The last holiday of winter break or the first holiday of the new year—however you look at it, New Year is a day for family time; and if you opt for a kid-friendly New Year's Eve activity, you could even have the energy for an early start. You might just choose an outing from our list of 50 Things To Do While Everyone Else Is Out of Town, but how to know if it's an option on the holiday? All of the outings below are great choices for a New Year's Day activity—in fact, some of them can only be enjoyed on January 1st. Happy New Year!

The Autry Museum offers an immersive exploration of the American West's rich heritage. With interactive exhibits that kids will enjoy, young visitors can journey through time, discovering the diverse cultures, adventures, and stories that shaped the Los Angeles region. There are plenty of things young cowpokes will love at the Autry Museum of the American West, LA's "Cowboy Museum" in Griffith Park. 

With its blend of education and entertainment, the Autry Museum offers an enriching experience for families looking to delve into the spirit of the American West. The Autry boasts several hands-on exhibits, a kid-friendly movie studio, and a lovely outdoor garden. 

Discover more adventures to do in Griffith Park with kids, bookmark these free museum days in Los Angeles, and check out our Museum Guide for Kids in Los Angeles and Orange County. 

It's prime season for end-of-year "best of" lists, and at Mommy Poppins, we love a good year-end roundup too. So we've searched our archives and scrolled through our Instagram feed to bring you this list of the best kid-friendly openings in NYC in 2019. From the debut of an entirely new neighborhood and shopping hotbed to some long awaited and highly anticipated openings, it's been quite a year for city kids. We've seen some classic destinations get upgrades and made some new friends along the way.

Without further ado, here is our list of the 15 best kid-friendly destinations that opened (or re-opened!) in 2019 in New York City.

It’s getting cold outside, and you may already be running out of ideas for how to keep boredom at bay when it's too cold for the playground. There are only so many play dates that can be arranged, and there are only so many bounce houses and ball pits in NYC. So if you’re going to survive the remainder of these long, cold winter months with kids in tow you’ll need a bevy of activities that won’t break the bank.

Here’s a look at 10 Staten Island hotspots where toddlers can blow an afternoon playing and bigger kids will stay occupied too. The best part about all of these cultural centers, museums, bookstores and libraries? They all host free days and events.

If you're parent to a Star Wars fan (or are one yourself) and are looking for a way to burn off some sugar-fueled energy—without a pricey trip to Galaxy's Edge in Disneyland—the Lightsaber Dojo virtual reality experience might be the answer. Either as an add-on to seeing Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker or just as a great activity for a rainy day, your young jedis will get excited about a trip to Huntington Beach for some weapons-free lightsaber slashing.

There are plenty of fun things to do in Raleigh, North Carolina, with kids whether you're looking for a fun Southern city to explore with younger kids or beginning the college search with teens. 

Known as the "City of Oaks," thanks to its mighty trees, the North Carolina state capital is the second-largest city in the state, right behind Charlotte. It's home to 12 colleges and universities, so it's no surprise that you'll find plenty of educational venues here, including museums and science centers. If you're also in the market for an action-packed good time, check out the go-karts and obstacle courses to arcades, escape rooms, and trampoline parks around Raleigh. We've also included our favorite free things to do in Raleigh for kids and noted at what ages free admission applies to some of the city's top attractions.

Here are 24 things to do in Raleigh for families, many of which are FREE.

Houston is a melting pot with cuisines from all over the world. Many of the city's restaurants are well known, and they have been featured on television shows like Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, Eat Street, Unique Eats, Man vs. Food, Cupcake Wars, Bizarre Foods, and Food Paradise. If you and your family enjoy trying different foods, you have to check out these Houston-area restaurants featured on the Travel Channel, Food Network, and Cooking Channel. Some of these incredible places offer kids menus and outdoor spaces for children to play while parents enjoy conversing over incredible eats.

And for more ideas on where to eat around the city, visit our Houston Restaurant Guide for families.

There are all sorts of local spots to play indoors when the weather gets frightful. And some of the best spots are absolutely free—including some very special local libraries, which feature unique play spaces along with shelves of books. Whether you’ve got a preschooler or a pre-teen, a trip to at least one of these libraries will be a fun, brain-boosting escape on a cold or wet day.