January can feel like a little bit of a let down after the busy holiday season as we get back to school, work and busy schedules. But instead of sitting indoors on a chilly weekend, check out some of the winter fun Jersey has to offer! For a dose of outdoor adventure, throw on your coats and sign up for an awesome maple sugaring demo at Great Swamp or take an evening walk to search for nocturnal creatures at Tenafly Nature Center’s Owl Prowl. If you’ve got little ones that need some weekend entertainment, drop in for story time at the New Jersey State Museum or get tickets for opening weekend of Dinosaurs of the Deep at Adventure Aquarium. And if you’re looking for some engaging and creative ways to celebrate Martin Luther King Day, sign the kids up for an MLK painting craft at Imagine That Children’s Museum or take in the performance MLK Celebration: Embodying the Dream at NJPAC. For even more weekend fun, check out the full list of weekend activities in our Event Calendar.

In the mood for a sweet getaway with the kids? New York City is but a short hop from some of the Northeast’s finest maple sugaring centers, where tree sap is transformed into the breakfast syrup we all love.

Day trips to sugaring events in the metropolitan area and beyond offer parents and kids the chance to see how sap is collected, cooked and stored. We’ve rounded up some of our favorites, easily accessed from the city (most just an hour away by car), and added a few more just in case you’re in the mood to travel.

You can find more getaway ideas in our NYC Family Travel Guide.

Got a kid who wants to learn some smooth moves? Get in the groove with these kid-centric hip hop classes in Nassau County. Your little one will learn fast, fancy footwork and synchronized moves while burning some serious energy.

And if you're looking for other after-school and enrichment classes on Long Island, be sure to check out  our Classes Guide.

We're always looking for fun places for kids to get crafty. Doing art in a dedicated space (that isn't your living room!) is a win-win and painting your own pottery takes your DIY crafts to a whole new level. It's fun, anyone can do it and you get to take home something special at the end.

Take a look outside. There’s no doubt that winter has arrived in New Jersey! If you’re searching for ways to keep everyone warm and busy during a frigid January week, look no further than here. Explore the earth’s creatures past and present at Adventure Aquarium’s Dinosaurs in the Deep or Frelinghuysen Arboretum’s Garden Sprouts. Warm up with story programs at Pottery Barn Kids, Terhune Orchards and Montclair Art Museum, or chill out at Disney on Ice Presents Princesses and Heroes. You may get inspired to give ice skating a try at one of New Jersey’s outdoor rinks. And don’t forget to check out our event calendar for even more weekday and weekend events.

The winter chill has officially arrived on Long Island, leaving many parents wondering what to do with the kids when it's simply too cold outside. Rest assured, there are some fun things to do with your kids this week on Long Island, both during the day for little ones or after school for the big kids. Remember, this list is just our top picks for the week--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). 

I know it sounds a bit bizarre, but in Camelot, that’s how conditions are. As the rest of the country braces for winter storms, our little Angelenos are ice skating on the beach and continue to enjoy plenty of outdoor fun at places like the South Coast Botanical Gardens.

Still. It is winter, and that’s a good time to snuggle up in your jammies at the Torrance Library’s Pajama-Rama. In Thousand Oaks, Theater League presents Lerner and Lowe’s Camelot. This is a great way to introduce girls and boys to the joys of musical theater. 

Read on for our weekday picks this week, which are just a sample of what's on our full calendar.

  Last week we kicked off 2015 with a new feature to help you enjoy even more fun activities with your kids. In addition to our  weekend events round-ups, every Monday we'll share weekday activity picks to enjoy Monday through Friday. We've also added an additional newsletter so our subscribers will get the new weekday events right in their in-box Monday mornings. Not a subscriber? Sign up now!  

This week Disney on Ice, 3D printing, and Legos are on the agenda. If you happen to be interested in a Montessori education for your child, you can visit the Washington Montessori School  in Litchfield County Tuesday - Thursday this week. They are having open houses. Of course, we have loads of events listed every day in our events calendar so please check it out. Our CT Winter Fun Guide has lots of great ideas too. Besides some ice and possible snow on Monday it looks like we will have sunshine and cold temps all week. Bundle up and enjoy!