Do you know about Webkinz? They're for sale in many of the airport gift shops.
When you buy one, you can sign on to Webkinz world on line.
There are many games and learning opportunities for the children, but the part I've enjoyed with my kids is I'll sign on with one child's account from the overnight and I can play the other while I'm away.
My kids enjoy it and it lets us have some fun together even when I'm not home.
Check it out if you have not seen it.
No, I don't get a cut or anything, it's just fun to be able to play a game with them even when I'm away.
Welcome to Webkinz® - a Ganz website
You buy the "pet" at a store and it comes with a code so you can register it on their site.
The kids get webkinz cash (no real cash is spent after the initial purchase of the pet) and they spend it to build their pet a home, feed him/her, etc. They can play games, answer age-appropriate trivia, and go to the webkinz "employment office" to do little "jobs" to earn more webkinz cash.
If they're not feeding their "pet" right or making sure he gets enough sleep (you put the pet into his bed, which you bought from the webkinz store with the webkinz cash that your child has earned), the pet will show he's not feeling well.
It's a sort of virtual dollhouse (but not limited to girly themes).
Both my boy and girl love Webkinz and I especially like being able to play games with them on the overnights.
We also use Teamspeak (a server for over-internet chat used by gamers) to talk to eachother while playing.
Webkinz does have chat between webkinz participants; however, it's limited to macro chat (you select the phrase you want to say from a list). There's no free-texting from within, so you don't have to worry about on-line predators. So, you can select, "Let's play a game" from a list, but you can't type a message.
Anyway, thought the parents on line may like this.