With the summer break already having started for some Suffolk students and with the rest of Suffolk’s youth counting the minutes until the last day of school, many parents are already dreading the inevitable complaint: “I’m bored.”

To be sure, there will be family vacations, trips to the beach, summer jobs or summer school for many of Suffolk’s students, but most parents are familiar with the irony of summer vacation, when kids begin to realize how much they miss their friends and the simple opportunity to have something to fill their time during the day.

There are a variety of options to keep kids busy this summer, though, and to give them a chance to improve themselves physically and mentally in the process. There’s no reason parents have to resort to allowing unfettered access to television or video games or — even worse — letting their children roam around with people who might lead them astray.

The 2013 Hoops-4-Life Summer Basketball Camp will be held at King’s Fork Recreation Center in three different one-week sessions beginning June 24. It will teach basketball skills as well as the value of discipline, goal setting and teamwork. Campers will hear from guest speakers, watch video sessions and participate in workshops. Call 514-7270 for more information.

The Hook a Kid on Golf program will be held at Sleepy Hole Golf Course July 15-19 from 9 a.m. to noon. Registration is open through July 12 to children ages 7 to 15. Register at the Parks and Recreation administration building or call 514-7270.

To get the all-around camp experience, sign up for the Outdoor Adventure Kamp. Canoeing, archery, fishing and more will be explored. OAK sessions for children of various age groups will be held beginning June 24 at Lone Star Lakes and run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day. Registration is going on now at the Sleepy Hole Park office, 4616 Sleepy Hole Road. Call 923-2385 for more information.

For kids ages 7 to 10 interested in public safety, the Fire and Life Safety Camp is a good choice. The camp is a half-day local camp that runs Monday through Friday and features a variety of fun, challenging, entertaining and educational activities.

The mission of the camp is to teach children safety lessons about things around their homes and schools. Short lectures and lessons are followed by opportunities to participate in exercises designed to reinforce the topics. Topics include firefighting, bicycle safety, water safety, search and rescue practices, first aid and more.

Sessions begin July 8 and will be held at three different fire stations around the city. The registration deadline is June 14 for all three camps. You may mail or drop off the application and fee to Suffolk Fire and Rescue Fire Camp, 300 Kings Fork Road, Suffolk, VA 23434. For more information, call Pam King at 514-4542 or Jeanie Brinkley at 514-4551.

With all these choices, there’s no reason for any Suffolk parent to hear “I’m bored!” this summer.