By Lily Asis
We’re finally in the full swing of summer and it’s about time we got outside to have some fun. To help you out, we’ve come up with some apps that will make this summer one to remember.
IMAGE SOURCE: stocksnap
Lets get started:
Safety First
While the first priority of anyone’s summer day should always be fun, there’s no harm in being prepared. Fortunately, this is easier than ever as there is a multitude of apps that are sure to keep you safe. For example, to avoid too much sun exposure throughout the day, which can lead to burns, heat stroke, and any other number of injuries, there’s Wolfram Sun Exposure Reference. By using this app, you are guaranteed to receive personalized results on how long you should stay in the sun before burning becomes a risk, the SPF level best for you, the local UV forecast, and a variety of other helpful tips. Sure, it may seem a little extreme but, these days, it is always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to time in the sunshine.
In fact, the US Government is so concerned about how much time you spend in the sun that the Department of Labor, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and, finally, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health have collaborated on a special app. If you’re spending a lot of time in the heat – particularly doing strenuous activities – make sure you download the OSHA-NIOSH Heat Safety Tool app as it will calculate a heat index and display your risk of overheating. Really, once you’ve got these apps up and running you can take your mind off any worries and just have fun.
Get Outside
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Now that you’re all prepared to venture into that glorious sunshine, it’s time to get outside. The options are endless when it comes to summer activities but if you’re looking for some app-related ideas we think we’ve found a few. If you have children, for instance, you might want to download the Audubon Insects and Spiders app. This app will encourage your kids to explore as they find and identify new insects, all of which can probably be found in your garden or at the local park. Each species will have its own in-depth descriptions, photographs, and professionally written guides so your children will feel like real naturalists.
Alternatively, if bugs aren’t really for you, there’s Cachly, one of the best geocaching apps ever created. All you need is a free account from geocaching.com, then just download the Cachly app and start exploring. There are even offline vector maps so you don’t have to worry about using up all your data looking for that hidden treasure. If you have friends that would like to try geocaching with you this summer, there is also a highly sophisticated search function that will help you find them by their username.
As night finally falls on your adventurous summer day, you may want to continue soaking up all this wonderful summer weather, which is why we recommend downloading SkyView Free. Though during the day you’re discouraged from looking up at the sky, the night is when they really come alive and by using SkyView you’ll feel like a seasoned astronomer.
Mobile Games
There are two distinct directions you can go when it comes to mobile games in the summer, though both have their undeniable merits. Firstly, there are the kinds of apps that you can play while relaxing, as we all know some days we just want to sit back and enjoy the summer air.
Really, there’s no specific app we can recommend for this as it all comes down to personal preference. For anyone who enjoys puzzles, now might be the time to jump on the Bubble Witch bandwagon; or, if you like brain training, you could download Peak. Most online gaming sites now have apps as well so, if you enjoy bingo, for example, there are now numerous app counterparts to your favorite sites. You can even play mobile bingo in your smartphone browser. All you need is a good internet connection and a bit of lady luck to see you through.
The second sort of mobile game you could choose has a far more limited number of options but it is perfect for anyone who likes to stay active. Perhaps the best get-up-and-go-explore mobile game to this day is Pokémon Go, the incredibly successful Niantic augmented reality game that we’re sure you’ve heard of. Even if you’re not a fan of Pokémon, hunting down and catching the critters is strangely rewarding, especially if you get to train them to compete at the gyms.
So, which apps will you be downloading this summer to ensure you’re never bored again? Let us know in the comments below.
