1) EdHeads:  A wide assortment of revolutionary free online games allowing advanced children, tweens and teens to investigate virtual crime scenes, perform hip replacement surgery, help a patient cope with a movement disorder through brain surgery and design their own cell phone for a potential client.  Amazing animation and great exposure to the applied sciences.

2) Up To Ten:  More than 1000 free prize-winning early-learning games and activities, with fun characters and music, designed to build independence on the computer for children from 0 to 10 years of age.  Your child can color in pages, identify errors in pictures, or play dress-up games with the adorable doggies Boowa and Kwala, two animated characters created in 1997 by a Franco-English couple for their daughter Lilou.  French language learners can also play the games in French.

3) PBS Kids:  An amusement park of free educational games, PBS videos and activities that will entertain children all day long.  Your child can design nutritious meals with Sid the Science Kid, clean up Curious George’s room, rhyme with Elmo and so much more.  The intended age group is pre-K to 12.

4) Moshi Monsters:  Age-appropriate free social media and game site for kids.  After registering for free, your child can adopt his own monster and then play learning games in an exciting monster town to earn enough points to buy food, snacks and furniture for his little monster in the town’s boutique and stores.  When he is tired of playing games, he can take a stroll in the the town’s small streets and chat with other “monsters” who are online.

5) Nickelodeon:  Over 1000 free online games for children of all ages, featuring games with familiar Nickelodeon characters such as iCarly, The Penguins of Madagascar and The Fairly OddParents.  Preschoolers can play fun educational games with Dora the Explorer, Diego, Olivia, Max, Ruby, and the Backyardigans on Nick Jr. Nick Jr. also offers art activities, puzzles and stories.

6) Playhouse Disney:  Terrific free online educational games and TV episodes for preschoolers and kindergartners, featuring their favorite Disney characters.  Your kid will strengthen her ability to follow instructions and gain confidence, as she goes gooey fishing with Donald, dresses up with Darby, or helps Minnie catch the run-away notes.

7) Fisher-Price:  Engaging mix of free online games and learning activities for infants, toddlers and preschoolers that train memory, encourage learning, practice fine-motor skills and provide exposure to science, as your child clicks on flowers to prevent them from spraying, beats a virtual playmate in a memory game or explores the planets in our solar system.

8) Aven’s Corner:  Fun variety of free online educational games, uniquely designed for toddlers, preschoolers and children with special needs.  Brush Mr. Smiley’s teeth, build a unique wiggle worm, match shapes or identify facial expressions.  Excellent for children with learning disabilities and kids getting used to the mouse for the first time.  The parents resource section provides valuable information and tips.

9)  Math Playground:  A treasure chest of free transformation games, logic puzzles and hundreds of interactive word problems for elementary and middle school students.  Fun way for your older child to practice her math skills.

10)  Gamequarium:  More than 2000 mostly free interactive learning activities and games arranged in more than 30 categories for preschool through grade 6.   Rated one of the top sites in education and is particularly well known for its math games.   Gamequarium Jr. is a great learning adventure for preschoolers.

I used to hear women all the time say how hard it was to keep their house clean with a little one around.  It wasn’t until I had a child of my own that I understood what they were talking about.

Kids are into everything from the time they learn to crawl. They are busy exploring the world for themselves and in doing this they tend to be a little messy.  From mealtimes to playtimes it can be a challenge to keep a clean house.   However, just like everything else in life this takes time and practice.

Keeping it clean with a toddler:

Start teaching your child at an early age to pick-up after themselves.

Designate a play area for your child.

Purchase a bookshelf and toy box for your little one.

If you don’t have money to invest in a bookshelf or toy box, purchase plastic containers for your child to keep their belongings tucked away.

Organize your child’s drawers and let them know where everything goes.

Try to get your child in the habit of putting away their clothes where they belong.

Every night before bed, help your child to pick up any toys until they get the hang of it on their own.

Once your child outgrows certain toys pack them away if you plan on saving them for younger kids, donate them or give them to a friend.

Be consistent everyday until your child starts to learn on their own.

Include your child in daily chores early, so once they get old enough, they can be a huge help around the house.

Above all, make cleaning fun for your child.   Make it into a game or sing a song while you clean.