Summer Doldrums

Most kids still have a month left of summer, which means the pop-up pool in the backyard has lost its allure, most of the summer camps are over and your kids are either watching TV or whining that there’s nothing to do.

Those last couple weeks of summer can be brutal if kids don’t have something to keep their bodies and minds engaged. And no, the Wii doesn’t count.

I’d love to hear some of your ideas to enjoying the final month of summer without spending a lot of money on expensive vacations or sleep-away camps.

When I was young, for example, my mother and several others in the neighborhood created a “Camp Wildflower.” Each week, a mom was responsible for a week’s worth of activities. We visited historic sites and learned skills such as baking or theatrical performing.

A friend of mine started something similar with her kids after growing dissatisfied with the camp offerings in the area. She has a family camp where she assigns a theme to each week complete with lessons, activities and food. The week is dedicated to learning about that topic, which means eating traditional Jewish cuisine during religion week or playing Quidditch in the backyard in homage to Harry Potter on book week.

What does your family do to stave off the end-of-summer doldrums? How do you keep your kids active and mentally engaged during the summer?