Children in the Lawrence Parks and Recreation’s Summer Playground Program play a game of “Down by the banks of the hanky-panky” in South Park, 1200 Mass. Parents of children ages 5-12 can still enroll through Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department for the weekday program, which includes arts and crafts, games, field trips, swimming and more. There is a fee, and the program runs through July 23.

Thanks to the Lawrence Parks and Recreation department, hundreds of local children won’t be vegging out in front of Nickelodeon this summer.

Instead, they’ll be playing kickball and capture the flag, checking out the bookmobile, swimming at the city pool, hurling water balloons, enjoying arts and crafts, and learning to make nutritious snacks.

Sounds old-school, doesn’t it?

Maybe that’s because the Parks and Rec neighborhood playground program is 64 years old.

“This was the first program that started the Parks and Recreation department here in Lawrence,” says Duane Peterson, special events supervisor. “The playground program was the first that they offered. Back then, it was all free to the community.”

Peterson says the summer activity program held at Edgewood, Holcom, Broken Arrow and South parks, as well as Sunflower School, is one of the city’s most popular.

“In all those years, there’s not been one major incident. It’s always been run well, and it’s one of the top programs in which people continue to enroll, even though there’s a small fee now.”

The fee is $140 monthly or $80 biweekly for daily sessions, Monday through Friday. Hours are 9-noon and 1-4. There’s also a summer food program that provides a free, supervised meal to all youths under the age of 18.

“It’s a federal grant program that’s put on by the K-State Extension center and administrated by the school district,” Peterson says.

Senior counselor Wendi Burke, an eighth-grade science teacher at Seaman Middle School in Topeka, started working for the program seven years ago.

“This was my first job out of high school, and it actually helped me decide to be a teacher,” she says. “It made me not so scared of kids.”

Burke says the counselors keep kids busy, and happy, with an ever-changing schedule of activities.

“We do a lot of field trips. We go to the Natural History Museum and the fire station for tours. Great Harvest Bread lets us in, and the kids get to make bread. We have fun,” she says.

At age 12, Lucy McCleary of Lawrence is a playgrounds program veteran.

“Before I went here I went to two other camps, but I didn’t like those because they weren’t outside a lot,” she says. “I like being outside.”

McCleary adds, “I like the bookmobile because I like reading new books. And I like to walk to the pool because you get all sweaty when you’re walking there and you come back refreshed.”

Trey Swan, 11, who will be a seventh-grader at West Junior High School next year, remembers his first day at the program three years ago.

“I was nervous and didn’t know what to do,” he recalls, “but then I made friends and started having fun. This is just my second day of the summer, and I’ve already made two friends I didn’t know.”

Swan’s favorite activities include I Water Day, which is held at South Park.

“That’s when we have water balloon fights. And I like free play where you can just go crazy.”

Swan says he’d recommend the program to anyone with spare time on their hands this summer.

“It’s a great time, a good way to meet new friends and it’s really fun. I’d probably be bored sitting at home.”

June Morton, whose grandchildren, Jessica and Christopher Nau, participate in the program, says it’s a godsend for busy parents and good old-fashioned fun for young people.

“They get lots of exercise. They get guidance and structure. They get to go places. Of course, they get to play and meet new friends and have a free lunch, too,” Morton notes.

“The counselors do an excellent job because they keep them going and interested. They don’t just sit back under a tree and go ‘pfffftt!’ They keep them active.”

Parents of children ages 5-12 can still enroll in the program.