The Best Places for Pancake Breakfasts on Long Island

Tempt yourself with the banana crumb pancakes at The Flour Shoppe Cafe.

Nothing would seem to get kids more excited about breakfast than pancakes. Thin, fluffy, smothered, or sugared, this delectable treat delivers a sense of warmth and hominess that can’t be topped.

So with National Pancake Day looming (March 12), we've rounded up our favorite pancake destinations in Nassau and Suffolk counties, and even one worth a journey to the East End.  While you’re sampling these scrumptious local bites, check out our guide to kid-friendly restaurants, including LI's best ice cream parlorscandy shops, and places where kids can eat FREE.

A Parent's Review: Mythic Creatures at the Academy of Natural Sciences

Mami Wata heals the sick and brings good luck to her followers, but she also has a temper and will drown people who don’t obey her. Photo credit AMNH

Prepare to enter a world of make believe and monsters. Venture into the abyss and enjoy the fun that comes from interacting with creatures you've only heard of in stories. Featuring dragons and mermaids, unicorns and monsters, the new exhibit at the The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Mythic Creatures: Dragons, Unicorns  and Mermaids, is an excellent demonstration of the way cultures all over the world have embraced many similar myths and fantasies. The question is "Why?" Did our ancestors really live in a world of magic or was it their way of explaining the inexplicable? I went with my daughter to learn the answer. Below is our review and a primer for your adventure to this fantastical exhibit!

8 Museums With Special Needs Programs for NYC Kids

The NY Transit Museum is dedicated to making its extensive collection accessible to all.

Parents of special needs kids take note: Many cultural institutions are raising the bar when it comes to accessibility. While a crowded museum can be overwhelming or inaccessible for special needs kids, some of our favorite kid-centric museums go the extra mile, modifying their educational offerings to accommodate kids of all abilities.

Take, for instance, the Children's Museum of the Arts, where weekends go way beyond the fantastic dot paintings and clay bar sculptures. Here, a trio of programs caters to special-needs visitors with inventive programming meant to meet kids where they are, and encourage artistic exploration for all.

Read on to learn more about the programs at CMA and seven other city museums. While the increased access is priceless, most of the programs are FREE for kids and their families, though some programs may require advance registration. Be sure to click through to the websites for more details.

Beat the Winter Blues at Unique & Free Indoor Spots in NJ

Get a taste of summer in the middle of winter in the beautiful Orchid Range at Duke Farms. Photo by savethemfromtheworld via instagram

You've bounced at trampoline parks, visited all of the play spaces, and tried all the indoor activities you can think of—and it's STILL winter. If you're looking for some alternatives to the usual indoor fun spots, you've come to the right place: we've rounded up eight FREE NJ locales that can help you escape the winter doldrums without breaking the bank.

From admiring exotic orchids and art to visiting a charming children's library, you can mix up the routine while staying warm. For more no-cost fun, don't miss our roundup of free indoor play spots.

Best Spots To Buy Rodeo & Western Gear For Houston Kids

The Houston Livestock and Rodeo will be here before you know it. It is the perfect occasion to dress up your little cowboy or cowgirl with the cutest boots, vests and cowboy hats. If you want to avoid waiting until the actual rodeo (and the steep prices), we have gathered this list of stores that carry rodeo gear all year long for our little Texans. If you're new to town, know that most Target, Academy and Walmart stores carry boots and apparel for reasonable prices, but for the full western experience, here are some stores and boutiques you'll want to visit.

10 Things to Love About the DiMenna Children's History Museum at the New-York Historical Society

Immersive exhibits teach kids about historical movements at the DiMenna Children's History Museum.

Kids are naturally intrigued by history—the "who, what, and when" of how the world as they know it came to be. Curious history buffs in the making (and their parents) take note: One of our favorite children's museums in NYC is actually tucked into the basement level of the the New-York Historical Society in the heart of the family-friendly Upper West Side, just steps from Central Park. If you haven't visited yet, read on for 10 reasons we love the DiMenna Children's History Museum at the New-York Historical Society, a hidden gem with plenty for kids to explore.

Tyra Banks' New Modelland in Santa Monica: Will It Be a Place To Bring Kids?

Model Tyra Banks is opening a theme park in Santa Monica—Santa Monica Place, to be exact—based upon her 2011 YA book and decades as a top model. While details about what the 12,000 square foot attraction will include are still vague right now (the space is due to open later this year), the hype is big, and your America's Next Top Model-addicted kids may already think they want to go. The question is whether you will want to take them.

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