When it’s hot outside, it’s smart to find activities indoors.  This summer you and your kids have plenty of options to keep cool while having fun, learning new skills or honing existing talents.  You can exercise your minds and bodies as you build self-confidence and muscles. Besides year-round activity venues, kids’ camps and programs abound along with several open to adults.

Let longer daylight hours tempt you into pursuing a challenge outside your comfort zone — perhaps learning archery or Chinese or how to throw a pot. Summer extends an invitation to get physical and mental exercise, spread your wings and meet new people. So sidestep the heat and take advantage of Valley businesses that provide plenty of ways to stay active inside.   

Chill out

When it comes to beating the heat, nothing is cooler than Frio Grande Valley Ice Center in McAllen. “A lot of folks still don’t know that the ice rink is here,” although it opened in 2009, said manager Corina Torres.  “Many Valley people have never been exposed to ice skating or ice rinks.”  Frio Grande’s summer ice sessions are designed to change that.  Skate rentals are available.

“For folks who don’t know how to skate, we have our penguin aids that help them stay up on the ice and not fall down,” Torres said.  The European-made, rigid, plastic penguins have handles that enable beginners to move around the ice with a sense of support, functioning like bicycle training wheels.

You will spot new skaters from 2 years of age and up gliding around the large rink.  Sessions help boys and girls learn the basics of ice hockey or figure skating.  Of course, some Valley transplants skated when they lived in colder climates and enjoy getting back on the ice, without having to brave ice outdoors.  Winter Texan and men’s ice hockey leagues go full blast in the winter along with an RGV youth ice hockey league and practicing Killer Bees zipping past. Bleacher seating allows visitors to observe the fine points of the sport. A concession stand and party room upstairs also provide good views of the action on the ice.  The rink’s skate guards are the chilled-out equivalent of life guards.

Rink n Roll in Weslaco offers the more common type of skating rink.  Arlene Aladape, who has managed the popular rink for the McAllen-based owners for the past six years, said most of the skaters range from about 10-15 years old.  “We have a lot parents that come with their kids and start to skate themselves. And then they come back.”  Parents who stay, skating or not, receive free popcorn.

While some children bring their own outdoors skates, most rent Rink n Roll’s, which are designed for indoor skating.  “The kids teach each other how to skate and start games.  We have a lot of fun. They appreciate what they have here, and they love it. This is not an environment where they are rude,” Torres said. “They are comfortable with us and call us Tia. When they see us in Wal-Mart, they hug us.”  An off-duty police officer provides inside security during rink hours Thursday through Sunday at the 22,000-square-foot facility.

Aladape posts on Facebook regularly as the young skaters feed her photos.  The jukebox with photo booth allows kids to select their preferred skating music, which ranges from country to Disney and pop.   Rink n Roll’s summer SK8 camp keeps the kids busy all day long, with skating, lunch, games and movies.  Twice a year, the rink offers an all-night, lock in skate party.  “They  never sleep because we have so many things for them do, like skating with glo-sticks.”

Step inside the Main Event in Pharr, and it sounds like a stadium of fans roaring with excitement and energy.   Banks of large-screen video games like Infinity Blade FV, Dance Revolution and Ghost Town, along with arcade games from arm wrestling to Wheel of Fortune keep the vibe amped up, abetted by strobe lights and multiple sound tracks.  Overhead, the high rope walk crawls with harnessed kids navigating narrow paths.  On the dark side, laser tag beams bring yells of triumph and defeat. Overall, admission opens the door to more activities than you can shake a key card at.

The slightly quieter billiards area adjoins a bar for adults, complete with television screens. The Main Event hosts business team building sessions for companies aiming to improve morale and teamwork while letting employees have a good time away from the office.

The Hunger Games books and movies have boosted the appeal of archery.  During week-long camps thorugh June and July, Point Blank Sporting Goods in Pharr introduces kids to archery safety, form and range etiquette. The history of archery and the technique of shooting a bow are part of the course, and the fee includes a recurve bow that the student takes home.

To hone the skills needed for bow hunting or recreational and competition shooting, the facility has six lanes for beginner/youth archers and seven for advanced shooters.  Target monitors make it easy to determine the accuracy of shots.  Adult classes are available by appointment.

Learning new skills

You can take advantage of the Asian Culture Company’s offerings to immerse yourself in Chinese language and tai chi classes this summer.  Based at the McAllen Creative Incubator, Inner Mongolia native Lian Cheng Shingler’s business is offering a one-week summer camp in July for kids that includes Chinese crafts and Chinese culture along with marital arts.  That is in addition to its regular calendar of  Chinese language and tai chi classes.

Other small business owners at the incubator include Ruth Hoyt, who teaches nature photography classes, Miriam Smith, who teaches porcelain classes, and Elizabeth Ayala, who offers acting classes on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

“Way Cool” keyboarding camps are a Valley Keyboards tradition during June and July.   Beginning and intermediate students learn on digital pianos.  Crescendo Music Institute offers music and band camps for all ages and multiple instruments.

Classes in arts and crafts are widely available from the Inner Artist in Harlingen to the Tipsy Canvas in Brownsville and McAllen.  Alebrije Creative Workshop offers classes in paints, charcoal, pastel, drawing and  mixed media.  “It’s not just putting a paint brush to the canvas. It’s much more dynamic,” said Fatima Zambada. Her creative workshop hosts summer camp for age groups 6-10 and 11-16 and is open for private events and parties.

Summer is the perfect time to get inside and have a good time.

For more information, call Rink n Roll at 260-4758; Asian Culture Company at 537-1370; Alebrije at 522-0855; Frio Grande at 972-0126; Valley Keyboards at  686-4863; Crescendo Music at 599-4529;  Point Blank  992-8799; Main Event at 787-7100; and McAllen Creative Incubator at 687-2787. 

June 2015 cover story by Eileen Mattei