In these tough times, many families are cutting corners and holiday trips are taking a back seat even more so during this Spring break. Like any other parents, I’m sure you’re looking for ideas to keep your kids occupied at home and out of trouble.

While computers and internet are a great resource, most parents are naturally cautious about letting their kids loose on the Internet. In actual fact, if you knew where to look, there is a lot of FREE and GOOD content available online. Let me just share a few here with you:
 

1. LEGO – Ideal for the Lego fan, your child can watch Lego comics and movies, play games and construct their own Web page to show off their creativity
2. Nick – Your child can pledge to save the world, play games, check out the latest news on SpongeBob or create a virtual life on Nicktropolis.
3. Pbskids – With games themed around Sesame Street, Clifford, Curious George, Arthur, Barney and other kid classics, your kids will have fun “interacting” with their favorite characters.
4. Cartoon Network Games – With more than 200 games featuring favorite cartoon characters, your kids can hunt monsters with Scooby-Doo, play Ninja Survival or follow the Path of a Jedi.
5. Funbrain – Part of the Family Education Network, the site provides educational activities for parents and teachers, as well as interactive games to help your kids with math and reading.
6. Funschool – This site, provided by Kaboose, is designed for elementary-age kids and offers free educational games as well as printable activities, coloring sheets and craft projects that will help your kids learn while having fun.
7. Hot Wheels Games – For car fans, Hot Wheels has dozens of vehicle-related games that let kids drive through mazes, race friends and solve puzzles.
8. Fortune Girls – beta website where tweens can try their hand at being fashion and business divas.