The northwest is generally a nice place to spend your summers. It rarely gets into the 90’s and almost never reaches triple digits. Mid 80’s is the normal routine.

Still, we do usually get 8-12 days of 90-degrees or more during the year, and 80 isn’t exactly frigid. So when the mercury rises, like everyone else we’re looking for ways to cool down.

We’ve had a pop-up pool in the past and the kids have enjoyed it. However, it’s seen better days it’s no the longer the optimal size for our six growing kids. Plus, it costs a lot of money to maintain and takes up a lot of time, especially with all the evergreen trees close by.

There are some public pools in the area but they aren’t always available and they’re not necessarily cheap, either. So, without a pool to use on a regular basis, we’ve come up with our own way to beat the heat. And our kids really enjoy it.

We happen to have a massive tarp that we originally purchased for another reason. But it makes a great slip-n-slide. This 30’ x 40’ tarp is perfect for hours of fun, but a 30′ x 20′ tarp would work too. (This post contains affiliate links as noted in our Amazon Associates Disclosure in the right sidebar.)

We set ours up in our yard on some artificial grass and the kids get tons of use from it. All it takes is a hose and a good nozzle to keep the water coming and the tarp is perfect for sliding.

You don’t need to purchase one of those cheaply made slip-n-slides that might last day. Plus, the store-bought slides are usually much more narrow and shorter than a large tarp, which might cost about the same.

So, if you don’t have the time or you don’t want the hassle of taking care of a pool and you can’t afford to take your kids to a public pool very often, just buy a big, sturdy tarp. Your kids will have a great way to cool down and they’ll have a blast while they’re at it. (Parents like it too!)