6 Tips To Keep Children Cool During The Hot Summer Months

07/12/2018

During the hot summer months, Frost Valley YMCA is prepared to keep its campers cool and hydrated. The year-round camp and retreat center offers tips to help keep your children cool while playing outside this summer.

1.Keep Clothing Light – Wearing lightweight, breathable fabrics like cotton help keep children cooler. It’s also helpful to wear lighter color clothing like white, pastel pink, and pastel yellow, which absorb less heat.

2. Keep Hydrated – When the temperature heats up, children lose more fluids through perspiration. Drinking plenty of water is essential during the day, especially during the peak hours of 10 am – 4 pm when the sun is at its highest point in the sky. Scheduling frequent water breaks, particularly during times of high activity like playing games outside is crucial. By the time a child notices they are thirsty, they are already dehydrated.

3. Refrigerate Your Lotions – To get a little added relief from the heat, try keeping your child’s lotion and sunblock in the fridge. As a bonus, it may aid your child in effectively using sunblock since they will be able to feel which spots they missed. Be sure to check your manufacturer’s labels for correct usage.

4. Take a Dip – Pools and lakes are a great way to keep children cool in the summer months. If you don’t have a pool or lake available there are plenty of fun, outdoor water games like Drip, Drip, Drop (a modified version of Duck, Duck, Goose, using a wet sponge that is dripped or dropped/wrung over the head) that will cool them down.

5. Sit in the Shade – Since heat rises, sitting down especially in the shade will keep children cooler. It also allows their bodies time to rest from strenuous activity like running around and it’s a great opportunity to have them drink some water.

6. Offer Replenishing, Healthy Snacks – Healthy snacks like fruit and vegetables can keep children cooler. That’s because fruit like watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries, and grapefruit, and vegetables like iceberg lettuce, baby carrots, cucumbers, and broccoli have a high water content, which can add to a child’s daily water intake. Frozen treats like ice pops can be made with healthy ingredients to cool kids down without skyrocketing their sugar intake.

“Frost Valley is always mindful of keeping our day-campers cool and preventing dehydration,” says Jessie Emmons, Director of Community Programs for Frost Valley YMCA. “The campers take numerous water breaks during the day, are offered a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables for lunch and snacks, and spend time cooling off in the refreshing waters of Lake Cole,” she explained.

Frost Valley YMCA has been providing high-quality camping programs for children for more than 100 years. Summer camp does more than keep kids busy; it develops their resilience, independence, and leadership in addition to giving them exciting new experiences. Camp also gives them the opportunity to form close friendships and make memories that will last a lifetime. View a full list of available in our day camp brochure. Register your child for day camp online, or by calling 845-985-2291 or emailing registrar@frostvalley.org.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Frost Valley YMCA

Frost Valley YMCA is a 5,500-acre, year-round camp - There's something for everyone here in the Valley. From group and family retreats to overnight camps to horse camps to teambuilding, we've got you covered. School groups love taking a three-night field trip to explore the natural world and learn about the environment and their classmates. Family weekends are the perfect getaway for the young and the young at heart. Teambuilding retreats afford corporate, collegiate, religious, and other groups the opportunity to challenge themselves and effectively work toward common goals. In the summertime we're where kids and teens gain independence, explore the world, and make lifelong friends through various camps such as traditional sleepaway camp, farm camp, horse camp, adventure trips, and day camp. Call (845)985-2291 or email info@frostvalley.org to learn more today!