bath for your feet and ankles.
Turn Back the Hands of Your…Fan
Adjust your ceiling fan to rotate counterclockwise to pull hot air up and out of your room.
Try a Cool, New Salad Recipe
Eating light is another method we might overlook when trying to keep cool during the hot months. Salads are easier to digest, will prevent a sluggish feeling, and can help keep us hydrated in the heat. One of our favorite sources for salad inspiration is SkinnyTaste.com – check out the Baja Steak Salad recipe!
FOR FURRY FAMILY MEMBERS
Easy, Inexpensive Frozen Treat and Toy Surprise
Grab an empty milk jug; wash it out; remove the top half to make a block shape; and fill it with a combo of unsalted chicken broth and kibble, a few treats or a favorite toy. Pop it in the freezer for at least an hour and bring it out for a fun activity to help your furry friend cool down in the shade as they lick their way to the center!
DIY Frozen Pup Treats
Try making a fast batch of homemade frozen pup treats for your furry friend – blend and freeze in any mold ¼ cup of each of the following: water, unsalted chicken broth and blueberries with ½ cup apple.
Frozen Kong Toy Treat
Mash and combine half a banana with ¼ cup of each: pumpkin puree and dry dog food. Plop the mix into the center of your pooch’s favorite Kong chewy toy, smearing a little on the outside for enticement! Toss the toy in the freezer for at least an hour for a chilly treat they can work on later to keep cool!
Sources:
“21 Best Water Activities for Kids to Beat the Heat at Home,” Christin Perry, parents.com, May 6, 2021.
“Fun Summer Activities for Dogs to Beat the Heat,” missmollysays.com, July 28, 2019.
“11 Fun Ways to Beat the Heat,” invitationhomes.com/blog, August 12, 2015.
“20 Fun Ways to Beat the Heat,” foreo.com, August 19, 2020.
“10 Ways to Beat the Heat This Summer and Sleep Better,” restonic.com/blog, March 8, 2021.
“Beat the Heat With Cool Activity Ideas,” clubexperience.blog, June 5, 2019.