School starts in the hottest stretch of the year across Arizona, Texas and the Southeast. Here’s what triggers indoor recess, how much a 9-year-old really needs to drink, and the signs that mean 911. Timing and shade plus scheduled water beat every gadget sold for the job.
In Phoenix, Tucson, Houston and much of the Southeast, the school year opens in the hottest stretch of the calendar — and the pickup line lands squarely in the worst hour of the day. Your child’s school almost certainly has a written heat plan; most parents have never read a line of it.
In a nutshell
- Heat index is a shade number — in full sun on a blacktop, the effective load can run up to 15°F higher.
- Two free tactics beat every product: shift the walk and outdoor play to the coolest hour, and drink on a schedule instead of on thirst.
- Ages 9–12 need roughly 3–8 ounces of water every 20 minutes during sweaty activity; teens need 34–50 ounces an hour.
- Confusion, fainting or hot dry skin is not heat exhaustion. That’s a 911 call.
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