See Yayoi Kusama's Whimsical Art at NYBG's Newly Opened Exhibition

See Starry Pumpkin on display in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory at the NYBG during Yayoi Kusama's

A visit to the family-friendly New York Botanical Garden is a treat in any season, but a trip now means not only close encounters with the garden's living collection but also the larger-than-life art of Yayoi Kusama.

Kusama: Cosmic Nature opened at the garden last weekend and runs through Halloween. Read on to learn more about the exhibit and why it's worth a visit—or two—before fall.

Exploring New Jersey's Pine Barrens: Best Things To Do With Kids

Stretching out over seven counties and across 1.1 million acres, New Jersey's Pine Barrens offer plenty of enclaves to explore.

The Pine Barrens, or the Pines, is a beautifully diverse, protected eco-system that stretches over seven counties in New Jersey and is home to approximately1.1 million acres of forests with varied plant and animal life. The region also houses a multitude of rural and urban towns, with residents embracing the Pines and celebrating its beautiful bounty over the four seasons with festivals, outdoor activities, eateries, and folklore—watch out for the Jersey Devil!

Whether you are headed to the area to attend an event, searching for outdoor adventures like hiking, camping, and fishing, or simply want to drive through to spot changing flora and foliage in the fall or spring, the Pine Barrens do not disappoint. Read on for our favorite things to do with kids in the region, and read our roundup of state forests and parks to explore for more outdoor adventures.

Where Young Imaginations Soar: Pretend City Children's Museum in OC

Would you like fries with that? Photo by Matt Matasci

If you’re driving an hour from Los Angeles to Orange County with two kids for an activity, the destination had better be worth the battle with traffic! Pretend City in Irvine is well worth any drive, boasting 17 interactive, interconnected exhibits built as a kid-scaled city. For hours, my kids explored their creativity and imagination, pretending to be cashiers and customers at Trader Joe’s, putting on a performance at the amphitheater, working on a farm, replacing a car’s muffler, and more. Find out what makes Pretend City so special and why it’s one of the must-visit children’s museums in Southern California for any and every family with young kids.

The Most Irresistible Dessert Board Recipes for Kids

Dessert charcutterie boards, like this S'mores Board,  delight kids and parents alike.

Why should cheese and crackers have all the fun? These dessert charcuterie boards can make any day sweet! It is not difficult to assemble one of these trays once you have the right ingredients and supplies in your kitchen. Dessert boards are no-cook, easy dessert recipes that are perfect for celebrating a birthday, holiday, or just to add a little fun to a night at home. You can use any flat surface to build your dessert board—we like to use a deep tray with handles, but a cutting board, serving tray, or any flat surface is a perfect stage to show off your delectable dessert creations.

From s’mores masterpieces to movie night treats, these five dessert boards will let you indulge your family’s sweet tooth. Find more dessert recipes and sweet kitchen inspiration in our Guide to Easy Recipes for Kids.

Petting Zoos near Houston Where Kids Can See Farm Animals

Meet the animals, very up close and personal. Photo courtesy of TGR Exotics Wildlife Park

Getting outdoors with kids is always fun, but when you add in animals it takes the fun factor to the next level. Any trip to a zoo or safari park is sure to be met with glee, but nothing ups the ante better than actually getting to hug the animals at a petting zoo. From typical barnyard animals like sheep and goats to more exotic ones like wallabies and lemurs, we've rounded up 10 petting zoos that deliver a unique animal experience.

As a bonus, many of these are at our favorite area farms, so you can get ready to spend the day interacting with animals and getting in some serious playtime! Be sure to bring some extra cash; there are several that allow you to buy food so that you can hand-feed the animals. For even more outdoor fun, be sure to check our Farms & Pick Your Own Guide and our Zoos and Gardens Guide

New Mini-Golf Course Comes to Brooklyn Waterfront for Summer Fun

River Ring's long-term development includes a new protected public beach on the East River; for now, visitors to the space can enjoy a new mini-golf course and sustainable far.

Brooklyn's already family-friendly waterfront is getting a cool new feature just in time for summer 2021: A new 18-hole mini-golf course dubbed Putting GREEN is set to open in Williamsburg.

Read on for more details on the project, which also includes a 20,000-square-foot sustainable farm, and start planning your summer day trip to explore all the fun along Brooklyn's East River shores from Brooklyn Bridge Park to Domino Park and beyond.

10 Things to Love About South Jersey's Cohanzick Zoo

Playful tigers are so close, you feel like you're in the cage with them at the family-friendly Cohanzick Zoo.

Spring is the perfect time to get outside and enjoy some animal encounters, and one of my favorite spots is the Cohanzick Zoo.

Located in rural Bridgeton, about 50 minutes south of Philadelphia, the Cohanzick Zoo is ideal for children—and adults!—of all ages. It is New Jersey’s first zoo, having opened in 1934, and despite its small size, it is home to more than 100 animals and almost 50 different species. A visit to the Cohanzick Zoo takes about half a day and feels as if it's open just for you.

Read on for all the reasons my family loves this zoo and find more fun animal encounters at these New Jersey zoos and aquariums.

12 Recycled Crafts for Kids to Celebrate Earth Day

Get into the Earth Day spirit with these cute crafts for kids.

These crafts for kids celebrate Earth Day the best way we know how—with recycling! You don’t have to buy any extra stuff to create one of these beautiful crafts. Basic supplies like scissors, glue, and paint allow kids (and their grown-ups) to do their part to save the planet. 

Clean out that recycling bin to gather supplies for these fun Earth Day activities for kids. From glass and plastic to packaging and cardboard, there is a treasure trove of crafting material just waiting to be reused. Whether you are taking a pile of cardboard boxes to the next level or turning T-shirts into totes, these easy crafts for kids provide a little inspiration to get you going. 

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