When the temperature climbs, the answer is usually twenty minutes away from the freezer. Frozen treats don't need a recipe card or a special trip to the store. Some of the best ones barely need any effort at all.
Watermelon slushies. Cube watermelon, freeze it, blend it. Add a squeeze of lime. Done.
Frozen yogurt bark. Spread plain or flavored yogurt on a parchment-lined sheet pan and scatter on whatever sounds good, berries, granola, honey, mini chocolate chips. Freeze until solid, then break into pieces. Adults love this as much as kids do.
Fruit bars. Blend any ripe fruit, mango, strawberry, peach, mixed berry, pour into popsicle molds or paper cups with a stick, and freeze overnight. Four ingredients maximum.
Frozen grapes. Wash, dry, freeze on a sheet pan, transfer to a bag. Somehow better than you'd expect, sweet, cold, and actually refreshing on a hot afternoon.
Smoothie popsicles. Any smoothie you'd normally drink works in a mold. Spinach popsicles (blended fresh spinach, milk, yogurt and/or a frozen banana) turn a satisfying shade of green that kids find either alarming or completely wonderful.
The best cooling treats share one quality: the freezer does most of the work.