It's several days into a freeze so solid that you can't go outside. You've already built all the pillow forts and made all the paper airplanes one family can handle, and now you are at a loss. You need something that will get out some energy, hold the kids' attention, and keep you awake. Well, look no further: your solution is play dough. Play dough is, pretty much, solid gold in the amuse-the-children department; all the pressing, shaping, rolling and squeezing helps kids' fine-motor abilities and strengthens hand, arm, and shoulder muscles. But I love it for other reasons as well.

Father at Large Peter Chianca gives us his take on what's in and what's out for kids in 2008. One word: Disney personalities. The kids bands are all the rage for the younger set but what about Webkinz and Rock Band. Are they in or out? Find out here!

Learn more about Martin Luther King, Jr. as we prepare to celebrate the federal holiday on January 19.  You may not know how closely he is tied to the Boston area.

Looking for the perfect turkey recipe? Some local students at the Holliston Extended Day Program share some unique instructions sure to bring you a smile.

Nicholas:   Get a turkey from the store. Put tomato sauce on it. Put it in the stove at 1 degree for 5 minutes. Something will beep when it is done.

A contemporary turkey dinner isn’t enough for some people who love Thanksgiving. They want another version – one flavored with a bit of history. Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth serves that up in abundance. You also can experience history through your taste buds at two other living history museums – Old Sturbridge Village in Sturbridge and Hancock Shaker Village on the Pittsfield/Hancock border.

Throughout the ages, the world has appreciated the decorative uses of the beautiful and unusual plant called the gourd. Celebrate the fall harvest well into the winter season with these crafts:

Keep your children busy with an activity from The Busy Siblings Book

 

Time to get spooked out! We've given you the spookiest, scariest, little-known details about Massachusetts' frightful past. From a tidal wave of molasses to the world's largest brain bank, you'll have fun sharing these tidbits with others!