by Dena Bless
Aug 11, 2025
If you’ve lived in California at least a few years, you know some of our hottest weeks can occur in August through October. So while many are forced to swelter in classrooms over the next few months, let’s explore some ways we can beat the heat and enjoy the many bodies of water throughout our state. All of these options can be enjoyed simply as family time or to bring learning to life – or a combination of both!
Beaches
The coastline of California is long and varied. As possible, it’s fascinating to explore as many different beaches and areas as possible and compare and contrast them.
Tidepools offer a wide variety of sea life to explore and experience, and the fall/winter can be the best times to maximize the experience. A web search of “tidepools (name of county/area)” will yield the best options for where you live or are visiting.
If you’re going to be studying biology or marine biology this year, these can be especially interesting. And remember you have the freedom to set your curriculum, so if you need to switch the order of some chapters in your book to have your trip coincide with a certain chapter, go for it.
Please remember to respect these habitats and follow any posted rules about caring for them. This website will give you great info about finding and exploring these incredible habitats.
Waves and Tides
These vary by season and time of day. Observing them several different times of day (or even year, if possible) can be interesting to chart.
Observing this info can also lead to the practical application of when your student might want to plan certain activities. When do you want to swim, surf, search for seashells, or build sand castles?
Sand
How is it that the beach always has sand? How is it created? (If you do a web search, be aware you will get at least some answers that have an evolution bent to them.)
What is the type of sand on the beach where you’re visiting?
If you have a chance to explore different areas, compare the sand (feel, composition).
How many different types of sand/beaches are there on the California coast?
Are there any that are especially rare? Why?
Wet/packed sand vs dry/loose sand
What activities are better in each? Or is one better than the other to gain certain results of the same activity? (For instance, you can run on both, but one will be better than the other depending on what you’re trying to accomplish with your running.)
Lakes
There are over 3,000 lakes throughout our state. Some are at high elevations, and some at low. Comparing and contrasting the two is a fun activity, especially if you visit both kinds in person, but can also visit one and study information and pictures about the other.
Lakes offer many unique activities (boating, swimming, fishing, waterskiing and wakeboarding, to name a few).
How they are fed (how the water comes in) and drained (how it goes out) can affect the plant and animal life that call it home.
What can you find where you are visiting? How does it compare
Does it change the water quality? What about the look and feel of the water?
Rivers
Even if you don’t easily have access to an ocean or lake, almost all of California has some kind of river or creek in the vicinity.
Compare and contrast the edge of the river to the middle.
Does the water look the same?
Do the rocks and/or soil feel the same?
Is it always safe to drink river water if it’s moving?
If you’re visiting a larger river, imagine your family being new settlers in the area and trying to cross it with all your earthly possessions with just horses and maybe a wagon.
Are you in “Gold Country”? Can you find gold (or at least pyrite)?
Other activities
Some water theme parks will still be open, at least on weekends, for the next month or two. That doesn’t necessarily help with avoiding crowds, although should still be less crowded with fewer tourists.
Camping – This can be a great time with smaller crowds and nicer weather in many areas. You can use it to incorporate a wide variety of subjects in a very fun way if you like.
Playing in the sprinklers is fun and waters your lawn at the same time - win/win! Once you start your school year, it can also be a great incentive to get schoolwork completed in the morning for some fun in the hot part of the afternoon.
For your students that are interested in gardening or landscaping, it can be expanded into a fun way to study watering patterns (when, how much, how often, delivery method).
We hope that our “The Joys of Summer” series has helped you get more joy out of your summer!
