Now that school is back in session, it is inevitable that kids are going to start sharing their germs and illnesses with their schoolmates. And, while sick days are not supposed to be fun, they can be down right boring some times!

While you don’t want to over do it, here are some tips for curing sick day boredom with your kids:

Read together! - Get cozy on the sofa and read some of your favorite stories together.  Let their imaginations run wild while they let their bodies rest.

Watch movies - Kaboose offers a great of the top 10 sick day movies.  Avoid daytime talk shows and drama-filled soap operas and let your kids indulge in a little extra TV watching with some animated greats.

Activity Books - Break out the mad libs and coloring books. These are great way to keep your child busy, but not roudy.

Get crafty - Look around the house to supplies to a spontaneous craft project.  Consider creating family albums together, or even try decorating the tissue box!

We hope these tips help cure your sick day boredom.  If you have any additional suggestions, please let us know!

For many families, the back-to-school season also means back-to-sports. Organized team activities like soccer, baseball and softball can be great ways for kids to make friends, learn about teamwork and develop a passion for physical activity. Plus, the 2008 Olympic Games offer great inspiration for kids and parents alike to pursue fun sports and fitness activities during this time of year.

But, if your kids are slacking on the soccer field, don’t be too quick to count them out as natural athletes just yet!

Family Education has an interesting article explaining that many kids quit sports simply because they aren’t having fun. When I was in school, I was always the girl sitting in the outfield making daisy necklaces while the other kids played kickball. I wasn’t even vaguely interested in team sports until I started playing tennis in the eighth grade and fell in love.

So, if your kids don’t seem excited by sports these days, why not give some of these alternative sport ideas from PBS a try? They are a fun way to keep your kids entertained and energized all school year long!

• Badminton
• Baton twirling
• Fencing
• Figure skating
• Karate
• Kayaking
• Mountain biking
• Rock climbing
• Sculling (rowing)
• Skateboarding
• Surfing
• Synchronized swimming
• Tennis
• Triathlons
• Wakeboarding
• Water skiing

If your kids still insist that they don’t like sports, have them take a look at this helpful article from Kids Health. You can also start including them in activities you enjoy, taking short hikes or playing a few holes of golf with the kids in tow. Before you know it, your whole family will be happy, healthy and enjoying the beautiful fall weather together!

Each summer, parents face the daunting task of entertaining their kids throughout the long school vacation. Between family trips and stints at summer camp, keeping the kids off the couch can be a challenge. If your kids’ joyful playing in the park and swimming at Grandma’s house has already deteriorated into watching TV and incessantly teasing each other, it might be time for a new summer pastime.

Try directing a children’s play for your little ones and their friends. This one project alone can encourage reading, writing, design, dance, music, teamwork, public speaking and arts and crafts. Depending on their age ranges, you can even turn it into a months-long event, with a show at the end of summer to display all their hard work to friends, family and neighbors. Or, it can be a week-long process with a show on Friday night.

You can transform your child’s favorite books or movies into scripts, or simply borrow one from an online source. I particularly love “Peggy the Pint Sized Pirate” from FreeDrama.com. It has an adorable story about being small but brave, making unusual friends and protecting the environment. With cutout felt eye patches, cardboard swords and their favorite striped shirts, the kids with be playing pirates onstage in no time!

After the show, you can invite all the kids and their parents to a themed cast party using this type of fun, theatrical invitation. If you spark your kids’ interest in performing arts, you can check out local children’s theater programs for them to participate in, or take them to live performances as summer field trips. You might even see your babe on Broadway someday!

Planning a slumber party? If so, here’s some tips on ways to make it fun for the kids and easy on you. First of all, decide on the number of guests that will be manageable for you. If you have the time to do so, order your personalized invitations well in advance, around 6-8 weeks prior to the party. Then send them out 3-4 weeks before allowing enough time for guests to save the date.

Prepare yourself with lots of fun snacks, goodies and activities. Rent a video and have some popcorn handy as a fun late night activity. A week or two before the event, purchase a few of your child’s favorite snacks and decide on the menu. Finger foods such as tacos and pizza are always popular. You might also want to find out if any of your guests have any food allergies to take into consideration. This would also be a good time to purchase any decorations or favors for guests.

Lastly, give yourself time to get things in order, clean the house and relax a little before all the craziness begins!

Here are a few of our party invitations perfect for slumber parties.

Check out Birthday in a Box for more information on party planning and the timeline.

With summer just around the corner, are you prepared for your kid’s being out of school? Long, hot days and restless kids may be parent’s worst nightmare unless they have a plan. Being a long-time fan of Oprah, I found a link on her website which provides tips for parents. The article is by actress Holly Peete and her husband Rodney Peete and is taken from their radio show interview with parenting expert Dr. Michele Borba. From choosing your child’s summer camp to tips on how to have happy family road trips, this article might help you and your kids have a happy summer!

Source: http://www.oprah.com/xm/peetes/200805/peetes_20080506.jhtml?promocode=901