One More Fling

Southern California has no rustling leaves or crisp breezes to signal the last rites of summer. The signs here are more subtle. Like the stockpiling in local stores of the latest in Trapper Keepers and Day-Glo pencil cases and the sales of this year’s must-have khakis and cords at every jeans outlet in town. Or that you can count on both hands how many homework-free days are left.

How to stave off the inevitable? We asked kids all over the Southland for help. And though we can’t change that earlier bedtime or get the sun to stay up later, we can offer some respite from trans-seasonal despair. Here are kids’ suggestions (and a few of ours) on how to make the most of the last days of summer. Jump on in.

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“We went to the beach [at 32nd Street in Newport] a lot. I liked surfing the waves there. The water’s not too smooth.”

Thierry Kodsi, 6, second-grader at

Carden Heights of Orange elementary school

“We went to Lake Powell. I liked going down the slide on the houseboat. And I saw bats. They were cool.”

Haley MacPherson, 5, kindergartner at

St. John’s Episcopal School, Trabuco Canyon

“I liked selling lemonade with my friends. We got to make money, and I bought my own Tamagotchi.”

Dana Kanchana, 9, fifth-grader

at El Camino Real Elementary, Irvine

“Camp Bluff in Big Bear was great because we slept in cabins, did riflery and rode horses. Also, I had a lot of fun on a rafting trip in Oregon. . . . We had a really cute tour guide!”

Madison Woolworth, 10, fifth-grader

at University Park Elementary, Irvine

“I liked going to Lake Havasu. I played lots of video games, . . . and we went to a cove, and I jumped off the rocks, and I dived!”

Jared Al-Jamie, 4, preschooler

at Carden Heights of Orange

Although a trip to Oregon or Arizona may be out of the question at this late date, there are local venues where families can weigh anchor for a day on the deep blue.

At Irvine Lake, you can rent a small motorboat and putt around 770 acres. Fishing equipment is for rent (they’re catching catfish now), and there are paddleboats, kayaks, hiking trails, archery and other outdoorsy diversions.

If you’d rather leave the navigating to the professionals, the 500-passenger Catalina Flyer out of Newport Beach can ferry you across for a day of snorkeling, swimming and other waterfront fun at Catalina. Or you can board a Catalina Cruises’ vessel out of Long Beach. (The Orange County Marine Institute--see below--also offers Catalina day trips).

If you’d rather ogle local marine wildlife than swim with it, the Marine Institute in Dana Point has its bioluminescence cruise Friday and Saturday nights and a raft of other wildlife cruises. Maritime history buffs, and anybody who enjoys a good time on the water’s edge, can check out the Tallships Festival coming Sept. 6 and 7.

READING

We’re happy to report that everybody completed their summer reading assignments. OK, maybe not. But there’s still time for a summer adventure in the pages of a book.

“I read a really good book called ‘Into Thin Air’ by Jon Krakauer. It was really well-written, and it was the only book I ever finished in one night. It’s a nonfiction adventure.”

Neil Spolin, 15, 10th-grader

at New Roads School, Santa Monica

“My favorite book this summer was ‘The Crystal Cave’ by Mary Stuart. It’s one of the Arthurian novels. But I’d only recommend it for ages 12 and up, ‘cause it’s kind of complicated.”

Corinne Elfassi, 14, ninth-grader

at Beverly Hills High

The local library is a great place to find that special book.

In Santa Ana, the central branch of the Santa Ana Public Library offers free family story times and crafts Saturday mornings and a program for preschoolers on Wednesday mornings.

If you live near one of several bookstores, you can check out fun events too.

Borders Books & Music in Mission Viejo presents morning and evening story times five days a week for toddlers to grade schoolers. On Saturday, readings from Maurice Sendak’s “Where the Wild Things Are” will feature a cameo by a “Wild Thing” character; on Sept. 8, the store hosts its monthly meeting of the Goosebumps’ Club with readings from the R.L. Stine series, plus snacks and crafts. (Also check out the Borders Books in Brea).

Countywide, Barnes & Noble Booksellers host children’s story times. Tonight at the MainPlace store, they’re reading from Fred Hiatt’s “If I Were Queen of the World” at 7 p.m.

Heading north, Every Picture Tells a Story. . . in Los Angeles has “The Best of Everything,” an exhibit featuring original illustrations from children’s favorites: “Goodnight Moon,” “Curious George,” “Charlotte’s Web,” “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” and “The Phantom Tollbooth.”

PERFORMANCE

As far as summer productions go, the show’s not over yet.

“I liked the Springbrook [Elementary School in Orange] drama summer school. I got a lot of the main parts [like] King Arithmetic!”

Emily Brenner, 10, fifth-grader

at Eastshore Elementary, Irvine

“I went to the Hollywood Bowl a lot. The San Francisco Ballet did Act 2 of Swan Lake that was amazing. I’m really interested in dance and took a lot of classes in jazz, ballet and hip-hop.”

Kara Hayes, 14, ninth-grader

at Van Nuys Performing Arts School

South Coast Repertory’s newest addition to the Young Conservatory, the Summer Players, present free performances of two original plays Saturday on the theater’s Second Stage: “Just Like Me,” by Lisa Beth Allen, and “Beloved Dearly,” by Doug Cooney.

Kids who like their music to go boom! may get a charge out of Pacific Symphony’s Tchaikovsky Spectacular on Sept. 20. The program includes excerpts from the “Sleeping Beauty” ballet, with dancers from American Ballet Theatre, and the “1812” Overture, capped by live blasts from more than a dozen cannons. Picnicking encouraged; grounds open at 6 p.m.

Upcoming Hollywood Bowl shows of interest to kids include the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s “Star Wars 20th Anniversary” with John Williams conducting and a little help from Darth Vader, R2-D2, C-3PO and Chewbacca on Friday and Saturday nights. There will be fireworks too. With tickets for as little as $1, it can be one of the summer’s best bargains.

MUSEUMS AND TOURS

Museums and other educational venues were bustling with activity and programs this summer. Some still are.

“I liked going to Cosmosis camp at my school [because] we got to grind our own stones and find pictures in them.”

Emily Rose, 8, third-grader

at Tustin Memorial Academy

“I had lots of fun at the Living Sea and Me camp at my school. . . . We learned a lot, and the counselors were really nice.”

Taylor Cherry, 10, fifth-grader

at Carden Heights of Orange

“Choo-choo.”

Emily Landress, 3, of Los Angeles

(Mom interprets: “Her favorite

thing was the trains at Travel

Town in Griffith Park.”)

Most day camps are winding down for the season, but local museums are ready and waiting to educate, entertain and enlighten.

At the Children’s Museum at La Habra, melodious munchkins can catch the final days of the interactive “Music Studio” exhibit (ends Sept. 7). On Sept. 6, there’s Mayan, Aztec and other Native American music offered in “Xochimoki: A Musical Journey Through the Americas”; on Sept. 7, the museum celebrates grandparents with discounted admissions and a family-tree art workshop.

The Bowers Kidseum in Santa Ana has ongoing programs for kids including Pre-School Discoveries, Art in the Afternoon and weekend storytelling sessions.

The popular “Cats! Wild to Mild” exhibit at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County slinks out of town Monday. Don’t miss your chance to explore the world of cats, from exotic species to house pets, and discover how your pet is not so very different from a Maya jaguar warrior. In Los Angeles’ Exposition Park.

Sci-fi fans can brush up on their “X-Files” trivia before the new TV season starts at the Hollywood Entertainment Museum’s new exhibit, “From the X-Files,” featuring props, documents and wardrobe created for the first three seasons of the hit television series.

THEME PARKS

It just wouldn’t be summer without fun in the sun. Here are some tips for savoring the last of those seasonal thrills, including those at local theme or water parks.

“I liked visiting Knott’s Berry Farm with my best friend, Christine. We went for the first time on all these rides with triple loops. It was really scary, but it was fun!”

Andrea Castle, 10, fifth-grader

at Arroyo Elementary, Santa Ana

“The best thing I did was going to Raging Waters and going on the Dark Hole. You get in a tube and slide through dark places.”

Ludwig Lopez, 9, fourth-grader

at Wilton Place Elementary, Los Angeles

“I liked hanging out with my friends by the pool . . . also Corona del Mar State Beach because the waves are good and there’s not too big of a crowd.”

Shannon Rozar, 12, seventh-grader

at Oak Ridge School, Santa Ana

“We liked going to the Girl Scout day camp at Arroyo . . . because on the last day we had water fun day, and we got to get people wet!”

Kaitlin Moody, 9, and Evelyn Castle, 8,

third-graders, Arroyo Elementary, Santa Ana

And let’s not forget the rush that can only be found on those itty-bitty wheels . . .

“The Encinitas YMCA Skate Park was great. It’s a good park, set up real nice. I saw [professional skater] Tony Hawk there.”

Bryce Cherry, 14, sophomore

at El Modena High, Orange

Come Labor Day, it’s a big lights out for some Disneyland attractions, including one that’s going away for good. As of Sept. 4, “The Spirit of Pocahontas” stage show closes. After Monday, Light Magic goes on a seasonal hiatus and the Hercules parade, “Hunchback” shows and “Fantasmic!” spectacle go to weekends only. And you can wave bye-bye to Tink and the “Fantasy in the Sky” fireworks show Sunday. The park’s shorter, fall hours kick in Tuesday.

The Peanuts gang has taken over with “Joe Cool’s Beach Party” at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park through Labor Day. There’s “Snoopy’s Most Musical Adventure” in the Good Times Theater, a bike-and-skateboard show in Calico Square, steel-drum bands and the new surf-inspired Windjammer roller coaster. A kids’ price ($9.95 for ages 3 to 11) includes a free hot dog and Joe Cool sunglasses.

Slip and slide into Wild Rivers in Irvine pretty quick if you want to take advantage of its end-of-summer hours. (The park, which offers 40 watery attractions on its 20 acres, closes for the season Sept. 29.)

Skating enthusiasts can check out Stuart’s Roller World & Extreme Skate Park in Orange, which bills itself as “the first, largest and only wooden skateboard park in Orange County.” Stuart’s is in Fullerton and Rancho Cucamonga too.

Sea World’s Summer Nights dim for the season after Monday. The after-dark festivities at the marine park include a splashy ice show, special Shamu and sea-lion shows and a nightly fireworks show over Mission Bay. Park returns to daylight-only hours on Tuesday.

If you’re among the few on the planet who haven’t tried Raging Waters’ newest attraction, the 109-foot-tall head-first water toboggan ride High Extreme, there’s still time to suit up before the San Dimas park closes for the winter Oct. 4.

Another of the season’s newest and biggest thrills is Superman: The Escape. Drop by and test your will at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia. Open daily through the first week in November.

If you liked the movie “The Lost World: Jurassic Park,” you might enjoy the back-lot tram tour of the movie’s sets at Universal Studios in Hollywood. And through Monday, California residents can receive one free admission for kids 15 and under with each paid adult ticket. So take the parents along.

Also contributing to this report was Times correspondent Corinne Flocken.