Sunny summer days can also mean sweltering heat, which makes for difficulty motivating kids (or yourself) to get outside.
Here are our top tips for staying cool—both indoors and out—this summer in the Susquehanna Valley.
H20 Know
Drink plenty of water. This may seem like common knowledge, but it is often overlooked. Drinking cool water can help keep your core temperature down, while giving your body the precious hydration it needs. In high temperatures you will inevitably sweat. This is your body’s way of regulating its internal temperature. As you lose water, it’s important to replenish your reserves. Keep guzzling the water to keep yourself in tip-top shape.
It is recommended to drink eight eight-ounce glasses of water a day, even more on sweaty summer days.
Cool Running
Running cold tap water over the soft inner flesh of your wrists, or splashing it on your neck, helps to quickly bring relief from extreme heat. Nausea and lightheadedness from heat could be combated with this trick; however, if symptoms persist, always seek medical help.
Neighborly Love
Have a water gun fight. An oldie but a goodie. For under twenty dollars you can pick up a couple of water-guns for the kids. Talk with neighbors about organizing a date for all of the kids in the neighborhood to play together.
They can split up into teams and keep themselves busy while getting some good old fashioned exercise. Substitute water balloons for a cheap day of play.
Shady Snacks
Take a picnic to a local park with woods or shaded picnic tables. Have the kids make their own sandwiches, snacks, and drinks, pack it up, and walk or bike to the nearest park. The kids will feel responsible making their own food, and will enjoy it all the more. Don’t forget a blanket to sit on, napkins, and silverware.
Cool Eats
Make homemade ice cream with friends or family using fresh local fruits like raspberries in season now.
Pick your own seasonal fruits at places like Cherry Hill Orchards in Lancaster, Strites Orchard in the Harrisburg area, or Brown’s Orchards in York.
Visit www.pickyourown.org/PAcentral to find more resources and what’s ripe now.
Visit www.pinterest.com/SusquehannaStyl for some of our favorite ice cream recipes.
Splish Splash
Take a classic game like tic tac toe or hopscotch and use large car sponges soaked in buckets of cold water to throw and splash players when they land. Keeping kids cool and moving!
Visit www.pinterest.com/SusquehannaStyl to see these ideas and more.
Frozen Fun
Make grown up popsicles by freezing your favorite beverages like coffee with your favorite flavors (Kahlua anyone?).
Or have happy hour on a stick with your favorite boozy bevies, frozen!
And don’t forget pup pops for your four-legged friends!
Simply dip dog bones into a plastic cups filled with a mixture of greek yogurt and bananas, peanut butter, whatever your pooch prefers. Your dog will be the coolest on the block enjoying these
frozen treats.
Find these and more cool ideas at www.pinterest.com/SusquehannaStyl.
