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No matter where you go in the world, children are drawn to water during summertime — a sprinkler in the yard, a fountain in the park, the public swimming hole — especially when temperatures soar.

Summer 2014 was the hottest we’ve seen since we started keeping track, according to the government’s State of the Climate Report. “August 2014 also was the hottest August worldwide in records dating back to 1880,” we noted last year. “The combined average temperature across global land and ocean surfaces was 1.35 degrees F above the 20th century average of 60.1, breaking the previous record set in 1998.”

There’s actually science behind why getting into cool water cools you down (aside from the obvious). It’s when you get out, and it’s called evaporation, like when you sweat. It’s also what happens when you get out of a warm shower and immediately feel a chill.

“When you step off the bathmat, the water clinging to your skin starts to evaporate. But to change into a gas, that water needs help — namely, it needs heat energy,” reports MentalFloss. “It acquires that energy by sapping heat from your surroundings. In the case of your morning shower, the evaporating water sucks up heat energy from the droplets that stay clinging to your body. The result? The water on your body cools — and so do you.” During summertime, it’s an added bonus, beating the heat even after you get out of the water.

The photos above showcase children getting creative in their endeavor to ward off the warmth. The first few date back to the early 1900s, moving through the 1920s and the 1960s, all the way to today. Some children run through attractions made for just such a purpose; others take advantage of a lucky situation (like the open hydrant, a beloved — but illegal — tradition in cities like New York, with its 109,000 hydrants). 

Regardless of time period or location they’re depicting, all the photos have one common denominator: A refreshing dip on a hot summer’s day followed by smiling faces.

MORE FROM WEATHER.COM: Before the Bikini: Rare Vintage Beach Photos