DIY Long Island day camps: 3 itineraries to keep kids busy

Looking for ideas for kids to do before school starts? Families can create their own "day camps." Introducing three Do-It-Yourself day camp ideas that can be had on Long Island: "Camp Sparkle," "Camp Ice Cream," and "Camp Climb-A-Lot."

These one-day itineraries are uniquely designed for those summer days when you're between regular camp sessions, not on vacation, or just want to spend time with family and friends. Each "camp" has a schedule that can be arranged on any day in exciting venues.

• The "Camp Sparkle" itinerary is perfect for kids who can never get enough glitter and glow. They'll be glittering from head to toe and making sparkly crafts to take home.
• The "Camp Ice Cream" itinerary is for kids who never tire of everything from gelato to ice pops. They'll paint ice cream signs, play ice cream games, and , of course, eat ice cream.
• The "Camp Climb-A-Lot" itinerary is for those who will climb everything from hills to 182 steps and platforms in treetops.

All three camps offer fringe benefits: you can mix, match, and modify activities to meet your needs at any moment, and your kids will never feel homesick because they're already home.

Here's what to know and where to go. Call in advance to schedule dates and times for activities.

'CAMP SPARKLE'

Activity 1: At Sit Still in Port Washington, a children’s hair salon, stylists begin by placing kid-safe sparkle strands in each camper’s hair or they will make a braid sprayed with sparkles. "The kids love it because it shines but it’s still subtle," says owner Deci Flynn. Next, kids select a stencil for a glitter tattoo — anything from a unicorn to a soccer ball. Tattoos are followed by a sparkly mini manicure. "You can walk out a very sparkly person," Flynn says. (16 Main St., Port Washington; 516-604-5698; portwashington.sitstillkids.com; $50 per child for hair, tattoo and manicure package)

Activity 2: Drive two miles to Sparkle On Parties. As you enter this venue, you’ll be dazzled by a sparkling shimmer wall. Kids begin by gluing charms onto a key chain they can attach to their backpacks. "We also use sparkle glue to super sparkle it out," says Melanie Cassens, co-owner. Next, kids gather around a slime bar where they mix glitter and charms into their own slime. Maggie Hartswick, 10, of Port Washington, recently had a celebration there and says, "The sparkle decorations gave everything a little more color and pop. It’s just more fun." Cassens adds, "Nobody ever leaves without sparkling." (29 Mohegan Ave., Port Washington, 516-777-0101, sparkleonparties.com; minimum of  four kids required, sign up in advance; $35 per child)

Activity 3: Drive 1½ miles to Crazy Cakes Cafe. In this shop filled with baked goodies, owner Erica Tiger, says, "We have gold and silver disco dust, which is like edible glitter." First, kids choose a cupcake flavor ranging from vanilla to red velvet to marshmallow. Next, they choose a frosting and top it with edible glitter. It’s a delicious way to end a sparkly day. (52 Main St., Port Washington, 516-462-7299, crazycakescafe.com; cakes are peanut-, tree nut- and sesame-free; best to call in advance; prices begin at $3.50 per cupcake)

'CAMP ICE CREAM'

Activity 1: Begin your day at the Old Westbury Diner. Pancakes and Belgian waffles can be topped with chocolate, vanilla or strawberry ice cream. (4 Glen Cove Rd., Old Westbury, 516-246-920, oldwestburydinerli.com)

Activity 2: Drive two miles to Let’s Craft in Westbury. This hands-on craft studio for adults as well as kids features fun ice cream crafts. Kids will paint their own designs on 3D, handcrafted ice cream signs. They’ll paint a wooden ice cream truck with magnetic ice cream cones and pops in the windows, or a huge ice cream cone with four scoops and sprinkles. (1500 Old Country Rd, Suite 256 floor 2, Westbury, 516-206-2509, letscraft.org; $35 per child for one hour)

Activity 3: Drive 30 minutes to Main Street Board Game Cafe (Huntington). In this shop filled with a wonderland of board games, parents and kids can sit at a table and play any game they see on the shelves. Little ones can play "The Best Worst Ice Cream" (Kitten Games). They’ll combine Velcro ice cream scoop card flavors in ways that create the strangest ice cream cone ever. Older kids and adults can play "Ice Cream" (Face2Face games) — a board game that takes place in an ice cream shop. While all Camp Ice Cream campers play ice cream games, they can also purchase ice cream in the snack area. (307 Main St., Huntington, 631-729-0060, mainstreetboardgamecafe.com, call in advance; three-hour session $15 per person, $10 kids younger than 12)

Activity 4: Drive one mile to The Ice Cream Chick shop in Huntington. As a camp grand finale, call in advance to arrange to watch an ice cream eating contest. Alternatively, Camp Ice Cream participants can stick their spoons into a giant-sized "kitchen sink bowl," overflowing with 10 scoops of ice cream (flavors of their choice),  two toppings, two Belgian waffles, whipped cream, sprinkles and a banana. "If you don’t finish it, you can take the rest home in a container and it becomes its own flavor mixed together,"  says owner Christine Cairo. (46L Gerard St., Huntington, 631-673-1100 , theicecreamchick.com; "kitchen sink" $75)

'CAMP CLIMB-A-LOT'

Activity 1: Begin your day with an early morning, family-friendly hike along the Cold Spring Harbor State Park Trail. Park in the Cold Spring Harbor Library parking lot. You’ll see the beginning of the trail behind the library. Though the trail is six miles in total, you can walk as far as you’d like and turn back. Even if you walk half a mile up and half a mile down, you’ll see wildlife, views of the harbor and so much more. For those who love to climb, there are plenty of hills. (95 Harbor Rd., Cold Spring Harbor, 631-423-1770, parks.ny.gov; free)

Activity 2: Passengers can rest in your car as you drive for 40 minutes to the Fire Island Lighthouse (Bay Shore side). Park  at Field 5 in the Robert Moses State Park, then walk three-fourths of a mile (or ride a bike along a parallel dirt road) to the lighthouse. Participants must be a minimum of 42 inches to climb 182 steps to the top. Along the way, there are stair handrails on both sides, and at every 26 steps, there’s a platform to take a rest and look out a window.

Jonathon Gaare, executive director of Fire Island Lighthouse Preservation Society, says, "When you get to the top, you get a 360-degree view of bays, the Atlantic Ocean, the city skyline, Stony Brook and so much more. I like to say you can see the whole world." There’s a docent at the top who shares loads of lighthouse information. (Robert Moses Field 5 Parking Lot, 1 Burma Rd., Bay Shore, 631-583-5901, fireislandlighthouse.com; $10, $5 per child ages 12 and younger)

Activity 3: Drive 30 minutes to The Adventure Park at Long Island in Wheatley Heights. Spend an afternoon into the evening climbing across platforms along treetops. Begin climbing on a basic level and progress to the most challenging, which includes zip lines.

As the sun sets, bright-colored lights create a clear path across the treetops so you can climb in the dark. For kids younger than 7, there’s a treetop playground where they can climb in mini tree houses and zip line across. (75 Colonial Springs Rd., Wheatley Heights, 631-983-3844, myadventurepark.com; $69 ages 14 and up, $59 ages 7-13)

Activity 4: Drive home and climb into bed.