Summer is here, and that means hot weather
and cool water activities! Whether you’re looking to enjoy the summer locally
or you’re planning a trip away, water-based recreational activities provide excellent
opportunities for fun, exercise, and a chance to cool off.
We’ve talked before about simple ways to
have a healthier lifestyle, and the good news is that many of these activities
are very fitness-promoting, and all of them will get you outside and having
adventures!
1). Swimming
This is one of the most obvious things you
can do in the water, but that’s for good reason: swimming is fun, requires no
advanced equipment, is extremely refreshing, and is potentially one of the most
fitness-promoting activities you can engage in.
Whether you’re enjoying a pool, a lake, or
the ocean, swimming is a wonderful way to escape the heat
and promote fitness
at the same time. It’s also an excellent activity for the whole family,
although you’ll want to make sure everyone practices water safety (and no doubt
it goes without saying, but young children should wear life preservers).
2). Boating
You don’t have to own a boat or know
someone who does to enjoy the wonders of boating: there are many waterways,
including oceans, lakes, and rivers, where you can go on professional boating
trips.
In fact, there are a variety of ways to
enjoy boating:
you can charter or rent a boat – by the hour, day, or month – which you operate
yourself, or, more realistically for most of us, you can sign up for a ferry,
join a group excursion, even board a fishing boat.
Boating is wonderful for many reasons: the
adventure, the opportunity to experience a variety of different bodies of
water, and the other experiences you can have while you boat. There are boating
opportunities for fishing, whale watching, boat racing – sailboat racing is
particularly popular on some bodies of water – and simply taking in the
surroundings and enjoying the scenic beauty.
3). Jet skiing
Jet skiing involves watercraft, but is
different enough from boating to warrant its own entry. Jet skiing is a
tremendous amount of fun if you enjoy fast, high-powered watercraft and
adventurous sporting experiences. This might be an ideal bonding activity with
adventurous teens.
4). Water skiing
Water skiing is, as the name suggests,
skiing on water. The water skier is towed at high speeds behind a high-powered
watercraft and uses either two skis or a single ski to glide on the water.
Although water skiing may look
intimidating and challenging for children, in fact it is surprisingly
kid-friendly. Even young children can
learn how to water ski if you, or an instructor, are willing to teach them.
5). Water polo
Water polo is essentially handball, but
played in the water. A team sport, water polo is played by teams trying to get
the ball over the net while preventing the rival team from doing the same
thing.
You and your family can play water polo as
an intense, competitive sport if that’s the way you like to play, or as a fun
and friendly game. Most likely, you’ll play in a swimming pool, but it is
possible to play water polo in lakes and yes, even in the ocean.
6). Surfing
Seriously, where would this list be
without surfing? It’s one of the more iconic beachside activities, not to
mention the basis for a surfing subculture.
The basic idea behind surfing is simple:
take a surfboard and use it to ride the forward face of a wave, which will
primarily carry you toward the shore.
This sport may seem counter-intuitive for
children, but in fact it can be a wonderful experience for them. Learning to
surf with kid-appropriate waves can help children to develop strength
and balance while enjoying the outdoors and learning values of patience and self-confidence.
7). Skimboarding
Skimboarding may look a lot like surfing,
but the idea is subtly different: instead of swimming out to catch the waves,
skimboarders start at the beach and ride the outgoing waves away from beach.
They then catch the next wave back to the beach.
Skimboarding also makes use of a smaller
board than surfing, meaning the equipment is slightly different.
As the description suggests, skimboarding
may be easier and more accessible for children, not least because it does not
require an ocean- or sea-sized body of water. Skimboarding can easily be done
in lakes and rivers.
8). Paddle boarding
We’ve saved arguably the best for last.
Paddle boarding, or more precisely stand up paddle boarding (SUP), is done by
riding a board in the standing position and using a paddle to row.
Unlike surfing, you don’t need waves – in
fact, you’re probably better off without them, especially early on (to learn
more, go to PaddleBoardDirect.com). This is because
you’re supplying the power as you row.
Paddle boarding is a great workout, and
probably even easier than surfing to start teaching to your children.
Conclusion
From swimming to boating to paddle
boarding, there are a variety of wonderful water-based sports and recreational
activities to help your family keep cool and have a blast this summer while
staying safe. Enjoy the water!
