Kids and TV have a long history together–from the early days of “Sesame Street” to the modern era of “Baby Einstein,” television shows and kids movies have served as both educational instructors and entertaining babysitters for years.

But, as mentioned in an interesting article from BabyCenter, many believe that even background television can be harmful to children’s mental and emotional development. I know some grandparents who are so anti-TV that they are offering a $1,000 donation to their grandkids’ college funds for every year that parents can keep the little ones from watching it. And yet, nearly a third of participants in a related BabyCenter survey said that their kids not only watch television, but have them in their bedrooms.

What’s your take on kids and TV? Are television shows parenting tools, or potential addictions? You tell us!

You don’t have to plan a big family road trip to give your kids some excitement this summer. There are plenty of local attractions offering exhilarating family experiences that are the perfect way to spend a mini-vacation, birthday party or just a fun afternoon.

From zoos to amusement parks to various kinds of dinner theater, browse the web on sites like Local Attractions to check out what your city has to offer. Be sure to look for upcoming events as well–even if your kids have been to the local zoo every year for school field trips, they probably have never experienced the thrill of a zoo sleepover or the fun of watching “Zoovies” on the lawn!

And, if you don’t plan to leave town for a family vacation this summer, you can still have a fun  getaway by staying the night at a local hotel. Live it up by staying up late, watching movies, ordering room service and eating ice cream in bed! Then make sure you soak up the sun poolside–some hotels even have awesome waterslides and playgrounds!

Another great option for family fun this summer is dinner theater. In my hometown, we always spent the summers picnicking at Moonlight Amphitheater, an outdoor theater offering world-class musicals all season long. There’s also the ever popular Medieval Times, which not only gives you the chance to cheer for your favorite knight, but to eat with your hands too!

With all of this family fun at your fingertips, there’s no need to leave home this summer for a walk on the wild side with lions, waterslides and knights (oh my!).

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!