Extreme, or alternative, sports include skateboarding, inline skating, surfing, wakeboarding, BMX biking and even rock climbing.

Like traditional sports, extreme sports promote fitness, challenge kids to strive to be their personal best, build confidence and are a great way to relieve stress. The organized practices, rules and pressure that are often associated with team sports generally don't apply, and kids can learn at their own pace — another appealing aspect of these sports. This is not to say, however, that kids don't need to follow rules and practice often to improve.

The biggest concern to parents regarding extreme sports is, of course, the risk of injury. All sports activities require proper gear, training and a degree of supervision — and extreme sports are no exception.

Before allowing your child to participate in activities like inline skating, skateboarding or biking, make sure he's armed with the proper safety precautions. The risk of injury is significantly higher without them. Helmets, knee, elbow and wrist pads should be a mandatory part of the uniform for these activities. If your child complains that these accessories are uncool, too bad.

It's a good idea to get kids some type of lessons, buy instructional videos and watch children carefully, particularly at younger ages when they are learning any extreme activity.

Help them first get comfortable on their apparatus of choice by skating, boarding or biking in your neighborhood. Then take them to a skate park, either indoor or outdoor, where there is a structured environment for kids to practice moves and learn new tricks on ramps and grind rails. Many skate parks offer lessons or camps. Usually there are consent forms and a list of rules and regulations to be signed by parents and kids. Skate parks also have staff that enforce rules and offer tips.

2. Cool off in pools, splash fountains and waterparks

Swimming pools are always a fun and easy way to cool off from the sweltering sun and uncomfortable humidity of summer. Combining pools with playgrounds makes for fun-filled summer outings for parents of children of all ages. But we're not talking about taking the kids to a playground and then going swimming later. We are talking about pools with playgrounds in them.

Water parks are so popular and plentiful today that we forget what pools were like without them. I know that when I took my now 16-year-old daughter to pools when she was a toddler, I spent much of my time packing water toys and holding her in my arms in the waters of not-so-child-friendly depths. Today, with rubber, non-slip surfaces and colorful interactive play apparatus erected in shallow waters, a day at the water park is easier and more fun than a day at the beach! So, count your blessings and don't let the summer pass without counting the number of water parks you've visited.

Although they are similar, water parks offer different attractions that make each one unique. In addition to interactive play areas, some parks offer more extensive water activities, such as water slides, twisting and turning raft rides, and lazy river tube rides. Most parks are fun for the whole family, but some include rides that will appeal to older kids and preteens as well as the younger set. Some of the more adventurous rides have height restrictions.

Check out individual park web sites or call before you go for prices, park hours and other details.

3. Chill Out at an Ice Rink

Enjoy one of the best winter activities without having to leave sunny Florida. Ice skating is an activity that kids as young as 2 or 3 years old can participate in, as well as older kids and moms and dads. It's a great way to spend time with the family, get some exercise and have fun. "This is one of the few activities that parents can participate in with their children, rather than just being a spectator," says Carlos Freitas of the newly opened Ice Zone in Palm Beach County.

There are two important factors you should keep in mind when taking the kids ice skating: dress and attitude. Temperatures may be boiling outside, but inside a skating rink, you'll freeze in traditional summer clothing — as a skater or a spectator. You won't need a ski parka, but long pants and a sweatshirt or sweater are a must. Gloves aren't a bad idea either, and some places rent them for Floridians who don't keep winter mittens handy. Freitas says that most kids aren't afraid to ice skate, but parents can get a bit nervous about their child slipping and falling on the ice.

He reminds parents that falls are a natural part of learning to skate and that parents should simply encourage their child to get up. Becoming overly concerned about a fall will instill fear of this genuinely fun activity in your child.

Call individual skating rinks for admission prices, skate rental fees, hours of operation and information about lessons, hockey clinics, summer camps and leagues.

4. Wet, wild water sports

Surfing, water skiing, sailboarding and wakeboarding — all Florida staples — are extreme sports on the rise in popularity. Kids as young as 5 years old can take surfing or wakeboarding lessons, but before even considering diving in to one of these activities, your child should be a competent swimmer.

Geoffrey Schmidt, owner of Florida Surf Lessons, says that the most important thing an instructor can give a student of water sports is knowledge about the sport.

"Kids can't expect to just grab a board, hit the water and be able to stand up," he says.

Good surfing instruction involves lessons on sand as well as in the water. An instructor should be in water no higher than chest deep with beginners at all times, giving a higher level of control. Schmidt also recommends an egg-shaped surfboard, which has a rounded nose and square tail, because they are lighter and easier to maneuver for beginners.

He requires parents to be present at all times during the length of a child's lesson, which last a minimum of two hours. Lessons can be given privately or in groups, and He recommends no more than four surfboards per instructor at any given time in the water.

Wakeboarding requires a boat, but you don't need to own one in order for your child to take lessons. Jonathan Weiss, manager and instructor of Miami Wakeboard and Water Ski Center says that kids are the best candidates for wakeboarding because they have such a low center of gravity. He claims a 98 percent success ratio for kids to actually get up on and enjoy the wakeboarding experience because the board actually does a lot of the work for them. Life jackets are required for all participants, regardless of age and experience.

5. Cool Attractions for Family Fun

South Florida has more than its fair share of cool attractions, so why let tourists enjoy them the most?

Summer is a slower time of year, and even though it's hot outside, these attractions are either air conditioned indoors, or offer places to cool off in the summer heat.

Visit these and other local fun spots to make this summer the coolest one yet for your whole family.