Summer Isn't Over Yet: 10 Ways to Squeeze in More Family Fun

The backpacks are packed. The alarm clocks are back on. Homework is starting to make its way home.

But one step outside in Upland, Claremont or La Verne and it's pretty obvious: summer is definitely not over.

And honestly, I'm not quite ready to give it up yet.

There are still warm evenings, weekends to fill and plenty of opportunities to squeeze in a little more summer fun before we start talking pumpkins, Halloween costumes and everything fall.

Here are 10 easy ways to keep that summer feeling going with the kids.

When it's hot outside, sometimes the only reasonable activity involves getting wet.

Pull out the swimsuits and spend an afternoon at a local pool, splash pad or water play area. Even setting up sprinklers, water balloons or the hose in the backyard counts.

The kids don't care whether you've planned an elaborate outing. Give them water on a hot afternoon and you've pretty much won the day.

There is something about going out for ice cream after dinner that just feels like summer.

Instead of heading straight home one evening, surprise the kids with a dessert stop. Upland, Claremont and La Verne have plenty of choices, from ice cream and frozen yogurt to shakes and other sweet treats.

For a classic Claremont stop, wander through the Village and grab a cone at  Bert & Rocky's . Or make it a family challenge and try somewhere you've never been before.

Bonus points if everyone orders a flavor outside their usual chocolate-or-vanilla comfort zone.

This one requires almost no planning.

Pick up dinner or pack something easy, grab a blanket and head to one of our local parks in the early evening. By then, the worst of the afternoon heat is starting to disappear and the kids can run around while you actually get a chance to sit down.

Upland alone has plenty of neighborhood parks with playgrounds and picnic areas, including Cabrillo, Citrus and Magnolia parks.

Sometimes the simplest outings are the ones the kids remember.

You don't really need a plan for this one.

Head to the Claremont Village after dinner, walk around, browse the shops and let the kids pick a treat. There are plenty of restaurants and dessert spots, plus it's just a nice place to wander when the evening starts cooling down.

Make it even more fun by letting the kids decide where you stop.

A 2 p.m. nature walk in August? No, thank you.

An evening walk when the sun starts going down? Much better.

Head out to a favorite neighborhood trail or park, explore  Thompson Creek Trail  in Claremont or simply take a walk around your own neighborhood.

Let the kids bring scooters or bikes, look for birds and bugs, or turn it into a scavenger hunt. You don't have to go far to turn an ordinary evening into something a little different.

Outdoor movie season doesn't have to end just because the organized summer movie series are wrapping up.

Hang a sheet, pull out a projector if you have one and pile up blankets and pillows outside. No projector? A laptop, tablet or even a regular TV brought onto the patio can work just fine.

Add popcorn, movie candy and pajamas and suddenly you've created an event.

And yes, the grown-ups get to pick the movie sometimes too.

Now that school is back, books can start feeling suspiciously like homework. Let's fix that.

Take the kids to the library with absolutely no assignment attached. Let them choose a graphic novel, dinosaur book, cookbook, joke book or whatever catches their attention.

Our local libraries have plenty happening beyond checking out books, too. Storytimes, crafts, STEAM activities and special programs pop up throughout the month at the Upland Public Library, Claremont Helen Renwick Library and La Verne Library. Check the Macaroni KID event calendar to see what's coming up!

Okay, maybe not on a Tuesday.

But on Friday or Saturday? Absolutely.

Pick one night and loosen the bedtime rules. Go for ice cream at 8:30. Take a flashlight walk. Sit outside and look for stars. Play cards on the patio. Let the kids stay in the pool a little longer.

One of the best things about summer as a kid was knowing that bedtime didn't always matter quite as much.

We can keep a little bit of that magic going, even after school starts.

How many places do we drive past every week and never actually visit?

Pick somewhere in Upland, Claremont or La Verne that your family has never explored and go check it out.

Visit a new park. Explore downtown Upland. Wander the Claremont Colleges. Take a walk through Old Town La Verne. Try a restaurant you've passed a hundred times. Find a playground your kids have never visited.

You don't have to drive an hour away to have an adventure. Sometimes it's sitting right down the street.

This might be the most fun one of all.

Give the kids a budget, a few ground rules and control of the itinerary.

Maybe they choose pancakes for breakfast, a park in the morning, swimming in the afternoon and pizza for dinner. Maybe it's library, frozen yogurt and a family movie. Maybe their choices make absolutely no sense whatsoever.

That's part of the fun.

Call it your family's One More Day of Summer and let them take over.