While we love spotlighting all of the FREE and inexpensive activities New York City has to offer families, sometimes it's fun to toss your budget aside and splurge on an unforgettable, extra-special experience. Whether you're celebrating a big birthday, holiday, or a stellar report card, visiting on vacation, or just feel like treating your child to some amazing memories, the Big Apple is full of over-the-top options you can't enjoy anywhere else in the world. We've rounded up 10 of our favorites, from ideas to make the best Broadway shows even better, to up close and personal sporting events, to new ways to see our beloved city from the air—and beyond!

In TADA! Youth Theater's The History Mystery, an hourlong musical, a trio of history-hating teens is magically transported back in time to meet Martin Luther King, Jr., Eleanor Roosevelt, and others when they were adolescents. Not only do they learn about the experiences that helped shape these iconic figures, they also see how the past impacts our present. For school-age kids living in today's difficult political climate, it's a fun but fact-packed look at how every person, even a child, has the ability to affect positive change.

Winter 2017 in New York City is loaded with cool children's theater. Recently, we spotlighted a pair of high-profile family musicals coming to Broadway this season: long-running London hit Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and a screen-to-stage adaptation of the animated movie Anastasia.

But you don't need to shell out big bucks to give your kids a memorable live entertainment experience in NYC—plenty of engaging family productions are playing Off-Broadway for a lot less. This winter there are wonderful options for toddlers to tweens, including interactive shows created specifically for the preschool set (Shadow Play and Ear, Nose, and Tail ), eye-popping spectacles for all ages (Erth's Dinosaur Zoo Live and Cirque-tacular's Snowkus Pocus), and stage adaptations of popular picture books such as Elephant & Piggie and Please Bring Balloons. Best of all, most of these shows cost $25 or under, so you can take the whole family for less than the price of one Broadway ticket.

After a few seasons of touring North America, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer has flown into the Theater at Madison Square Garden for a holiday run just right for NYC and visiting families. 

Unless you're a screen-free family, chances are you and your kids have seen Rankin/Bass' classic, stop-motion holiday TV special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer—probably many times. After all, it's been airing annually on CBS since it debuted in 1964! And if not, you certainly have heard a thing or two about the most famous reindeer of all.

With its iconic aesthetic, and kooky but cute characters like Hermey the aspiring dentist elf, gold prospector Yukon Cornelius, an entire island of misfit toys, and the red-nose afflicted hero, the somewhat surreal tale charms children and sparks warm waves of nostalgia in parents. It was inevitable that some enterprising producers would adapt the property for a live stage show. The big questions are: Is the live version any good; is it worth the money; and which ages is it best suited for? We've got the answers, plus links to deeply discounted tickets!

The heroine of Disney's new animated feature Moana may be the daughter of her Polynesian tribe's chief, but don't go calling her a princess. When her partner in adventure, the demigod Maui, snarkily insists that, "If you wear a dress and have an animal sidekick, you’re a princess,” Moana challenges his preconceived notion—as she does throughout the movie. Yes, from a marketing point of view, she's the latest in a long line of Disney royalty. Yet her character defies and redefines that role. She's a powerful, self-possessed young woman of color who battles climate change and doesn't need a man to save her. In fact, there's zero romance in this film; it's not even mentioned. Instead, she spends most of the flick bickering and bonding with Maui, who acts as a kind of goofy, surrogate big brother on their mission to save Moana's imperiled island homeland.

But while the film's feminist and multicultural elements make Moana feel decidedly 21st century, story-wise it follows the studio's tried-and-true formula of a princess—make that future chieftain—on a dangerous (but inevitably successful) quest. Just how scary is it? We've got the scoop, plus whether it's worth splurging to see her escapades in 3D.

'Tis the season to get the gang all dressed up to see some holiday shows. While there are plenty of spectacles to splurge on beyond the Radio City Christmas Spectacular and all those Nutcrackers, if you've got young children you may not want to blow all of your bucks on theater tickets. 

That's why our roundup includes a range of productions, from inexpensive, low-key offerings perfect for fidgety preschoolers, to extravaganzas that are worth the investment. Bonus: We've got the scoop on how to save money to a few of the higher-priced offerings.

From live stage adaptations of holiday classics such as A Charlie Brown Christmas and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer to tot-friendly puppet shows and jaw-dropping circus skills, here are our top 14 holiday shows for NYC families.

Cirque du Soleil returned to Randall’s Island for the first time in six years this fall, bringing with it a brand-new steampunk-themed show, Kurios, that’s brimming with the physics-defying performances that first catapulted the troupe to fame.

While the Canadian troupe's last show on the isle, Ovo, was fantastic, Cirque has certainly had plenty of misses over the years, especially with its attempts to branch into new terrain (see Broadway's Paramour), but also because after 35 shows–and plenty of imitators—it all started to feel a bit redundant for avid fans.

I couldn’t help wondering as I made the trek over to Randall’s with my tween-age daughter, would this new spectacle recapture some of that old magic? Read on for the scoop on this new kooky show in town, and how to save money on tickets.

For more than two decades, the award-winning New Victory Theater in the heart of Times Square has been a local family favorite to catch entertaining and affordable productions for all ages. But it's much more than just a place to go see a show. Through a range of educational offerings like hands-on workshops, interactive pre- and post-show activities, and performances to accommodate audiences with special needs, the organization is raising the next generation of theatergoers.

Mommy Poppins is proud to partner with the New Vic for the fourth year in a row. Throughout the season, we'll be giving you access to its incredible lineup of shows and special exclusive events for Mommy Poppins readers. We kick off our partnership with a preview of the New Victory's 2016-2017 season, including show recommendations for every age and stage, tips on how to save on tickets, and video clips from the upcoming productions.