When we heard that Disney on Ice presents Frozen was coming to Boston, you can imagine the excitement level in our house.  (Sometimes I wonder if the Elsa craze contributed to the "freezing" of Boston these last couple of weeks. There has to be some sort of correlation, right!?)  

We went on Valentine's Day afternoon, under the threat of a blizzard, and we had a really fun time.  Even our one-year-old was dancing to the music and screamed, "Wow!" when (spoiler alert) Kristoff and Anna kissed at the end.  Below is my candid parent review, followed by five insider tips at the end.

One of the best places to let kids show off their creativity is in the kitchen. And if you happen to have a future Top Chef on your hands, you can celebrate his or her love of cooking and baking with a birthday party at one of these Long Island locations. From tossing dough for a personal pizza to piping icing on fresh-out-of-the-oven cookies, these party places can teach your little one (and pals) some valuable kitchen skills, while also giving them something super yummy to enjoy during the party or at home.

And for more birthday party ideas, check out our Long Island Party Guide.

Have you ever tasted a potato chip, hot off the factory line? If the answer is no, the free tour of the Herr's Snack Factory in Nottingham, PA must be included on your Philly Bucket List.

Shopping for children's clothes can be so much fun--it's hard to resist little tutus, sailor suits, and appliqued tops for 2-year-olds. However, if you're looking to buy brand-names clothes or toys, but don't want to pay full price, consider purchasing items on consignment. See below for consignment shops in South Jersey that sell and buy children's consignment items and don't forget to check out our posts on consignment shops in Northern and Central NJ and Philadephia.

We welcome guest contributor Cyndi Reitmeyer, BostonTechMom blogger, who tells us about a gem of a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) opportunity for middle schoolers. 

If you have a 7th or 8th grade child and live in the greater Boston area, then I want to make you aware of a one-weekend program called Spark, hosted by MIT’s Educational Studies Program (ESP). For a small flat fee, your child can take a wide variety of really unique classes in STEM subjects, taught on MIT’s campus by MIT students and community members. 

If you have a child born in 2011 listen up! The NYC Department of Education just released info about how to apply to free pre-k for fall 2015, and there are some really promising changes. For the first time, there will be one application for pre-k programs in both public schools and community-based early education centers, which means less paperwork and (hopefully) less confusion. Even better, schools chancellor Carmen Fariña has promised that there will be a seat for every age-eligible child.

Of course, you'll still want to do your research before you hand in that application. Here's everything you need to know about applying to free pre-k this fall.

This week kicks off with President’s Day. How are you going to keep the little ones busy on their day off from school? Check out the many opportunities for a Monday fun day, including the busy, and free, Family Day at State Theatre and Trailside’s Fantasy, Illusion and Magic Show. Celebrate another festive day, Chinese New Year, at Reeves-Reed Arboretum. Plus, take advantage of opportunities for grown-up time while the kids are entertained at Hip Mom Hangout or Small Factory’s Kids' Night Out. And don’t forget to check out our event calendar for even more President’s Day, weekday and weekend events.

The kids are off from school this week, so parents across Long Island are looking for ways to keep the little ones occupied before cabin fever kicks in. Luckily, there is no shortage of fun happening in both Nassau and Suffolk County. We recommend calling ahead of time to find out if you need to reserve your spot in advance as many of these places are sure to be super crowded.

Of course, this list is just our top picks--be sure to check out our Long Island Events Calendar regularly as it is always being updated. And to receive this post right into your inbox, sign up for our newsletter, which is now going out twice a week (Mondays and Thursdays).