The back-to-school countdown has begun. And for many programs, this is the last week of day camp.

If you’re a working parent, or if you just can’t cope with having the kids around the house ONE MORE DAY, there are still some options available.

Showtime performing arts has a mini-camp inspired by the Glee TV show. A couple of sports and recreational camps run right up until Aug. 17.

Here are a few options:

• Showtime offers two Glee-inspired mini-camps for kids in kindergarten through 12th grade. The theme is “Pop Rock” for Aug. 6-10; and “Broadway” for Aug. 13-17. The day runs 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with before- and after-care available. $250 a week. Showtime Performing Arts Theatre is at Royal Palm Place, 503 SE Mizner Blvd. Call 561-394-2626 or visit www.showtimeboca.com.

• The city of Boca Raton offers extended camps for kids entering first through fifth grades at the Boca Raton Community Center downtown and the James A. Rutherford Community Center at Patch Reef Park. Kids will do arts and crafts, games, special events, field trips and more. The day runs 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. $153 a week for residents; $209 for non-residents. More info at city website.

• Three local gymnastics organizations offer camps that run through Aug. 17. Info at links:   Twister in East Boca;  Gymnastics Plus in West Boca;  Rising Stars in Central Boca.

• Kiddie Academy’s summer “adventure” program for kids age 1-8 runs through Aug. 17. The day runs 6:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. at 2240 NW 19th St., Suite 703-709. $200-260 a week. Call 561-392-7474 or visit www.KiddieAcademy.com/BocaRaton.

• Kids age 7-15 who want to improve their softball skills can practice the week of Aug. 6-10 at Dragons Fastpitch Softball Camp at Don Estridge High-Tech Middle School. The camp is led by the Don’s Head Softball Coach Mark Stansell, who also coaches at West Boca High School. The day runs 9 a.m. to  3 p.m. at Don Estridge, 1798 NW Spanish River Blvd. $150. Call 561-236-0938 or visit www.dragonssoftballcamp.com.

• The YMCA of South Palm Beach’s summer programs for kids 3-15 run through Aug. 17. Price varies by program. The Y is at 6631 Palmetto Cir. South. Call 800-798-4531 or visit ymcaspbc.org.

• The Woodmont sports and recreational camps at the Lifetime Athletic Club, 1499 Yamato Rd., run through August. Price varies by hours. Get the details at the camp website.

School starts Aug. 20.

- CHARLENE PACENTI

There’s nothing like a good book to get you through a flight, a long drive, a long wait in line or a lazy, rainy weekend – no matter what your age.

This summer, there are many resources for finding good, age-appropriate reading material – and many local programs with prizes to encourage kids to read.

Now, you can even check out e-books at the city library, by downloading them to your Kindle or other device. At the Palm Beach County library in West Boca, you can download e-books and audiobooks.

The titles, which include plenty of books (even some Harry Potter and Magic Tree House) for kids and adults, are limited (272 selections at the city library). And at last check, most of them were taken.

But it’s worth checking before you hit the Kindle store. See what’s available at the city libraries here, and the county here.

Of course, all three local libraries are running their summer reading programs. At the city libaries (Downtown and Spanish River), little kids can get prizes for showing off their reading log and tweens and teens can be entered into drawings for prizes. At the county library, kids log their reading hours to win tickets to baseball games at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter.

Among other reading incentive programs:

• At Barnes & Noble, 1400 Glades Rd., kids can read eight books and earn a free one. Info on that here. (The store’s website also has suggested titles by age).

• TDBank will deposit $10 into the TD account of a kid who reads 10 books this summer. Get the form and details here.

• Scholastic has a Summer Reading Challenge, where kids can log their minutes spent reading for a chance to win prizes and help set a record.

Looking for ideas on books for kids? The library has some good lists for kids, tweens, and teens.

Oprah.com has some kids’ reading lists broken down by age. Start here.

Teachers First List of the 100 best books for kids is here.

As for adult reading ideas, here’s the New York Times Bestseller List.

And if you’re interested in joining a book club, Friends of the Library has one.   And the Palm Beach Her Time Book Club on Meetup is accepting new members.

If anyone would be interested in doing a mother-daughter book club this summer for tweens and teen girls and their moms, send me an email, editor @ bocaparent.com.!

What’s the best book you’ve read lately (besides Fifty Shades of Grey)? Post your recommendations (and good ones for the kids, too) in the comments.

- CHARLENE PACENTI

Are we the only ones going broke trying to entertain the kids this summer?

Save the piggy! Find some deals.

After dropping $40+ for the family to see Despicable Me at a matinee last weekend – ! yes, it was 3D, but still !! – we decided to look a little harder for some bargains.

Here are a few deals we found:

• Rapids Water Park: During the month of July, you can go from 4 p.m. to closing for only $15 a person (down from the weekday all-day price of $32.95). But don’t forget to bring $10 cash for parking; and another $10 for a locker if you don’t want to spend your visit as the towel and flip-flop mule. (You’ll get $2 of the locker fee back when you turn in the key).

• Cheap or free movies: Two opportunities nearby to catch a cheap flick. (Neither in Boca, surprise). The Deerfield Cinema 5 at 2205 W. Hillsboro Blvd. in Deerfield Beach still has Alice in Wonderland and Shrek Forever After on the big screen for $1. In Coral Springs, on Tuesdays this summer, the Regal Cinema at 9645 Westview Dr. has G- and PG-rated movies at 10 a.m. for free. Arrive early to get a seat. (This Tuesday’s showing is Planet 51. Next Tuesday, it’s Alvin and the Chipmunks Squeakquel).

• Lion Country Safari: Its website has a discount coupon, and its Facebook page has a secret code (1882 – shh, you didn’t hear it from us) to get $8 off through Dec. 31.

• Other South Florida attractions: The MomsMiami Summer Fun Pass gets a parent in free with two paid admissions to several spots in Broward and Miami-Dade, including Flamingo Gardens, the Museum of Discovery & Science in Fort Lauderdale, Jungle Island, the Miami Children’s Museum, Miami Seaquarium, Zoo Miami, Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale and Young at Art children’s museum in Davie. Print it here.

It’s a good idea to search online for coupons – and check the Facebook pages – of any place you plan to visit before you head out.

Have you found any good deals? Do tell! Post in the comments.

Find more ideas on what to do on our Summer Fun List (which also includes discounts just for BocaParent readers from Tomasso’s Pizza and New York Ice Cream Cafe) and the Things to Do page.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This  was originally posted on March 14, 2010.

If you want to take advantage of the state’s free voluntary prekindergarten program, now is the time to enroll for summer and fall. It’s a muli-step process to get in. First: Are you eligible? For the summer session, your child must’ve been born between Sept. 2, 2004, and Sept. 1, 2005. For fall, they must’ve been born between Sept. 2, 2005, and Sept. 1, 2006.

To enroll, start at the Family Central website, where you can download the forms and get details on how to proceed. You will also have to go meet face to face with a Family Central counselor. After that, you’ll get a voucher and a list of all the local VPK providers. To enroll, you have to register with the voucher at your selected school.

The Family Central office is in West Palm Beach. But closer to home, you can register on March 20 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the Boynton Beach City Library, 208 S. Seacrest Blvd. Check the Family Central website for all the documents you will need to bring.

The list of schools offering VPK in the fall hasn’t been released yet (though we know the Boca Raton Charter School is offering it).

These are the Boca schools offering summer VPK:

• Betty & Marvin Zale Early Childhood Learning Center, at the Adolph and Rose Levis Jewish Community Center, 9801 Donna Klein Blvd. Call 561-852-3200 or visit its website.

• Primary Learning Place, 23080-B Sandalfoot Plaza Dr. Call 561-482-3772 or visit its website.

• Royal Palm Montessori Academy, 12532 Cobblestone Way. Call 561-483-3838.

• Bluebird Academy & Preschool, 2200 NW Fifth Ave. Call 561-368-0605 or visit its website.

• Busy Bees Academy of Learning, 250 NW 20th St. Call 561-620-8383.

• Footprints Academy, 273 NW 15th St. Call 561-395-5044 or visit its website.

• Jewish Learning Center, 19801-6 Hampton Dr. Call 561-883-KIDZ (5439) or visit its website.

• Children’s Learning Center, 6450 W Rogers Cir. Call 561-988-8288.

• Discovery Preschool Center, 10085 Yamato Rd. Call 561-558-8600 or visit its website.

• Ruth and Edward Taubman Early Childhood Center at B’Nai Torah Congregation, 6261 SW 18th St. Call  561-392-8566 or visit its website.

Are we missing any? Have you used any of these programs? Click on Comments and let us know.