Navigating Summer in the North State when Most Water Activities are not an Option

Peak summer in the North State is no joke. The thermometer can hit 107 before noon and it can feel like everyone around you practically lives at the lake or a backyard pool. Summer here has always revolved around water: the Sacramento River, Whiskeytown, Shasta Lake, the community pools and weekend trips to favorite hidden swimming holes.

For most families, that’s just life during the summer. But for some, activities involving more than a couple of inches of water are simply off the table and finding summer fun in a season that seems to revolve around water takes a little creativity.

Reasons Why Some Kids Must Stay Out of the Water

Enterprise Park Fantasy Fountain

The list of conditions that keep children out of deep water is more varied than most people realize. Ear tubes are among the most frequently performed pediatric procedures in the country and can sideline a child from the pool for an entire summer. Children recovering from surgery or dealing with open wounds, active skin infections or severe eczema face a real infection risk the moment they submerge. For children with a tracheostomy, water deeper than a few inches poses direct physical danger. Kids with cochlear implants or BAHA implants face similar restrictions, particularly in the weeks and months following surgery.

Immunocompromised children, such as those going through chemotherapy, recovering from a transplant or living with a primary immune disorder, can’t risk exposure to what lives in pools and natural bodies of water. And not all reasons are medical. For some children with autism spectrum disorder or significant developmental delays, the restriction comes down to safety and the very real danger that impulsivity or limited body awareness poses near deep water.

Turtlebay Exploration Park

When a Little Water Goes a Long Way

When your child can’t participate in most water activities, the fear of missing out is real for them and for you. Summer culture in the North State genuinely centers on the water, and it’s OK to acknowledge that your family’s summer looks a little different. Keeping water in the picture, even in a different form, goes a long way toward making summer feel like summer.

Some North State cities have added splash pads to parks in recent years and they’re great for cooling off without having to go near deep water. In Orland, Lely Park’s Splash Pad pays tribute to the local volunteer fire department with a firefighter theme, while Redding’s Fantasy Fountain at Enterprise Park features a volcanic fountain that erupts every few minutes. And if you want a later evening option, the River Splash Pad in Anderson is open until 10pm, with LED-lit water jets that add another level of fun.

If your backyard is an option, a sprinkler, water table or a few water balloons can create hours of play in the cooler morning hours. A closely supervised wade in a shallow local creek is another low-key way to enjoy water without the risk of depth.

Lely Park Splashpad Orland

Some Water-Safe and Water-Free Options in the North State:

Some local gems get overlooked during summer when most people are looking to cool off at the lakes or by a pool.

Turtle Bay Exploration Park is one of the most family-friendly destinations in Northern California and it’s air-conditioned on those 105-degree afternoons.

Library Time

Local libraries run robust summer reading programs and story times for younger kids.

Cinemark Theaters in Chico and Redding have a Summer Movie Clubhouse with family-friendly movies that run from June through August and Spotlight Cinemas in Red Bluff has free summer kids shows.

If you want to get out in the morning to beat the afternoon heat, check out your local farmers’ markets or explore some of the beautiful trails in the area.

There’s no sugarcoating it – sitting out the river trips and pool days is hard. It’s hard for your child and for you. But a summer shaped around what your family can do can be just as fun and memorable. A different summer isn’t a lesser summer and you can make it your own.