2. Train A Pet. When your kids get Mushabelly Stuffed Toys they receive a special ID number that enrolls them (and the virtual version of their toy) in the online world of Mushabelly University. Here, their pet advances up different skill levels, as they participate in games that develop typing, math, and hand-eye coordination, earning points in the process. Best for kids 6 and up.

A similar online game is ActionJetz that also sells airplane toys in toy stores.

3. Dance Like High School Musical. Finger dance, that is. Go to disneychannel/highschoolmusical 2.com for games that teaches kids to type, among others.

4. Make Digital Art. Yes, even young kids and the artistically-challenge will enjoy making their modern masterpieces at www.nga.gov/kids/zone/zone.htm. This incredible site has slide shows and activities like Collage Machine, Pixel Face, Brushter, and 3D Twirler kids can also print their creations. Run by the National Gallery of Art, it introduces them to art history and how paintings can be cooler than MTV.

5. Discover The History and Ice Cream. Visit benjerry.com/fun for paper crafts, online games, a flavor graveyard (one of the most popular features of the site) and a demonstration of how ice cream is made. A similar site is wonka.com, which has candy-making games and educational tidbits (ever wonder how cartoons are made?).

6. Learn A Magic Trick. Aside from simple card and coin games, Funology.com showcases crafts, simple recipes, word puzzles, and brain teasers.

7. Go On A Wildlife Safari. Go to kids.nationalgeographic.com for nature videos, games, activities and contests. This site does a marvelous job of simplifying concepts and making them entertaining without talking down to kids.

8. Meet Kids From Around The World. At kids-space.org, kids can share their original artwork and stories. With contributions from Asia, Europe, North America, this site helps them respect other cultures and see that (despite different religions and nationalities) we have a lot in common.

Materials:

• White tee shirt
• 2-3 colors powdered dye
• 2 rubber bands
• Rubber cloves to protect your hands from the dye.
• Old pots or buckets – used to mix the dye. It should be able to hold 3-5 gallons.
• Old long-handled spoon or tongs to stir the dye.
• Plastic Bag
• Newspaper and garbage bag to protect your work area.
• Rags, paper towels, cleanser for quick clean up.

Instructions: Lay the shirt on a flat surface. Grasp the center of the shirt and wrap a rubber band tightly about 2 inches from the center. Wrap another rubber band 2 inches farther away. Where you place the rubber band determines the width between colors. Mix the dye in individual buckets following instructions on the package. Remember to wear gloves and to cover the work area. Dip the shirt into one color dye. You can dip the entire shirt or parts of it. Squeeze out excess dye mixture. Dip remaining part of the shirt in another color. Once the shirts completely dyed, place it in a plastic bag to set. Once set, remove the rubber bands and lay flat to dry. Be careful when washing your tie-dyed items!  Most should always be washed in cold water. They might bleed at first, so wash them separately.

2. Choose those with pictures of dishes in the menu. Then let the kids choose what they want. It can be a fun process and gives kids a sense of independence. If they can’t choose, go for appetizers first, which can be served fast and ease hunger pangs easily.

3. Bring one or two toys with you. It will come in handy also once your child starts to show signs of boredom, usually after a meal.

4. Order familiar food when out of town. It may be exciting  to try new food for you, but it usually is the opposite for your toddler. Make sure there are other options like fries or spaghetti.

5. Practice table manners at home. It helps to avoid embarrassing dining moments especially if you’re dining out with other people. Teach them how sit at the table properly, to eat using the right utensils, to avoid throwing food or playing under tables.

Here are some things that you can bring when you go to a restaurant with your kid:

• Play Dough. This is small enough to pack into a handbag and provides hours and hours of imaginative fun for little hands. Really keeps them quietly entertained during long trips.
• Plastic Ball. They can kick it around, shoot, and dribble. An instant game can be created to delight them and is a great way for them to expel their energy.
• Personal Blanket. This serves as comfort during a long trip and when in an unfamiliar hotel room. It can also be used as a tent, camouflage, etc.
• Favorite Books. Adam likes Green Eggs and Ham while Nathan likes Elmo. Seeing these familiar books immediately brings a smile and a shriek from these two active boys, but also allows them to settle down after a long exciting day as they get ready to be read to.
• Deet-free mosquito repellant. This formula makes it really sake for young kids.
• Wet Ones and Hand Sanitizers. Offers instant clean-up for dirty little hands.

1. Alumni homecoming, here we come. Take your child to your old high school or college and show them your old classrooms, library, etc. Your kids will love to hear stories about how you were as a student and it is also a great opportunity for you to teach them valuable lessons. Treat them to a meal at the old cafeteria or the nearest fast food.

2. Figure a puzzle. Take home one of those giat jigsaw puzzles that contain 500 to over a thousand pieces and make it a family project for the summer. Delegate a special table where you can leave the puzzle and where everyone can gather around every night for some cozy before-bedtime bonding. Have some mugs of hot chocolate or bags of popcorn handy to complete the picture.

3. Attend toddler classes. Bond with your young ones by signing up for music and movement classes.

4. Pack the picnic basket and go to the park. You can take your family to a picnic in the nearest park, or maybe somewhere out of town. That way, you can spend some time in a park that you’d visit for the first time. Your children would surely enjoy interacting with other kids while you can have a sweet bonding time with your spouse.

5. Enjoy car wash day. Take out the garden hose, pails, sponges, tire brush and soap and have a fun morning washing the family car. Children will love getting themselves wet and will relish pointing the hose at mom and dad. Sure, you can pay someone else 50 bucks to wash the car but it wouldn’t be as fun as getting the family soaked on a hot summer day.

6. Have a family project. A bird-feeling platform, a tree-house or a hand-crafted toy — let your family’s creativity flow with a project that you can all do together. My husband and I recently finished making a sandbox for our daughter. Not only did it save us a lot of money, but it also gave our three-year-old a sense of accomplishment as she helped us paint and pour the sand into her box.

7. Think green. What better way to teach your child about the environment than by actually experiencing it. Try boating at the lagoon or swimming at the salt water pool for starters then stroll along the park while learning about the different plants.

8. Home Theater. Microwave popcorn, ice-cold sodas, snuggling on the bed in tattered pajamas — you can’t beat family bonding while watching films in the comfort of your own home. Renting DVD movies is a great cheap thrill and we recommend getting these family-bonding flicks:

• Father of the Bride, starring Steve Martin as an aging dad who can’t quite let go of his recently engaged daughter, this film is both touching and hilarious as it follows the misadventures of a family planning its first wedding.
• Freaky Friday. Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan star as a mom and daughter who can’t get along. When they switch bodies one freaky Friday, they are forced to adapt living each other’s lives for a day.
• Back to the Future. Michael J. Fox during his ’80’s heyday, this film is a classic comedy. What would it be like to meet your parents in their teens? Parents will love the retro feel of the film while kids will be encouraged to imagine, what if we can go back in time?

9. History lives. Give your children a historical lesson they’ll truly remember by taking them to where history actually happened.

10. Enjoy the pool. Don’t feel like driving out of town to take the kids swimming? Enjoy first-class pool facilities at hotels in the city that have fitness centers where mom and dad can relax or use the gym. Of course, you can bring your own picnic basket but at least you can forget about cooking for a day as you enjoy the hotel’s yummy meals and first-rate service.

11. Whip DIY meals. Take the boredom out of preparing and eating meals by letting the kids help make their food. Place different pizza toppings (grated cheese, ham, mushrooms, etc.) in little bowls and let them assemble their own pizza. Try the same with hamburger or hotdog sandwiches (mustard, catsup, shredded lettuce, tomatoes and cheese).

12. Be culture vultures. Encourage your children’s artistic inclinations and their appreciation for arts and culture by taking them to watch a play, a ballet or a concert. Don’t assume they will just yawn off in boredom.

13. Read together. I always hated stores that have all their books wrapped in plastic so I appreciate bookshops like Fully Booked, Page One and Power Books that have children’s book sections where kids can actually browse through the books. I really enjoy just sitting down and reading with my child — and yes, we are encouraged to buy a book or two.

14. Sing together. Get a year-round Voice Lesson and Stage Performance course for your child, like guitar, keyboard, and pop dance lessons.

15. Take up sports. There are tons of choices. There’s badminton, basketball, bowling, chess, football, karate, tennis, taekwondo, table tennis, swimming, and squash.

16. Talk without saying a word. Compared with other languages, sign language is both visual and physical — perfect for your kids’ attention and keeping their hands and minds busy.

17. Set up a garage sale. If your subdivision doesn’t already hold regular rummage sales, set one up in your garage, first by announcing through eye-catching signs and fliers, the date and time of your sale. Then, get family members involved by asking them to put out personal belongings that they can part with for cash. Wash, polish, and clean each item, put some of them in clear plastic bags to make them more presentable, and tag them with reasonable prices. Come sale day, help organize the items in tables, and assign kids such task as manning the sale, assisting buyers, and handling the cash. Clearing out the clutter from their closets, engaging in basic math, and encouraging interaction with neighbors are just some of the valuable things your kids can pick up from this experience.

18. Go cross-country church-hopping. Go to a place that’s ideal for prayer and reflection, and a cool way to learn history, geography, architecture and religion. If the only view your ids have been exposed to are the buildings of the urban landscape, then you can also take them hiking.

19. Do good deeds together — volunteer. Build a stronger, more spiritual family by instilling charity and generosity. Discover volunteer opportunities for families in your local community centers or church. Visit the sick, orphaned, or elderly. Raise fund for some food or fruit baskets as gifts, draw up activities such as storytelling and art sessions for children.

20. Start having Family Holidays together. Try something new by going to Haven, a wonderful place where people go to spend UK Holidays. There’s a caravan there that provides a lot of benefits more than that of a regular hotel, and caravan parks situated in the best locations for attractions. The family would surely enjoy the space and independence Haven offers its guests. This place definitely delivers the perfect base for your family holiday or short break. At Haven, it’s more than just a place to stay.

Try one or two, if not all, of these suggestions and your attempt to bond with your family would be a surefire success!