5 great websites that let kids get creative

These artistic sites are fun, safe and free. Explore them with your children to get your creative juices flowing.

Draw and design.

Shidonni lets kids draw animals online, give them names and design backgrounds for imaginary worlds. Winner of 2009 Parents' Choice Gold Award. Ages 5 to 12; shidonni.com

Devise games.

Fidgit is a multiplayer game on PBS' Design Squad site. Kids can also design and build their own games and challenge their friends. Ages 8 to 13; pbskids.org/designsquad/games/fidgit

Craft cartoons.

Kids write, read and tell stories by creating comic strips online, then printing or e-mailing them to friends or relatives. All ages; makebeliefscomix.com

Program a video.

Create movies, music and video games at Scratch, developed by MIT Media Lab members. Ages 8 and up; scratch.mit.edu

Make music.

On Crank It Up!, kids can compose and record multilayered rhythms using pots, pans, wooden spoons and even the computer keyboard to create a masterpiece. All ages; pbskids.org/arthur/games/crankitup