10 Cool Summer Activities to Help Kids Beat the Heat

Are you looking for ways to help your kids stay cool this summer? Here are ten summer activities that will help you and your kids beat the summer heat!

Oftentimes in the summer, I find myself scrambling to find ways to beat the heat with my kids. The days can be long and hot. But, I don’t always want to pack them up for a trip to the water park.

So, how can my kiddos (and yours) stay cool close to home without spending a ton of money?

How do we beat the summer heat?

Beat the Heat with These Summer Activities

1. Go creek stomping

We grew up near a creek, and played in it all summer long. My parents enjoy taking the grandkids creek stomping {along with their dog, Jake}. Now that we leave near a creek again, my daughter has discovered the joy of creek stomping. It’s a great way to cool off on a hot summer afternoon.

2. Head to the pool

Our last neighborhood had a community pool. We loved being able to load up a cooler full of snacks before heading out to the pool for the day. More than that, we loved having a place our friends all wanted to hang, and we had them meet us at the pool at least once a week.

3. Buy a kiddie pool

When my sister came to visit one year, I bought a blow up pool for my nephew, a toddler at the time. One hot afternoon I peeked out to find not only him in the pool but four of the big kids that were at my house for the day. I cracked up seeing them packed in like sardines. But, they had found a way to beat the Texas heat!

4. Sprinkler

I don’t think I’ve ever met a kid who didn’t like running through the sprinkler. Kids just seem to gravitate toward a spray of cool water on a summer afternoon. We don’t have a fancy “kid” sprinkler – just an everyday, water-your-yard kind of sprinkler. But, it gets the job done!

5. Sprinkler under the trampoline

What’s even better than a sprinkler in the backyard? A sprinkler under the trampoline in the backyard. My daughter loves to put the sprinkler under the trampoline and jump. She says it loosens the springs and makes you jump higher. I’m not sure about that, but if it keeps her outside instead of in front of a screen I’m all for it!

6. Go tubing

For several years, my grandfather had a pontoon boat. My parents would take it out quite a bit in the summertime. My son loved getting on the tube and having Grandpa tow him around the lake. My daughter is a little more timid, and she preferred to sit in the tube and lounge. Either way, they both had a blast cooling down in the lake.

7. Water Balloon Fight

Oh my! This activity draws the kids of all ages. Even the teenagers will participate in a water balloon fight. Set some boundaries {no head shots or faces}, and turn the kids loose with a bucket of water balloons. Be prepared for squeals and screeches from boys and girls alike.

8. Splash Pad

If you’re lucky enough to live near a splash pad, that’s a great place to beat the summer heat. We enjoyed meeting friends at the one in our old town. We would pack a picnic lunch, let the kids play in the water, and then grab an ice cream cone before heading home. This is another activity that even my teens enjoyed.

9. Wash the Cars

My kids used to beg to wash the cars in the spring and summer. Not so much anymore with the teenaged, but my daughter still enjoys doing it. Splashing in the sudsy water. Feeling like a big helper. A little spray fest with the hose. Cooling off. Clean car. I call it a win-win situation!

10. Visit a Water Park

When we lived in TX, we were close to a couple of water parks. Often there were Groupons we could redeem for discount admission. We also had a few friends with season passes who took us with their buddy passes. If you can find a discount pass {or a friend who can take you for free} and pack a lunch, this is an inexpensive way to spend a hot summer day.

What is your favorite way to beat the summer heat? What are your child’s favorite summer activities?