School Days Off: What to Do

One of the biggest issues working parents have with all the various school days off throughout the year is what to do with their kids. A single day here, a half day there. Here are some suggestions, just ahead of Montgomery County's closure for Yom Kippur on Monday. I haven't needed to try any of these yet, so if you're a parent who's sent their child to any of these, please let us all hear your reviews.

CREATE Arts Center: Campers participate in 2-4 activities that may include drawing, painting, cartooning, sculpture, music, pottery, sewing, puppetry, outdoor games and more, says CREATE's Web site.  Register here. These camps run on all Montgomery County and D.C. school days off. Cost: $55

Park Play Days: Montgomery County Parks offers a full day of activities including an ice skating lesson and a tennis lesson at both Cabin John Ice Arena and Wheaton Ice Arena. For ages 6-13. If you don't already have one, you need to sign up for a Park Pass account. Registration is currently open for Sept. 28 and Oct. 16. Cost: $40.

Adventure Theater One-Day Play Workshop Series: The theater's online ad says children in grades K through 5 will get a full day of theatrical activities, be fed a snack and watch an 11 a.m. performance of the theater's main stage show. For Monday, that's Go, Dog, Go. Cost: $65. Enroll here for Monday and here for all the workshop days (Monday, September 28th; Friday, October 16th; Monday, November 2nd; Monday, January 25th; Tuesday, April 6th)

School after-care providers, such as Kids After Hours, are also open on school days off for families already enrolled. The Takoma Park Child Development Center tells me that it is also holding its School Age Camps on the school holidays. Cost: $50 per day. (Disregard the dates on its Web site; they are last year's)

 I know this is just a start and there's lots more out there. So, let's have it, parent mindshare. What else have you found for those school days off?