Beat the heat: There are many water activities to help you cool off this summer
Caleb Eyre, 3, slides down a slip 'n' slide while Jaggyr Roundy, 7, Ella Roundy, 5, and Grace Eyre, 5, wait for their turn. Slides and wading pools are a great way to cool off in the summer heat while staying close to home. Keshley Roundy/Utah Adventurer
Grace Eyre, 5, slides down a slip 'n' slide. Slides and wading pools are a great way to cool off in the summer heat while staying close to home. Keshley Roundy/Utah Adventurer
Caleb Eyre, 3, pauses after sliding down a slip 'n' slide. Slides and wading pools are a great way to cool off in the summer heat while staying close to home. Keshley Roundy/Utah Adventurer
Grace Eyre, 5, slides down a slip 'n' slide. Slides and wading pools are a great way to cool off in the summer heat while staying close to home. Keshley Roundy/Utah Adventurer
It’s mid-July and most of that rain should be behind us. It’s generally the hottest time of the year, and that means it’s time to cool off in the water.
While we do live in a desert, Utah offers plenty of ways to splash — big or small. Slather on plenty of sunscreen, keep a constant watch on children and use proper-fitting floatation devices where necessary.
Here, we’ll go from close and easy, to more extravagant.
Right in my backyard
Pull out the hose and fill up the plastic pool, spread out the Slip ‘N’ Slide, or turn on the sprinkler and turn your back lawn into your own private water park. Treat the Slip ‘N’ Slide like a stage and applaud everyone’s “performance” as they slide across the plastic. Set up an obstacle course with pool toys, lawn chairs, baby pools and sprinklers, and let the games begin!
This is a great way to for kids to play with friends without messing up the house or driving Mom batty.
You’re as cold as ice
Your favorite snow-sledding hill doesn’t have to be neglected all summer.
Ice blocking down a hill is a fun activity for older children and teens. If you’ve never been before, here’s what you’ll need:
• Small towel, like a dish or hand towel
• Blocks of ice, available at grocery and convenience stores
• A hill
• Lots of guts
Take the block of ice out of the bag. Cover the top of the ice with the towel. The ice is your “sled,” with the towel keeping you from getting wet. Slide down the hill on the ice. How long can you stay on?
Cannonball!
Ever since the suburbs were created, children have been flocking to the local swimming pool. Of course, now pools aren’t just a “cement pond” but a summer oasis with splash pads, slides, fountains, even waves.
As a group, choreograph a synchronized swimming routine, dive for toys at the bottom of the pool, play tag or Marco Polo, or practice diving. Bring snacks and reapply the sunscreen after a few hours to ensure that the fun keeps rolling.
Slide on
While the previously mentioned options are great fun, a visit to a water park is a great part of summer.
Here are some available water parks:
• Seven Peaks: Practically as synonymous with Provo as BYU or Republicans, Seven Peaks Waterpark has slides for adrenaline junkies and young swimmers alike. Sporting a wave pool, kids area and a variety of water slides, Seven Peaks is all-day summer fun. www.sevenpeaks.com
• Cowabunga Bay: Your kids have probably pointed this water park out every time you headed north into Salt Lake City. A spaghetti bowl of slides, plus a kids area and more make up this water park in its second year of operation in Draper. www.cowabungabay.com
• Cherry Hill: Located in Kaysville, just north of Lagoon, this water park has slides and pools. Also on the premises are miniature golf and batting cages. www.cherry-hill.com
Lazy river
While spring runoff has been an issue this spring, August is a great time to float down the Provo River. You’ll see entry points up Provo Canyon, or hire a professional company to take you down on a tour.
High Country Adventures offers tube rentals and tour guides. Visit its website at www.highcountryrafting.com. Enjoy the beauty of the canyon while you float down the river.