Tulsa Summer Camps Look For Creative Ways To Beat The Heat

City of Tulsa Parks and Recreation summer camps are having to find new activities for kids that keep them hydrated and cool during the extreme heat this week.

When you think of summer camp, you probably think of spending a lot of time outdoors, but with this week’s heat wave, some camps are opting for indoor activities like ice skating instead. Tulsa Parks and Recreation has six summer camps across the city open for any child to be enrolled weekly. Deputy Parks Director Omare Jimmerson said they try to have as many fun activities as they can for the kids.

“Five of those are pretty active in moving around with trips, the sixth one is art-based so they are indoors all the time staying cool,” Jimmerson said.

With Oklahoma’s extreme heat this time of year, the camps are finding ways to keep kids out of the sun. Thursday’s field trip to the Oiler’s Ice Center is about as cool as it gets. Jimmerson said when they see triple digits popping up, they start making changes.

“Anytime we know there are going to be heat waves like this week we go back in look at the schedule for adjustments to try to make sure activities planned are mostly indoors and if we do anything outdoors its earlier in the day,” Jimmerson said.

Gabrielle Howard sends her twin girls to this camp every week, she said she makes sure they stay hydrated.

 “I feel the camp does really well at making sure the kids have water,” Howard said. “I make sure my girls bring their big insulated jugs to stay hydrated because it is super-hot outside.”

Camp directors say if the kids do outdoor activities, they provide cold water, ice packs, and cooling bands for every camper, but for the next few weeks, they say the kids will mostly go on indoor field trips.

Jimmerson said they enroll by the week and still have space if you would like to send your child to camp in the upcoming weeks. To sign your child up, CLICK HERE