Got the kids home for school hols at the moment, or just about to start their break? Before they start with the "I'm bored, there's nothing to do" comments, get them excited by suggesting they have a sleepover with a few close buddies.

• For kids, there's nothing cooler than inviting your friends to come over and stay the night - there are midnight snacks to plan, DVDs to choose, and the fun of camping out in the lounge room in sleeping bags!
• Activities they might like, depending on age and gender: making personal pizzas for dinner, dipping strawberries in melted chocolate for dessert, painting their toenails and doing each other's hair, or interactive games like Wii or PlayStation.
• You'll want to make sure the kids get some shut-eye at some point during the evening, so after all the fun of staying up late, set a reasonable “lights out, just whispering” time that's appropriate for your child's age. This way, they'll be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for pancakes in the morning.