With Mother's Day upon us, I've been thinking of fun, bonding activities with the kids that also provide some pampering for mom! A relaxing afternoon at the nail salon is a great way to enjoy quality time with your kids, where you can focus on each other and chat—maybe they'll even answer a few of your questions, if you're lucky. And let's be honest, it's a treat for you as well.

However, as much as I love mani-pedi dates with my daughter, I worry about the chemicals in the polish and the odor of the salon bothering her. (I don't love it either.) Despite having the technicians use a kid-friendly polish that I bring, I always leave feeling more worried than relaxed. So you can imagine my excitement upon discovering an organic salon in my neighborhood, with a wide variety of non-toxic polishes, plus a quiet and calm atmosphere. My daughter is also a fan, especially because of the wide variety of nail polish options. She was happy to see that there was not just one pink, but "tons!" She loved the experience, our nails looked great and I felt good about being there. Bonus: she even told me how her day was!

As you might imagine, organic salons tend to charge more and take longer to do your nails than a traditional salon. If you're not up for spending the extra time or money, you can buy a few organic polishes and create your own spa day at home with the kids. But, for those special events or days when you want to treat both yourself and the children, here are five NYC salons that offer organic mani-pedis with special services and prices for kids.

It looks like it's going to be bright and beautiful this Mother's Day weekend! Spend as much time as you can outside at events like the Beautiful Butterflies, Birds, & Cinco de Mayo fest at Camden Children’s Garden, the Secaucus Green Festival at Secaucus Xchange or Historic Smithville’s Children’s Festival down south. And of course, Mother’s Day events are happening all over New Jersey. Whether you want to make a craft with mom at Imagine That! Children’s Museum, enjoy a big family brunch at Alstede Farms or take a laid-back nature walk at Tenafly Nature Center, we’ve got you covered, mamas! For even more weekend activities, check out our Event Calendar.

As the locavore and farm-to-table food movements continue to grow, it's no surprise that kids are increasingly interested in farming. Luckily, Fairfield County is home to quite a variety of small (and not-so-small) farms, some raising animals, others growing vegetables and fruit, and a handful doing a little of both. The programs we've collected here include a few that spend the entire summer focused on farming, along with more traditional camps that offer special farm-themed sessions. Take particular note of the age restrictions: older kids tend to have more opportunities for hands-on work than younger children. For more enriching summer programs, check out our Camp Guide.

Whether you're celebrating a birthday, special occasion, or just want to treat your kid to something extra cool, New Jersey offers a host of over-the-top experiences. There are kids-only salons, arcades that come to your house, and even a helicopter ride, and we've rounded up some of the best for your next bash. While some of the experiences listed below may seem a wee bit extravagant, just remember—you're only a kid once!

Find more out-of-this-world kids' party ideas in our Birthday Party Guide.

For busy moms who already spend so much time planning fun and enriching activities for their families, Mother's Day can feel like yet another chore. Sure, a fancy or even not-so-fancy Mother's Day brunch is nice and easy to organize. But finding cool activities for the rest of the day that both the kids and mom will truly enjoy? That's not so simple.

So this year we turned to the experts, our fellow mamas, for inspiration. We asked our readers and bloggers to share their favorite things to do on Mother's Day and while it's true many said, "Sleep!," others had some pretty creative and memorable ways to celebrate with their families. Best of all, these ideas aren't unique to Mother's Day—you can try most of them anytime. I've always said Mother's Day should be a monthly holiday.

One-item specialty restaurants aren't anything new in NYC. This city practically invented bagel, doughnut and pizza spots. Since we first told you about the emerging culinary phenomenon back in 2010, the dining landscape has greatly changed. Some of those eateries, like The Meatball Shop, have opened additional outposts; others have sadly closed. (We do have high hopes that East Village mainstay, Pommes Frites, will eventually reopen after being shuttered by the recent gas explosion.)

That said, this super-specialty restaurant trend is here to stay, which is great news for families since most of these dining destinations offer quick service, and kid-friendly ambiance and menus. Dig in to delicious chicken fingers with a variety of unique sauces, plates of gourmet mac and cheese, sandwiches on homemade biscuits or plump pierogies. Finish off your meal with a sweet treat like an artisanal doughnut, ice cream sandwich or bowl of rice pudding.

Here is our list of 14 single-item specialty restaurants that kids will love in NYC.

When you're a kid, Mother’s Day is easy. Just make a card and a macaroni necklace, toss some white bread on a tray, and carry it up to the bed and you’re golden. But for grown-ups, Mother’s Day is an EVENT. For many families, Mother’s Day is a multigenerational gala complete with several tiers of moms, kids and grandmothers—not to mention myriad friends, aunts and fathers who are often celebrated for the dual roles they play.

Here in the Hudson Valley, we are lucky to be at the epicenter of so much beauty in early May—so why not make a whole day of enjoying it? We've rounded up four spectacular Mother's Day adventures that are about an hour's drive from various parts of Westchester, and well worth the trip! For more seasonal activities, be sure to check out our Spring Activity Guide and our May GoList.