With temperatures outside starting to really heat up, it’s important to keep cool. Heat exhaustion is a hot topic (pun intended) throughout the month of July, especially for those who work outdoors. If you’re looking for ways to enjoy your summer while beating the heat, consider some of these air conditioned summertime activities to fill your free time with the whole family.

Finger Painting

Who says you need a paint brush to create a masterpiece? This is one of those activities that brings in the joy of getting messy outside indoors! If you have young ones, or even older children who are a bit on the creative side, get the whole family involved and see what creations you can come up with. Put on some music and old clothes, lay down a tarp so you can really feel the space. Get painting!

Start a Giant Puzzle

This is a fun one that the family can come back to periodically until it’s finished. Designate a table or area of the house to only this puzzle, and on those particularly hot days, crank the AC and gather around the puzzle. The best part? No one in the family will be able to hold an electronic at the same time, so you’ll clock hours of quality time during this ongoing activity!

Build a Giant Fort

This won’t be any run-of-the-mill couch cushion fort. No, this will be a day-long building event that utilizes every spare bed sheet, throw blanket, and moveable piece of furniture you can get your hands on. Make it wide, make it tall, and when you’re finished, deck it out with pillows and blankets. Make sure the TV is in your fort’s line of sight and have a family movie night once all is said and done! Keep the fun going with a slumber party in the fort before taking it down the following day.

Become a Fine-Dining Chef

You know that intricate, generations-old family recipe that you only bust out every other Thanksgiving? What about your favorite five-star cuisine that you’ve always dreamed of concocting from home? Whatever it is that makes your taste buds water the most, make it from scratch! Gather all of the ingredients, don your most vintage cooking apron, gather the kids for age-appropriate sous chef tasks, and make a day of it! You can take this a step further by creating a multi-course meal for your family to “ooo” and “ahh” over for years to come!

Go Out On The Town

While there’s loads of fun to be had at home, there are even more opportunities for indoor adventures elsewhere. Get retro and take your kids to the roller rink. On a really hot day, you could cool down even more at the ice skating rink. Dust off your bowling ball and go knock down some pins. Show your children the wonder that is an old school arcade. Just looking for something to do with friends? Look up a calendar of local bands and comedy shows in your area, and grab some cheap seats. You may come away from it with a new favorite band!

However you choose to spend your time this summer, we hope you play it safe in the heat and remember to stay hydrated!