AUSTIN (KXAN) – School is almost out for the summer, and plenty of parents will be looking for good options to keep kids occupied and stave off the “summer slide.”

A recent Johns Hopkins report estimates students could lose as much as two months of learning throughout the summer.

Moms and dads: School Choice Magazine is trying to do at least some of the research for you.

They’ve been compiling a list of area summer camps that are fun and also educational.

“We’re not going to overwhelm parents, so we have our top 10  picks,” said Brandee Davis, with School Choice Magazine. “We have our top 10 picks for academic camps. We have our top 10 things that moms and dads can do at home, if they’re really tight on a budget.”

On the list

• St. Paul Lutheran has a “Texas Our Texas” camp that mixes lessons on our state with water play and arts and crafts.
• Mathnasium has a great program for prekindergarten, all the way through calculus students.
• St. Gabriel’s Catholic School puts on a camp inspired by the American Girl dolls, focused on history.
• Badgerdog Literary Publishing Company has a creative writing camp for third- through 12th-graders.

Other summer academic camps

1. ACE Academy Theme: Summer Wonders
2. The Khabele School Theme: Camp Einstein
3. Sea World Ocean Quest (5-12) and Summer Wonders (3-4)

Activities to do around town

• Museums have free day: Blanton Museum and Austin Children’s Museum
• Nature Trails
• Lady Bird Lake _ I spy or Wildflower Center
• NBTWeen Book Club at Howson Branch Library
• Use summer blockbusters like the Avengers as a way to introduce science