Turn up the fun and turn down the heat this summer

(ARA) - Shirt sleeves are getting shorter and the days are getting longer, which can only mean one thing - summer is just around the corner. No matter how many fun summer activities you have planned for your family, as the summer wears on, you will eventually hear two things from your children: "I'm hot" and "I'm bored."

"Not this year!" says television personality and mom to seven children Hannah Keeley. Here are a few of Keeley's favorite ways to keep your family entertained and the heat at bay this summer.

Go around the world. Take your family on a world tour from the comfort of your very own home. Each week throughout the summer, pick a new country to learn about as a family. Watch a documentary about the location, do some cultural research online or check out travel books from the library. At the end of the week, prepare a meal from the family's selected country. This is also a great way to keep your kids' brain cells firing once school is out.

Make a water park. On hot summer days, the Keeley family likes to build their very own water park - at home - using a tarp, sprinkler and their playground slide. Create your own backyard water park using items you already have at home and in your yard. Point a sprinkler at the swing set, run the hose down a slide or fill an inflatable kiddie pool. Add a few water toys such as rubber ducks, plastic cups or even water balloons and watch as your kids stay entertained for days.

Have a family slumber party. Drag out the sleeping bags, pop some corn and get the whole family involved in an all-night party. The kids will love to hear funny stories about when their parents (or grandparents) were young and you can treat your family to instant s'mores, even without a campfire. Just stick a marshmallow on top of a graham cracker and microwave it for 30 seconds. Add some chocolate, top it with another graham cracker and you're in business.

Stay cool. Families tend to escape the heat by spending more time indoors, so it's important to have your air conditioning system checked out now before the summer heat makes its grand entrance. If your system is on the fritz, ask your local air conditioner dealer about a new energy-efficient air conditioner. The Allegiance (R) 15 Air Conditioner by American Standard Heating %26 Air Conditioning can help you save up to 47 percent on your heating and cooling costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Saving money and doing something good for the environment - two great ideas to add to your family's summer to-do list.

Courtesy of ARAcontent