If you’re worried your kids will get bored over winter break, or if you need a few hours alone to shop (or restore your home to its former condition after the little hooligans have been home from school for a few days) consider signing them up for camp. We've rounded up four best bets for winter break camps this season. All offer activities kids will love, and one even has a sleep-away option. And they all offer you a much-needed break too.

COCA

COCA is offering half- and full-day winter break camps for ages 3 to 11 covering a range of fun themes from circus arts, Broadway singing and cooking pizza. Camps are available Dec. 20 to 23 and costs range from $25 for one half-day camp up to $160 for four full days. For an extra fee, before-care is available starting at 7:30 a.m. and after-care is available until 6 p.m. Registration is now open. Go to www.cocastl.org or call 314-725-6555 for details or to sign up.

Craft Alliance

Craft Alliance is offering holiday camps at its Delmar Loop location. Camps range from learning techniques of clay, glass and metal arts to creating wearable art.
Camps are available Dec. 27 to 31, and are morning or afternoon, but parents can combine a morning and afternoon camp to create a full day, and a supervised lunch is available for free to campers staying all day (bring a sack lunch). Detailed camp descriptions and registration are available at www.craftalliance.org
 
Saint Louis Science Center
 
The Saint Louis Science Center is offering Holidazed Camps for kids in grades one through sixth. Topics cover the weather, magnets, natural disasters and much more. Camps are available Dec. 20 to 23, Dec. 27 to 29, Dec. 31 and Jan. 3, and are morning or afternoon, but again, camps can be combined to create a full-day experience and extended care is available. There is even a camp offered on Martin Luther King Day, Jan. 17. Call Jill at 314-289-4439 for information or to register, or go to www.slsc.org for more information.
 

YMCA Camp Lakewood
 
Camp Lakewood at the Trout Lodge in Potosi, Mo., is offering overnight camps for ages 7 to 12 from Dec. 27 to 30. Camps will be full of indoor and outdoor fun and provide kids a chance to spend time with friends (new and old) participating in age-appropriate games and activities. You can download a registration form here or call Camp Registrar Holly Shoults at 314-241-9622, ext. 113, or Camp Program Director Brad Smith at 314-241-9622, ext. 121 for more information. Or visit Trout Lodge's web site at www.ymcaoftheozarks.org

By Michelle Cox, contributing writer for SmartParenting

Photo courtesy of COCA