Time to send the kids to the card table again? More than half of households will be entertaining children over the holidays, according to a recent Lowe's Home Safety Council survey. Yet most parents locate children away from the center of the festivities to a far-removed, rickety card table where holiday safety hazards are waiting to happen.

With a little imagination and pre-planning, you can transform the isolated and often unsafe children's table into a safe but spiced-up holiday dining experience.

• While you're waiting for the turkey to cook, put the children in charge of designing their very own place mats. Give each child light-colored paper and washable markers and watch the young artist in them emerge.
• Make turkey- or snowman-shaped name cards out of construction paper with holiday-inspired trivia questions about favorite movies and books that the kids can quiz each other on during dinner.
• When appropriate, serve pre-cut, finger foods to children. Also, be sure to avoid turkey with bones, or other foods that can quickly become potential choking hazards.
• Avoid candles and sharp decorations at the kids' table. Keep matches, candles and lighters out of the reach of children.
• Set the kids' table with plastic utensils instead of sharp metal ones, and paper or plastic cups instead of glass to prevent breakages and cuts.
• Use place mats instead of tablecloths that can hang over the edge posing a spill hazard.
• Keep the kids' table close to the central dining area and designate the nearest adult to keep an eye out for any unsafe activities. There is no substitute for parental supervision, especially in new holiday surroundings.