Those with children at home for the holiday break already might have heard this: “There’s nothing to do.”

But there are some activities for Lawrence youngsters to do this week while they’re out of school – from swimming indoors to playing basketball or even taking part in a formal tea party with a pirate theme.

Holcom Park Recreation Center, 2700 W. 27th St., East Lawrence Recreation Center, 1245 E. 15th St., and the Community Building, 115 W. 11th St., will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays through Jan. 5.

But the recreation facilities will alter hours for the New Year’s holiday: noon-5 p.m. Sunday (Holcom will close at 4 p.m.), closed Monday and 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday.

South Park Recreation Center, 1141 Mass., will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today through Friday. It will be closed Monday for the holiday.

Prairie Park Nature Center, 2730 Harper St., will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today through Saturday and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. It will be closed Monday.

Holiday happenings

The Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department has organized some supervised activities this week at Holcom, called Holiday Happenings.

The cost is a $45 per person, plus the cost of any field trips for the program, which goes from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. today, Thursday and Friday. The program is for children ages 5 to 12.

“We can take about 50, but we only have 20 enrolled (as of Tuesday),” said Jamie Reed, recreation programmer. “You have to sign up to participate in that.”

Caleb Othick, 7, of Baldwin City, stretched out his holiday break from school by heading to the Indoor Aquatic Center at Free State High School, 4706 Overland Drive. The aquatic center has special hours while students are on break, and Caleb was among several who enjoyed the water Tuesday.

Students in that program will be bused to the Indoor Aquatic Center, 4706 Overland Drive, for swimming and to a movie.

New Year’s Eve

Another supervised activity for children ages 5 to 12 is the New Year’s Overnighter at Holcom.

The overnighter will be from 8 p.m. Sunday to 8 a.m. Monday. The cost is $26 per child. The deadline to sign up is Friday.

“They drop their kids off with a sleeping bag. We provide them with pizza and soda and snacks. We also have giveaways all through the night,” Reed said.

The kids also listen to music and watch movies, she said.

At midnight, “they get to throw toilet paper and confetti and Silly String. It’s pretty fun.”

Tea and pirates

The Lawrence Public Library will host its annual tea party.

The hourlong tea will be at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Thursday in the library’s auditorium, 707 Vt. Students are asked to register for the event because there is room for only 70 per session. There is no charge.

“It’s very festive and very formal, in many ways,” said Joyce Steiner, the library’s youth services coordinator. “We have actual china that we use and do the tea sandwiches and cookies. Kids do get to drink herbal tea, if they like, but we also have punch.”

This year’s theme is “Tea on Treasure Island,” with all the participants pretending they are on a ship at sea. Then the ship gets stranded on an island – an island with pirates.

Corey Banks, 11, takes aim at a striped ball during a game of pool at the East Lawrence Recreation Center, 1245 E. 15th St. With more than 10 days off from school for winter break, Corey has divided his time between family gatherings and activities with friends at the youth center. He shot pool Tuesday.

Those participating in the tea have the option of dressing up, Steiner said. In the past, some girls have worn hats and gloves, while boys dress in ties.

That same evening, the library will have its weekly storytime hour, where library staff members read to children and they get to do a craft project. That event starts at 7 p.m. Thursday.

Swimming

The Indoor Aquatic Center will be open for lap swimming from 5:15 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. today through Friday and warm-water lap swimming from noon to 1 p.m. today through Friday.

The center’s zero-depth and children’s area will be open from 1 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. today through Friday; the waterslide and diving area will be open from 1 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. today through Friday.

The center’s Saturday hours are lap swimming, 9 a.m.-7:45 p.m.; zero-depth and children’s area, 1 p.m.-7:45 p.m.; and waterslide and diving area, 1 p.m.-7:30 p.m.

On Sunday, lap swimming will be from 1 p.m. to 5:45 p.m., the zero-depth and children’s area will be open from 1 p.m. to 5:45 p.m., and the waterslide and diving area will be open from 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The center will be closed Monday.