As the school holidays are looming, the challenge is on for parents to keep children entertained and out of mischief. Your home computer can lend a hand, and it doesn't have to involve plonking them in front of the screen just to keep them quiet.

Apart from a multitude of exciting projects that can be tackled online, there are plenty of websites with ideas for creative activities that can be enjoyed both at the computer and away from it.

You don't have to limit yourself to exploring websites. Children love to play with any kind of computer gadget, so the summer holidays are an ideal time to experiment with the digital camera you got for Christmas or put that webcam to good use. You can download a free booklet on digital photography from Microsoft here.

Or how about making personalised music CDs that you can play in the car on the way to your holiday destination?

You never know, by the time the holidays are over your children may be able to teach you a thing or two.

For the creative parent
As a general rule, children enjoy making things and many craft activities can be completed using a combination of computer technology and ordinary craft materials. You can create just about anything on the PC, such as pictures, calendars, greetings cards, bedroom nameplates, posters and party invitations.

If you want to start a project from scratch, Microsoft Office can help. PowerPoint and Paint provide ideal tools for children to explore their creative talents. Here's how you can create a personalised memo board.

Open PowerPoint or Word and type in a title such as 'Sam's List of Things To Do'. To create a really nice effect you can insert a picture, photo, WordArt object or piece of clipart. To insert a digital photo, select the Insert menu followed by Picture and choose From File. Locate your photo and insert it. If necessary, resize it.

Now add text using the text tool, text boxes or WordArt. When you have finished decorating the memo board, print it out onto a piece of card. If possible, take it to a printing shop to have it laminated so that it will stand the test of time.

On your next shopping trip, make a note to buy some Velcro. This can be glued onto the front of the board so you can attach a pen. It might also be an idea to buy some sticky backed magnets so that you can display your handy work on the fridge.

In need of inspiration?
If you are short of ideas there are plenty to be found on the website from the children's television programme Art Attack.

You'll find fact sheets on topics covered on recent shows, which you can view online or print out. These will give you ideas for activities that enable children to use the PC, but also requires them to be creative in more traditional ways.

For example, there is a set of instructions for creating a city. Before building the city out of cardboard boxes, cartons and newspapers, you could suggest that your child uses the drawing tools in PowerPoint to sketch out and print a plan of what they want their city to look like.

Alternatively, you could let your child loose with a digital camera, print out a couple of their best efforts and then follow the instructions in 'Framing without frames'. The idea is that they create a frame effect around the photo that looks like twisted ribbons looped around the edges.

Learning is fun
If you don't have the time to improvise, try Kids Domain, an educational and entertaining website aimed at the three-12 age group.

It has 10,000 pages of games, holiday activities and crafts for children to enjoy, as well as more than 4,000 free software downloads and graphics for the PC and Apple Mac. Crafts are graded according to level of difficulty and come with step-by-step instructions and a list of items you will need.

Software downloads at Kids Domain are categorised according to age (two-five, four-eight, eight up and grown ups) and subject. For example, if your child is between the ages of two and five they might like to have a go at a basic thinking game such as Freddi Fish And The Case of the Missing Kelp Seeds. A four-eight year old might want to try the more challenging thinking game entitled Freddi Fish 3 - The Case of the Stolen Conch Shell.

Whatever your child's interests, you can be sure they will find something here to whet their appetites. For the very young there are plenty of colouring and creative activities, while older children can entertain themselves by adopting a virtual cyber animal or playing card and board games.

A joint effort
If your aim is to find something that you can learn or do together, have a look through the Teaching Tools section. Here's your chance to download a fact sheet on skateboards and impress your sports-mad youngster.

If your child's eyes light up at the mention of space exploration, have a go at building a comet with a little help from Nasa Kids.

For something more environmentally challenging, learn about ecosystems with the Biodiversity Performs download from the World Wildlife Fund. The possibilities are endless.

There's no harm in a little fun and games from time to time. Computeractive has a section devoted to fun downloads for kids here, with page after page of free or time-limited games, puzzles and educational programs.

Rain or shine
The internet is awash with sites that can help make sure your children are never bored. AllKids is an online parenting magazine that contains an information directory and free fun sites for children. It also includes online stories and action songs as well as a fantastic section called Boredom Busters with activities for both rainy and sunny days.

If you fancy getting out the house but still want to stay out of the rain, click on the Show Me option to see a list of events and activities held at a museum or gallery near you. This website is updated on a weekly basis and is linked to the National Curriculum.

If you want to stay at home or play in the garden, you can print out pictures for colouring by numbers and dot-to-dot, make door knob hangers, try some face painting, make play dough, build paper figures and even learn the art of making string figures like the cats cradle. For printable colouring pages and online stories try Kids Channel.

Crossword puzzles and word searches can be found at Puzzle Choice. This site contains a collection of both printable puzzles and interactive puzzles that you can have a go at online, including jigsaws, Tic Tac Toe, World Capitals and Tower of Hanoi. Other sites that are worth a visit include Ability, Wizziwiz and All Crafts.

One of the aims of the Ability project is to show how important computer technology and the internet is to people with disabilities. The site is full of fun and interesting games, stories, colouring activities, screen savers and competitions for children.

Let's not forget the very tiny ones in all this. After all, parents often find themselves most in need of resources when they have toddlers to keep amused and entertained .

PC Tots provides software that helps toddlers (from six months to three years) develop their learning skills through play and technology. You can try a demo version of the product online before splashing out £20 for the full product.

Fit and healthy
Previous generations of children were warned of the dangers of ending up with square eyes from watching too much TV. Today's generation can fall into the trap of spending all their leisure time in front of a PC and run the risk of becoming unfit, or open to inappropriate material on the net.