Holidays

The month-long religious holiday of Ramadan is celebrated by Muslims world-wide and is a time for reflection, self-examination and self-control and acting out one's devotion to God.

What is Ramadan?

Ramadan occurs during the ninth month of the Muslim calendar. During Ramadan, Muslims celebrate the revelation of the verses of the Qur'an to the Prophet Muhammad.

When is it celebrated?

Ramadan begins on the night when the first verses of the Qur'an were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, and this typically falls during the last 10 days of August.

Who celebrates Ramadan?

Muslims all over the world celebrate Ramadan, from the United States to the Middle East and even in China.

Just in time for those end-of-summer family road trips, Time for Kids has released the "Big Book of Why: 1,001 Facts Kids Want to Know," a 192-page answer to backseat boredom.

Chock full of detailed explanations and more than 200 photos and illustrations that answer questions -- such as "Why do we have eyelashes?" and "What's the difference between a crocodile and an alligator?" -- this timely tome is sure to satisfy curious kids ages 8 and up.

"Big Book" bonus: If you let the kids regale you with some of their new-found knowledge, you may even pick up some useful tidbits for your next cocktail party.

Available at Amazon for $13.57.

Related: Best New Family Road Trip Music

Sure, money's tight, but at the rate our kids are growing, their clothes are even tighter. So we welcome any out-of-the-big-box-store solution to saving money on back-to-school shopping this year.

Enter thredUP, a new kids clothing swap website that allows busy parents to exchange boxes of their kids' outgrown clothing for new gear that fits just right. The best part? You can do it all online. The service connects thousands of families across the country and coordinates trades so there's no bartering, bidding or tiresome trips to the post office.

With the free basic membership, you pay only shipping and handling on the boxes of clothing you choose. Upgrading to a pro membership ($29.99 a year) gives you access to extra features, such as more detailed views of other member's boxes and the ability to add more child profiles to your account.

Discount alert: ParentDish readers can sign up via this link for 20 percent off a thredUP pro membership -- valid throughout the month of August.

Related: Easy Ways to Bring New Style to Old Hand-Me-Downs

We know you keep your loved ones close to your heart, but now you can recognize them there for the world to see.

Jewelry line dalla nonna, known for its vintage-inspired calendar necklaces and bracelets that mark an important date with a sapphire, has expanded to offer "the little letters," perfect for recognizing your little loved ones.

Letter pendants come in 14k rose or yellow gold or sterling silver and can be worn alone, paired to create initials or words or layered with a calendar necklace. Dalla nonna means "from the grandmother" in Italian, but we think these necklaces would make a perfect gift for a grandmother.

Prices start at $110, at dallanonnajewelry.com.

Big Day Chains puts a new spin on an old tradition with its 30-day countdown chains for birthdays, weddings and baby's arrival.

The Days 'til Birthday kit is a great way to help little ones manage the seemingly endless wait until their big day, and definitely provides more fun than crossing off days on the kitchen calendar. Each kit comes with 30 perforated paper links that feature colorful printed designs on one side, and outlined birthday shapes to color in on the other. It also includes non-toxic glue dots for easy, mess-free assembly.

Rebels that we are, we love the idea of letting the kids count up, not down, coloring and adding a link to the chain each day so it can be used as a birthday decoration when it's done.

Available at Big Day Chains for $14.95.

Related: Summer Birthday Parties: 5 Fun Ideas

Is it a battle every time you need to reapply your kid's sunscreen while you're at the pool, park or beach? UVSunSense wristbands can bring peace to your play day.

Simply wrap one around your kid's wrist, apply sunscreen to their body and the wristband, then monitor for color changes that tell you it's time to reapply or get out of the sun. The bands work with sunscreens of SPF 15 and higher, and change color at different times depending on the SPF level.

They're also designed to be used in salt, fresh or chlorinated water, and in showers -- so readings stay accurate no matter what your kids are up to.

Available at Amazon for $6.84.

Related: Baby Gear for the Beach

You've kept the kids' summer schedule busy with trips to the pool, the movie theater and play dates all over town. But if you're ready to get out of town for a bit, it's not too late to plan a family vacation.

Here are some ParentDish tips for planning a family vacation that will be fun and maybe even a little bit relaxing.

Where to Go?

• In case you hadn't heard, kids love this place in Orlando, Fla., called Disney World. It's referred to as the happiest place on Earth, and there's a reason for that. There's so much to do, you won't be able to get to all of it in one trip. But, as great as Disney World is, sometimes you want to do something else. For nine other ideas, check out AOL's list of the Top 10 U.S. Family Vacation Destinations.
• If everyone has their passports in order and you're willing to venture to a country where, to paraphrase Steve Martin, they have a different word for everything, you could try Paris. You'll find the Eiffel Tower, great food and more museums than you ever knew existed. Or, you could do as the Jolie-Pitts do, and go somewhere really exotic, such as Cambodia.
• If you want to stay stateside, and maybe save a few bucks, go the road-trip route. Here are some tips to stay sane while your entire brood is in the car with you.
• If you think you can stand being trapped at sea with your children without throwing them or yourself overboard, consider a cruise. Make sure to factor in such things as what activities they have for kids the same age as yours, and whether they offer child care for when you want to hit the midnight buffet.

You've practically been living at the swimming pool, tennis courts and soccer fields this summer. If you love those games and other summer sports -- but you're getting a little tired of the same old thing, ParentDish is here to help. Here are some great alternative summer sports activities the entire family will enjoy.

NASCAR: FRAM Autolite NHRA Nationals
Like watching racing on television? Why not check it out live? NASCAR is one of the most popular sports in America, in part because of its family-friendly live events. Tickets for the FRAM Autolite NHRA Nationals (July 16-18, Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif.) start at $50 for adults and $20 for children. For other NASCAR races and events, visit NASCAR.com.

NASCAR RV Resorts
Racing fans who enjoy camping can combine the two activities by visiting the new NASCAR RV Resorts. These are NASCAR-sponsored campsites where you can hook up your RV, watch live racing on a big screen and participate in activities for the entire family. Visit nascarrvresorts.com for more information.

Unusual Sports Museums
Been to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.? Bet you've never seen the Bowling Museum in Arlington, Texas, the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame in Goshen, N.Y., or the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum in Indiana.

Make Independence Day festivities even more of a blast with DIY patriotic paper pinwheels and tie-dye tees.

Summer celebrations call for outdoor activities and star-spangled gear. Psychedelic tie-dye t-shirts are easy to make, and they're impossible to mess up. Kids will take pride in their work, no matter how they come out and then model their finished fashions for your July 4th celebration.

While they're at it, why not embellish the table as well as the tots? Twirling stars-and-stripes pinwheels add sizzle as a centerpiece when stuck in a bucket of sand. Or, they make a great garden decoration.

Here's how to make both projects:

Leora Rothschild has been booking safari adventures for families since 1998, but this is the first time she's going to the bush with her own child.

"From age 4 on up is a great time to start taking kids on safari," says Rothschild, founder of Rothschild Safaris, a boutique travel agency located in Denver, and a 20-year safari veteran. "You just have to be really mindful about where you are going to stay, like making sure you stay in a camp that has a swimming pool, or one that will provide downtime so you aren't sitting in a vehicle in the bush all day."

If searching for wild game in the wilds of Africa with your 4-year-old sounds like an ideal summer vacation, you're not alone. Adventure travel for families is a growing trend, and even big names such as Disney and American Express are offering packages that include exotic locales like Asia, Africa and South America, geared specifically for parents traveling with their children.

Is it okay to eat a piece of cake that's bigger than your grandchild's head? That was the conundrum at a Father's Day lunch this past weekend, as Grandpa Arnold was feted by his family at a Long Beach, California restaurant.

Our friend and colleague at ShelterPop, Amy Preiser, shared this photo of her 4-month-old niece Zoey, and we had to post it.

Frankly, Zoey is much more delicious than any piece of chocolate cake. Mommy Natalya, Daddy Mark, Grandma Sonia and Grandpa Arnold indulged in the cake, but the sweetest gift is truly this baby dumpling. Maybe next Father's Day, when Zoey has a little more mileage on her frilly attire, she'll join her older brother, 3-year-old Joshy, for a taste.

With milk, of course!