The History of Weird

Childhood memories - those seminal, bittersweet moments of our youth burned indelibly into our consciousness. Few things in the running timeline that is our 'life' burn with the intensity of our early memories. I grew up in the 1960's and 70's in a typical Northern Virginia suburb on the outskirts of Washington, D.C. In those days, you got your entertainment wherever you could find it. For the grown-ups, there was Redskins football (if you were lucky enough to be a season ticket holder or, pre-Ebay, know enough of the right people to get tickets). There were a wealth of bars and restaurants, and a handful of museums and cultural tourist attractions. Born in a fiscally conservative household, we settled for Washington Diplomats season tickets. The Diplomats were an NASL (North American Soccer League) soccer franchise who played at RFK Stadium, whenever the Redskins weren't using it that is, and when no major swap meets needed the space. It was a poor substitute for Sonny, Billy, and George Allen, but we enjoyed the likes of Alan Green, Sonny Askew, and Johan Cruyff all the same. If you were a kid in D.C. in those days, the options were less exotic, although for the imaginative, nearly limitless.

In the Winter, most of our days and nights were spent praying for snow. It rarely came, but even an inch or two was enough to gleefully paralyze the Fairfax County Public School System for days, and create a bread and milk shortage of epic proportions. Few things rivaled the excitement of expectantly listening to local radio stations for the announcement that school had been cancelled. When it did snow, there were life threatening rides down steep ice-covered hills in 'saucers' or 'flexible flyers', which continued until frostbite set in, or someone hit a tree, whichever came first. It was the pre-acid rain era, so we'd run out in the front yard at night, scoop up a bowl of the white stuff (we hoped it was white anyway), and adding vanilla and milk, make 'snow-cream', which to an 8-10 year old, was the nectar of the Gods.

In the Summer, we caught insects. None of us really knew why. It just seemed like the most entertaining option. In fact, catching bugs was such a popular activity among 1960-1970's era kids, you could actually buy bug-catching kits at Toys-R-Us. We didn't mess with beetles, potato bugs, or other 'boring' bugs. Bee's were what we were after, because, lets face it - we were growing up on the mean streets of Alexandria - danger was our middle name. My personal favorites were bumblebees. They were black and green, looked like space aliens, and got really pissed off when you trapped them in your empty mayonnaise jar (or if you were a lucky little bastard, a Toys-R-Us official bugcatcher!). But really, any bee would do. I don't really remember what we did after catching bees, but it was a thrill we never tired of. The pinnacle of bee-catching achievement was to catch multiple bees in the same container, increasing exponentially, the odds that either you or an innocent bystander, would be stung. Heady stuff. I even remember the strange alien smell of insects, something I wonder whether today's kids would even recognize? When the bees weren't buzzing, there was the less politically correct alternative - roasting insects alive with your magnifying glass.

Occupying that special strata between actually having disposable income, and not having it, my parents were the proud and fortunate owners of an above ground pool. Constructed with aluminum siding and paperclips, this miracle of 1970's engineering seemed always on the verge of collapsing. Water in our pool mysteriously defied the first law of thermodynamics, its temperature staying at a near constant -20 degrees Fahrenheit, even smack dab in the middle of the infamously hot and humid DC Summers. When our lips had achieved maximum blueness and we had lost feeling in our extremities, we would escape our arctic refuge, and lay ourselves down, with a satisfying sizzle, on the concrete and metal sewer lid in front of our house. This alternating freezing and frying cycle killed a lot of time in my youth, and likely most of my neuroreceptors. As an adult, I generally no longer perceive temperature.

Once in awhile, when the Gods of Summer and good fortune shined upon us, we heard a noise that sent us into fits of anticipatory glee. The jingle of the 'Good Humor' truck could be heard by our young finely tuned ears at least 8 miles away, and sent us into a frenzy like no other (comparable, perhaps, only to the reaction of teenage boys at the beach to the news that an adult female had lost her top in the surf). Depending on how much change you could beg, borrow, or stealthily abscond with, you might enjoy any number of delicacies: a red-white-and-blue rocket pop, creamsicle (the flavor of which still cannot be explained nor replicated by modern science), or if you were especially lucky, the pinnacle of Good Humor offerings, the chocolate eclair or strawberry shortcake.

The rest of the year was less exciting. We built forts in the woods in the most politically incorrect manner possible. Sometimes we just dug giant holes in the ground. Sometimes we built lean-to's with rotting logs and squatted in them. Good times. But the most favored form of fort-building involved climbing to perilous heights while nailing 2x4's and plywood onto beautiful and previously unmarred trees, thus creating the secret sanctums of our youth. The building of forts wasn't just about material conquest, but required the creation of secret organizations, passwords, secret signs and handshakes, and sacred alliances. The building of a fort was naturally and inevitably followed by the tearing down of said fort by other would-be fort builders, usually for no apparent reason whatsoever. This cycle of creation and destruction taught us perhaps the most important life lesson of them all. No matter how beautiful the things you create in life, there will always be some asshole that won't be happy until they find a way to mess it all up. Life is fort-building.

When we tired of building forts, and when all other seasonally appropriate forms of recreation were exhausted, we threw **** at each other. Apples, homemade spears, rocks. It didn't much matter. Throwing **** at each other was fun. The most desirable and auspicious form of 'throwing stuff' was unquestionably the 'dirt clod battle'. As an aged and wise philosopher once scrawled with his last dying word 'dirt clods are God's way of telling us he wants us to pelt each other with ****'. Okay - I'll confess I made that up (although I believe Ben Franklin may have said something approximate) - but there was no denying, a dirt clod battle was good old-fashioned epic battle fun.

Northern Virginia, experiencing a home construction explosion during that time, may well have been the dirt clod battle mecca of the Universe. The rules were clear and universal. Find a construction site. Find an enemy (i.e...anyone else you either didn't know or didn't like who happened to be a kid and there at the time). Commence throwing dirt clods. The objective was clear - create drama at any cost. Sometimes this could be achieved by making a particularly spectacular throw, sometimes by managing to gain control of the precious high ground, from which to dominate your opponent and pummel him into submission. The battles never ended until it got dark, or someone ran off bleeding and screaming. If the supply of dirt clods was exhausted, the fun could continue, as clod battles could morph into equally stimulating sessions of 'King of the Mountain' and 'Smear the Queer' (it was the 60's and 70's - there was no such thing as 'politically correct' - sorry!). The opportunities for good old American fun were endless. No doubt our best military leaders of the period honed their skills on the field of dirt clod battle.

I'm not exactly sure what our parents were doing while these healthy childhood activities were going on. Mostly, they seemed to smoke, drink, argue, cookout, and do yard work. Despite a seeming lack of responsible parental supervision, we somehow grew into relatively normal (*cough*) functioning adults despite our rather adventuresome recreational activities. Today I wonder if perhaps the sometimes rough and tumble exercises of our youth weren't the perfect training grounds for the challenges of the adult workplace. I can still dodge a good dirt-clod and deliver a well-aimed strike when one is sorely needed.

But in the 1960's and 70's, America's youth yearned for nourishment, not just of the flesh, but of the mind, and I was no exception. Fortunately, Washington DC had 5 channels of television to satisfy our burgeoning intellectual curiosity. I was a big fan of Channel 20 (you had to turn to that particular channel using a separate UHF dial, a clear indicator that it was 'special'). My parents dug Channels 4, 5, and 9. No one I knew watched Channel 45. Channel 20 offered a veritable treasure chest of offerings. Where else could you see Will Robinson and Robot traverse the dangers of the galaxy and the diabolical Dr. Smith? What other source of knowledge and wisdom could provide the life lessons encapsulated in the adventures of Ultraman and Speed Racer? Channel 20 was a portal to unlimited information and experience, where I met and fell in love with Herman Munster, Marine Boy, Kimba the White Lion, and countless other important world influences. And Channel 20 was the only television station that had its very own spiritual leader, Dick Dyszel, who taught kids everything they needed to know as Bozo the Clown, Count Gore De Vol, and 'Captain 20'.

It was at night however, during the witching hours, that the TV of my childhood shared its darkest and most meaningful secrets. 11:30pm was a magical moment. Either with parental knowledge, or without it, huddled around the 15" black and white television with its directional telescoping antenna extended and pointed for maximum reception clarity, we were ready to be thrilled. And thrilled we were. I spent a good portion of my youthful weekend nights transfixed by the horror classics as presented by the previously mentioned Count, or by another of my childhood favorites, all the way from Detroit, Sir Graves Ghastly.

Both wonderful and horrible, the classic movies of my childhood still dominate my childhood memories: Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, The Invisible Man, The Creature from the Black Lagoon, The Thing, The Night of the Living Dead, The Incredible Shrinking Man, The Leech Woman, The Little Shop of Horrors, The Wasp Woman, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane, The Haunting, Black Sabbath, The Gorgon, Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte, and countless others...So enthralled with late night fare was I, that my parents began fondly to call me 'old weird John'. What they didn't see were the valuable life-lessons I learned while they slept. Bad things happen to good people. Sometimes it's smart to run. When you hear voices in your house, get out! Never hitchhike. If it's dark, and you're in a lightning storm, something bad's about to happen. Nothings more scary than the everyday. Monsters are real - its just that grownups are too stupid to see them. And old people are creepy.

Some might look on my childhood in the DC suburbs as strange, warped, or dysfunctional. But to me, it was magical, memorable, an utterly amazing chapter of my life. Whether endangering my own or someone else's life in an epic dirt clod fight, defending a newly established fort in the woods as our code of honor required, or staring transfixed at this week's horror beaming to me live from the Channel 20 studios, my childhood was one to remember. Some say they learned everything they needed to know in kindergarten. But not me. I learned everything I needed to learn when my parents weren't watching. And I enjoyed every second of it.

Visit our site to learn more about bugs control and find out more about bug catcher.

The Ant Bully Lesson

"The Ant Bully" is a wonderful children's story about a little boy who is picked on, and in return picks on something smaller than him, ants. He learns throughout the story, the feeling of compassion and greater understanding towards others and how picking on the little guy, isn't so much fun.

The lesson: Read the story or watch the film "The Ant Bully" During the story or after the film ask the children questions about bulling. Before you respond, have the children think of their own answers. The goal is to get them thinking and interactive in the conversation.

What does it feel like to be bullied? Discuss the feeling or hurt and sadness and how it doesn't feel good.

What are different types of bulling? Discuss the different types such as hitting, kicking and name calling. Also discuss when kids try to get others to join in or be against another person is also a form of bulling.

Why do you think people bully? Do you think maybe they know or have someone in their lives that are a bully? Discuss how the little boy who bullied ants, also had a bully who was mean to him. The reason why he bullied ants is because he was hurting. It was easy to bully things that are smaller than you. Discuss with the children how bullies tend to be mean to others because they are hurting.

You can shrink your bully into an ant, so how else could you handle a bully? Discuss how children can walk away, tell a teacher or ignore the bully. Fighting back or hurting others doesn't solve the problem. When you ask the question referencing "shrinking" as they did in the book, you will defiantly get a laugh and their attention!

The Craft:

Ladybug walk: Every spring, you can purchase ladybugs at the local garden center. Take the children outside and open the package of ladybugs. Give each child a bug of their own to handle! Remind them to be calm and think like a ladybug. Also remind them and watch their step and watch the bugs walk on their arms and legs or even fly away.

Bug catchers: If ladybugs are not in season, you can also create "bug catchers". I found mine at the $1 store (great place!) but you can find them in any toy story or pet shop. Plastic fish tanks with lids also work well. You will need plastic bugs, letter stickers, and regular stickers. Decorate the plastic bug catchers. Have the children use the letter stickers to write either their name, or a word that would help them remember the bug catcher is for kindness. We used the word "Happy Bug". Tell the children, these bug catchers are for catching bugs inside the house. Instead of stepping on them like the ant bully, they could take them outside to their respective homes. (grass, rocks, tree etc)

Five Exotic Diseases to Be Avoided When You Travel

If you travel for long enough you will catch something. While the majority of travellers overseas will suffer nothing more than traveller's diarrhoea an unlucky few may end up with something more serious and it's not just the tropics that has a monopoly on exotic diseases. These 5 diseases are not as common as the serious threats of malaria and dengue fever, but are out there.

5. African Eye Worm

Caused by the bite of the large Chrysops fly, the first sign you are infected is the uneasy sight of the small worm crawling across the surface of your eye. The infection is usually caused by swimming in shaded African lakes/pools where this beasty fly likes to bite. Cure is via painful injections. Try to avoid swimming anywhere in Africa!

4. Weils Disease (or rat catcher's yellows)

Thinking of doing some canoeing or kayaking in an English river? Maybe think twice. Many otherwise picturesque English rivers can be spoiled by large amounts of rat urine. This means unsuspecting swimmers (perhaps falling out of a kayak) are susceptible to Weil's disease, caused by the bacteria in the rat's business. The consequences can be kidney failure and life on dialysis, even from just a short time in the water.

3. Lassa Fever

A disease endemic to West Africa Lassa fever is thought to cause 5,000 deaths per year in the region. While in 80% of infections symptoms can be minor, the other 20% can suffer horrendous fever, swelling and seizures. Infection is thought to be through contact with a rat calling the sub-Saharan region of Africa home. Treatment is through serious drugs and there is no guarantee of cure. Many travellers fear this disease when heading to West Africa, yet malaria and other nasties are usually more of a risk.

2. Leishmaniasis

Found in parts of the tropics, subtropics and southern Europe, this is a parasitic disease that you can catch via the bite of an infected sand fly. This disease is fairly common and effects up to 2 million people per year. The disease causes skin lesions that can end up looking like the top of a volcano (Google image search if you dare). The disease is not fatal and even without treatment will eventually go away, though it can leave horrid scars. The best prevention is not to get bitten by sandflies.

1. Changas

Another parasitic disease, this nasty is contracted via the bite of the blood sucking triatomine bug. This bug is most commonly found living in huts made from mud, adobe, straw or palm thatch in poverty stricken areas of Latin America. At night the bugs emerge to gorge on people's faces then the bug proceeds to defecate on the poor person in question. It's the ingestion of the bug's faeces that causes the infection (through breaks in the skin or the eyes). Millions in Latin America are affected by this disease. The disease can end up chronic lifelong affliction and is often life threatening. Travellers can try and avoid sleeping in the type of dwelling mentioned and always try to prevent bites via netting and serious bug spray.

Bites from mossies of course cause other serious and common infections like malaria and dengue fever which all travellers to infected areas should be prepared for. These diseases are less common but have the potential to effect more than your holiday.

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Christmas Gifts - Redneck Specialty Christmas Gifts

Rednecks are part of the local establishment, from the Sheriff Jim with the longhorn hood ornament on his Chevy Blazer to the Mayor's two tone cow truck that carries her around town, Rednecks blaze a trail in the local community. But until you've had a truly fashionable redneck Christmas, you just really have not celebrated. Part of that celebration includes original trendy redneck gifts.

Redneck bubble bath -

A handful of pinto beans in a plastic baggie tied with a piece of red cord not only decorates the tree, but serves as an impromptu gift for those elegant ladies who come to visit over the holidays. Everyone could use a good bubble bath!

Redneck coat hanger -

After deer hunting season a nice rack of horns doesn't have much to do 'cept hang around, so if you mount 'em on a nice wood plaque and hang 'em on the wall, they make a beautiful coat hanger. Shoot two and have an extra gift to give.

Redneck hood ornament -

Nobody really likes those hood ornaments that come on the old Ford truck, so give that buddy a new ornament. A pair of long horns, or a set of antlers works better than a silver bug catcher.

Redneck bed frame -

Often recognized as the perfect gift for newlyweds, this awesome gift of love gets their buns up off the floor. Give 'em 4 family size soup cans and four long boards to frame the bed and you've got the handiest dandy bed frame in the south (and room enough for ole Beau to crawl under on those cold nights).

Redneck bun warmer -

For that prized two holer in the back yard, every redneck wants a pair of bun warmers and the craftiest among you will be able to figure out how to cover two toilet seats with flannel and solve the problem. Flannel is much nicer to sit on when the snow flies on those cold winter mornings.

A Fun Gadget For Kids - The Backyard Safari Bug Vacuum

As a father of two young youths, we are always seeking fun gadgets to play with. Our most favorite fun gadget ever is the Backyard Safari Bug Vacuum. This toy captures bugs through the use of a battery operated gun-style vacuum. The insects are sucked into a clear plastic capsule that is complete with a magnifying glass for viewing.

The Summer Of The Insect Adventure

In total honesty, we played with this fun gadget the entire summer. We caught every tiny insect that we could capture. The vacuum is powerful enough to suck most insects directly into the attached holding capsule, yet it isn't strong enough to injure the insects. The holding capsule is complete with a magnifying glass and a flip bottom so that the insects can be easily viewed and released once the observation is complete.

A Complete World Of Fun Gadgets For Insect Observations

Backyard Safari has created supplemental fun gadget that work with the bug vacuum. The bug habitat is large enough to accommodate a number of insects. However you want to insure that you do not combine insects that consume one another or you will have an entirely different observation within moments.

If your child enjoys long walks while bug collecting, there are pocket size bug habitats that your child can attach to a backpack or belt loop. These tiny pocket watch shaped habitats provide the perfect environment for a short-term guest. There are two different designs, one design is intended for any type of bug and the other is designed specifically as an ant habitat.

The Backyard Safari Bug Vacuum is a fun gadget for any boy or girl. I must admit, as fun gadgets go, this also makes a great spider catcher inside the house as well and would be a hit with many moms.

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73 Trans Am - Pontiac's Screaming Chicken and Its Shaker Scoop

The screaming chicken got its name from the bird that is on the hood of the Trans Ams. Each color of car had a special black bird with flames that matched: Cameo White cars had a bird with blue flames, Brewster Green had green flames and the Buccaneer Red cars had a red/orange flames.

The weird thing about the "screaming chicken" is that it's not a chicken at all, but rather it's a "firebird!" It does look like it's screaming (you would be too if you were going up in flames) though.

The Famous Trans Am Shaker Scoop

The "shaker scoop" was the name given to the 'reverse bug catcher' that stuck out of the middle of the hood. The reason it is a "shaker" scoop is because it shakes with the engine. Every time you goose the engine, she rocks left to right like it's going to tear the engine mounts right off.

If you had a real Super Duty engine, the shaker scoop had the SD-455 emblem in most cases. A few had "455" only on the scoop, even though they were SD engines according to an original SD 455 owner who reported this to me.

In some of the early birds, the shaker scoop was a functional air intake source. It was vacuum operated with a solenoid that would open the rear flap under hard acceleration to allow more air in. 73 marked the first year the solenoid was removed and the flap was screwed on. Let's face, it just looked cool but didn't add any real performance.

What Color Is Your Bird?

If you wanted a 73 TA, you could have it in any color as long as it was Cameo White, Brewster Green or Buccaneer Red. For me, green was a bit dull and the red had too much orange in it.

The Cameo White car, Blue Firebird on the hood and Black interior was by far the best color combination for 1973.

How To Get Rid Of Fruit Flies With A Homemade Fruit Fly Trap

Anyone who has ever left a few bananas sitting out or forgotten to change their garbage knows all too well the problem with fruit flies. It seems that once they've invaded your kitchen, you can't get rid of them. You can scrub, clean, remove tempting fruit and spray the garbage can with disinfectants, but they always come back. You can't help but cringe just looking at them.

We have always had problems with fruit flies, with one of the main reasons being that we live in an apartment and by law - must recycle. Because of where we live, we have to keep our recycling containers inside until they can be disposed of once a week. If the recyclables aren't cleaned well enough after being used, they make a perfect breeding ground for fruit flies. They love bits of rotting food remnants and seem to thrive in even the smallest amount. When fruit flies move in, they just don't want to leave and will lay eggs in and on anything they can find - fruits & vegetables left on the counter, sink drains, garbage disposals, empty bottles & cans, garbage bags, and even mops and rags.

A Few Fun Facts About Fruit Flies:

- Can lay up to 500 eggs at a time

- Their entire lifecycle is complete in about a week

- While considered mainly a pest, they have the potential to contaminate food with dangerous bacteria

We all know that removing the food, getting rid of the garbage & cleaning up plays a big role, but we also know what it's like to move a piece of fruit and have a swarm of fruit flies fill the air only to escape your attempts at killing them. Where are they gonna go? Obviously the ones flying around can't be easily captured or killed, so they'll linger about until they find some other place to lay eggs and the whole cycle starts again.

In all my attempts, I found the best way to capture and remove the ones that escape is to create a simple trap using a jar, plastic wrap and a piece of food. Here's how it works:

1. Get a small jar you don't plan on using again ( like a baby food jar or something similar ) and wash it out well. Make sure it is not a jar with a funky smell such as a used pickle jar or anything that use to have strong spices. You want a clean, odorless jar.

2. Take a chunk of banana and place inside the jar. This is why you want a clean, odorless jar - so that the banana smell won't be overpowered by other not-so-tempting smells. Banana seems to work the best, but you can experiment.

3. Fit a piece of plastic wrap over the top of the jar, making sure that it fits tight and well sealed around the edges. Then take a pen or pencil and poke 4 to 5 holes in the plastic, just big enough for a fruit fly to fit into. Once a fruit fly crawls in, it can't get out. You would think they would just fly back out through the holes, but they won't!

4. Place the jar in an area where you have seen the most fruit flies. Depending on the amount of fruit flies you have, you can expect to start seeing the jar fill up within just a few hours. After 24 hours, you will discover just how bad your fruit fly problem is!

This simple, inexpensive & safe method works perfectly and if you don't want the jar on public display, you can always slip it behind the garbage can, in the cupboard or even under the sink (Just don't forget about it!). You will want to empty the jar every 3-4 days before any eggs have a chance to hatch. While adult fruit flies can't easily escape through the holes, their maggots can very easily, and besides that - they are disgusting to see crawling around in the jar. You don't want to see these things crawling on your counter!

Cleaning out the jar shouldn't be a problem. If you have a kind heart, you can choose to let them go outside. Personally, I spray the little buggers with bug spray, wash out the jar and start the whole process over again if I think there are still some fruit flies left to capture.

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Activities For Dad (or Mum) And Child

Spending some quality time with your child or children is invaluable when they are young, although it is not always easy to come up with fresh ideas on activities to keep both you and them occupied. We have tried to provide some ideas below on activities to do inside and outside the home. These are aimed at children under the age of 5, although the list is by no means exhaustive:

Indoor Activities

Art and Craft

While this is not suitable for very young children, as your child gets older and their concentration grows, they will love to experiment creatively. Such activities can range from simple drawing and colouring, to modelling with clay or plastercine, and there are a great variety of modelling kits available which come with all sorts of cutters and moulding implements. Painting is another option which is great for teaching your child about mixing colours and is versatile in its uses (e.g. finger painting, printing with hands, feet, leaves etc., blowing paint onto paper through straws, decorating pots, boxes etc.). In addition, your child will love gluing and sticking, whether making a picture (e.g. with glitter, sweet wrappers, old XMas/birthday cards) or building your own creations out of recycling waste (e.g. cardboard, cartons, newspaper, toilet rolls etc). Click here for some ideas on things to make. The great thing is that these are all relatively inexpensive activities, although some, if not all will be messy so it is important to prepare your surroundings and use appropriate aprons or tabards to protect your child's clothing.

Cooking

Children love to cook, whether it be just helping or watching you, or getting more involved depending on how brave you are feeling! There is no need to make anything longwinded or complicated as your child's attention span will still be fairly short. Biscuits or cakes are a good starter and there are no end of cookery books and online recipes to show you how to make them. Alternatively, most supermarkets sell a range of ready-made packet mixes which are very easy and quick to prepare. The chances are that they may not look the most attractive or edible of creations once your child has given a helping hand, but you'll still have fun eating them!

Games

Simple board, card or dice games can be great fun for you and your child to play, and although your child may not fully understand the aims or instructions, they can pick up some useful basic skills such as counting, hand-eye coordination, analysing options and taking turns. There are plenty of reasonably priced games to choose from nowadays, but it is best to go for ones which are short in duration and have sturdy components that will last. Most suitable for this age group are games which test memory, matching and sorting skills, reaction skills and mental/physical skills. Also don't forget simple jigsaw puzzles.

Reading

There is no simpler 'quiet-time' activity that you can do indoors than read to or with your child. Reading is so important for your child's development and can never start from too early an age. If your child is very young they will love simply flicking through pages and pictures, and a number of board books are available which are easy for babies and young children to manage. For older children there are simply hundreds of story books and educational books to cater for every age, taste and interest, and while your child may be too young to be able to read the books themselves, they will pick up valuable understanding about words and sounds from listening to you read. If you cannot afford a large range of books, visiting your local library is a great alternative.

Outdoor Activities

Aquariums

Most areas will have some form of public exhibition of live aquatic plants and animals (e.g. Blue Reef Aquariums or Sea Life Centres etc). These can be very restful places for a young child, and the multiple colours, shapes and movements of creatures in the tanks will be very captivating for them, not to mention educational. Dependent on the location, there is normally an entrance fee for those above a certain age (usually 3 years), although some places offer an annual membership which allows unlimited entrance and is usually very cost-effective compared to pay-as-you-go admission rates. Please click here for a list of aquariums and sealife centres.

Cinema/Theatre

Although not suitable for very small children, these are definitely worthwhile experiences for your child as soon as they become more communicative and interactive. There are plenty of films to see at the cinema although it is important to ensure that the film is suitable for your child's age group, as anything even remotely frightening or violent will have much more of an impact on the big screen. Most films normally last for about 1.5 to 2 hours which may outrun your child's attention span, so be prepared to miss the ending! Look out for offers at certain cinema chains for cheap admission rates for children at weekends.

With regard to theatres, there are a good number of shows which are aimed specifically at children, including sing-along performances, comedy acts and pantomimes, and also stage productions of their favourite television shows. The great thing is that you can usually book well in advance of the show, and early reservation will allow you a better choice of seat. However, theatre bookings are normally quite pricey and the shows can be long, although they do usually break for an interval. In addition, dependent on the position of your seats the performance may be difficult to see or hear, and particularly if you find yourselves surrounded by other children.

Cycling

If your child is not old enough to cycle on their own then they can be carried along in a suitable child seat or trailer (for added comfort) on the back of your bike. Once they get their first bike and stabilisers then taking them to a nearby park is a fun way of teaching them to cycle. When they become more confident on their bike then may like to go out cycling with you. It is worth taking the time to look for cycle tracks and cycle paths that are safe and free from traffic, and it is important to ensure that both of you are wearing a properly fitting cycle helmet, along with some form of reflective gear if visibility or light is poor.

Gardening

Teaching your child to be green-figured can be great fun. Starting out, your child will most likely be happy with simply a bucket of soil and a trowel, although as they get older and more adventurous vegetable seeds are a great option and are very easy to get growing. Not only do children get the satisfaction of nurturing their own plants, they (hopefully!) will get to eat any produce they make. Also if they manage to grow their own flowers, they make a great present for Mum. When doing gardening look out for bugs which will almost certainly keep your child entertained. Regular bug hunts with a magnifying glass and bug catcher (margarine or yoghurt pot!) are a definite hit with our own children.

Kiting

This is a great activity for a windy day, but needs to be done in a wide open area. Kites range in price from a few pounds to a few hundred pounds, or if you are feeling adventurous you may like to make your own - click here for a great site detailing designs. Also, look out for kite exhibitions where enthusiasts show off their kite creations - anything from well known characters to huge fish and dragons, which will certainly capture your child's interest and imagination.

Library

Trips to the local library can be done any day of the week and they often run book clubs and other activities for children of all ages for free. Not only that but they are a great source of reading material for children's thirst for new stories and you are normally able to take ~20 books per child, which will provide great bedtime reading fodder. You will of course need to join your child to a local library, but this generally only requires filling in a quick form and providing proof of identity.

Museums

These may not immediately appear as the best place to take a child, however museums are becoming much more interactive in an attempt to appeal more to both children and adults. You will often find an array of buttons, lights and more hands-on experiences to keep children occupied....and you never know, your child may learn something in the process!

Parks/Woods

Taking your child to the local park is great for letting them have a runaround, and not only is it free, but there is plenty of open space to avoid crowds. This makes them ideal places for having a kick around with a football or playing bat and ball, which is very useful if you do not have a big garden. Most parks also have their own children's facilities such as swings, slides and roundabouts. Alternatively, you may like simply to take your child exploring for wildlife in nearby woods - children love collecting leaves, pine cones or similar that they can show their friends at nursery. If it's a particularly rainy day your child may simply love nothing better than puddle jumping, but not before dressing up in waterproofs and wellies!

Seaside

If you are lucky enough to live near the sea or go to the seaside on holiday, there are several activities beyond just paddling and sand castle building to keep yourself and your child amused. Rock pooling requires only a bucket (or a net if you want to catch fish) and some appropriate footwear. It is however important that everything is returned to where it came from, including rocks and stones. Another idea is crab fishing, which is a great activity once the weather gets warm enough to sit out, and of course if you have somewhere nearby to go crabbing. All you need is a cheap bucket, a crab line, and some bait - bacon scraps usually work fairly well or alternatively any odd bits of fish. Not only are both these activities great fun, but your child will also benefit educationally by being able to study creatures close up and learn about their natural habitats. Persuading your child to release their catch back into the water is the hard part, as they will no doubt want to keep them as pets! When visiting a beach it is important to follow safety guidelines and respect the natural surroundings, we would also recommend visiting Blue Flag listed beaches as they are regarded as being the safest and cleanest, and generally have good facilities for families.

Soft Play Areas

Indoor play areas come in all shapes and sizes, and are usually found either as part of a hotel/pub/leisure centre or as a separate entity. The great thing about these places is that they usually have designated areas to cater for very young children as well as toddlers and older children, and the fact that the whole area is soft and padded means there is little risk of any serious injuries through play. It is ideal for allowing your child to work off a bit of excess energy without having to be outside, which is a bonus when all it does is rain! There are also usually eating, drinking, and baby facilities available, and regular toddler or baby mornings are often held which may include reduced admission rates or a free drink etc. During holiday times or busy periods, play may be restricted to an hour or so only.

Swimming

Even if your child is not an accomplished swimmer they will almost certainly love the opportunity to splash around in a local pool - it is a good way of introducing your child to water, but it will require total supervision and support from you at all times. Arm bands and floats are an essential purchase for children that can't swim and will boost their confidence in learning to swim properly. A child's liking for water and ability to swim will open up a whole range of water sport activities as they get older. There are a range of pools available - open air, indoor, lido, and activity pools to suit all tastes. Please click here to find your nearest swimming pool.