Discover fun ways to beat the heat this summer.

Let’s Get Started

Looking to stay cool this summer? Here are 5 Fun Ways to Beat the Summer Heat:

Set Up Camp in the Shade

Great!

Great!

Cool down by escaping the sun. Pack a snack (chilled watermelon and cool drinks, for example) and set up camp under a big shade tree. Want extra shade? Pitch a DIY tent between two trees. 

 

Make a Fan

Awesome!

Awesome!

Decorate pieces of paper with markers and fold them into fans. Keep your fan eco-friendly by using recycled paper like newspapers or magazines.

 

Make a Spray Bottle Water Painting

Fantastic!

Fantastic!

Fill a spray bottle with water and make designs on sidewalks, fences, and surfaces. Watch them come to life and then evaporate—a great way to get creative outside without any mess to clean up.

You can also mist yourself with water from a spray bottle. The breeze will feel like “air conditioning” when it blows against your wet skin.

 

Get a Creature Clue

Wonderful!

Wonderful!

Be a wildlife detective and Watch for Wildlife at different times of day to see how they beat the heat. Dogs pant to cool down. Birds cool off in water or spread their wings to catch a breeze. Squirrels stretch out on their bellies on a cool patch of ground.

 

Make a Nature Notebook

Wonderful!

Wonderful!

Take time out to write in a journal or notebook about the nature you observe. Document playful chipmunks, birds singing, insects buzzing, wind rustling through the treetops, or water splashing.

 

 

Document Your Discoveries

Roseate Spoonbill | Wanda Gailey

Draw or describe your observations in your Nature Notebook.

Bonus: Show us how you and your family stay cool outdoors this summer on social media and add the hashtag #GreenHour.

Join this year’s Great American Campout in your yard or nearby place!

 

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