Water Volley Balloon

The biggest problem with beach volleyball is that you get so terribly hot playing it. To the rescue comes this cool twist on the game. And unlike regular volleyball, which requires no small degree of skill, this game lets even the athletically impaired succeed.

COOL-OFF QUOTIENT: 2 ice cubes (hey, it still beats the usual version)

WHAT YOU NEED: A volleyball or badminton net, two old sheets and water balloons

HOW TO PLAY: Divide your guests into two teams of four and have them stand on opposite sides of the net. Each team holds one sheet (a person at each corner). Place a water balloon in the center of one team's sheet. The idea is to toss the balloon over the net, into the other team's sheet. It helps to do a countdown to the toss: "One, two, three...Up!" Depending on how much you want to cool off, winners can be the first team to make 10 catches or to make 10 misses.

NOTE TO PARENTS: This game is a hit with older kids, who run with the sheet, trying to guess where the balloon will land, but little kids may get yanked around. Broken balloons should be immediately retrieved so that toddlers aren't tempted to see how they taste.