We all know that a good run through the woods or a  play in the park works wonders for wearing the little ones out, but I find that boys need to keep their over active imagination fuelled in as many ways as possible for a more peaceful life as a busy working mum. Just as playing outdoors is free online games for boys are too and they go hand in hand.

Recently I took my son and one of his chums on what started out as a rather reluctant dog walk – but all it took were a few clever suggestions to turn the moaning about how walks are boring into a general cacophony of joy that I am sure other dog walkers could have done without. You see my son is a fan of Ben 10 and I cleverly (in my opinion) suggested that he became Ben, his friend became Kevin and our dog was one of the Alien Force.

What followed was a re-enactment of one of the games for boys online that feature the aforementioned hero and his nemesis – and although it was quite a noisy affair as they rampaged through the woodland, it was better than hearing them moan and drone about having to go for a walk. It also meant that they totally wore themselves out so by the time we got home they were ready to chill out – making my life a bit more peaceful after all.

I know we are told that our kids spend too much time watching telly and playing computer games, but you can strike a balance that is beneficial for everyone and for free. Online games for boys and girls do not have to be a bad thing – they can be used to inspire and expand the imagination for creative role-play that will benefit them in later life.