Those were the days…. Summers filled with ball playing, pool hopping and disappearing till dinnertime on your bike with the kids in your neighborhood. These days, families are smaller and neighborhoods have far fewer kids. “Disappearing” is a fear, not an activity. And let’s face it, air conditioning, video games and 900 cable stations make being “stuck inside” seem like a reward rather than a punishment.

Today, getting kids outside to “play” is work! With alarming rates of childhood obesity to worry about, how do you keep your child healthy and active in the summer?

One sure way to keep your kids off the couch is day camp, where trained directors, counselors and coaches encourage a day filled with healthy activity. Sports day camp can be perfect for kids who love to athletics, but the right camp can also be a great option for kids who are less naturally skilled and may lack confidence. A good camp will aim to make children feel successful and included, while also encouraging socialization. Local camps typically offer a list of activities that would wow even the hardest-to-please child. For instance, boating, climbing, kickball, beach volleyball, gymnastics and of course, swimming, lead the long list of action-packed ways to spend the days at some camps, like Spring Lake Day Camp of Ringwood, New Jersey.

Besides the immediate benefit of getting kids to participate, summer camp also provides the perfect opportunity to try out new sports. Taught correctly by skilled coaches, a sport learned in camp as a child can be the beginning of the love of a healthy lifetime.

Meals and snacks may be included as part of the program, and some camps, like Spring Lake, offer healthy choices such as a daily salad bar. “Believe it or not, it’s one of our most popular choices,” claims Mitch Kessler, the camp’s owner and director. “ Ten years ago you wouldn’t think of having a salad bar, but now the kids are trying it and they like it." Maíre Brosnan-Katavolos, director of School Age Programs (which includes summer camp programs) at the YWCA Bergen County, agrees. “The kids see their counselors making healthy choices like salad and they want to model them. My own son ate salad for the first time last year at camp! “We look for kid-friendly favorites and whenever possible look for whole grain, no trans fat, no high fructose corn syrup options. Last year we switched to a new chicken nugget because it had a whole grain crust,” she added.

Games and crafts help a child be creative and develop other important skills, like logic and teamwork. “Every camper is different and has different interests. We try to open their minds to trying new things every day. If you’re going to have that as a goal, you have lots of interesting things for them to try,” says Kessler. What are today’s arts and crafts like? Some traditional materials stand the test of time, like the humble popsicle stick. But Bronson-Katvolos advises that today’s crafts lean more toward being green. “We collect everything from toilet paper tubes to milk jugs all year to use for camp crafts. We also use things in nature, like rocks and even dirt."

What better way is there to connect with nature than by discovering animal footprints or really watching an ant hill at work? Compass hunts, day hikes and catching tadpoles are just some of the ways kids get to slow down their world and see how they fit into Mother Earth.

Most campers will agree that no two days are alike. Theater activities, campwide events ( like carnivals) theme days, and day and overnight off-site trips add to the fun and expand a child’s world.

Anyone with a child too old to be a camper and too young to find a job knows just how endless (and expensive) the days of summer can be. Counselors-in-training programs offer younger teens an opportunity to learn about leadership, teamwork and working with children.