Popular Upper East Side Preschools and How to Choose the Best One for Your Kid

Preschoolers at All Souls get plenty of play time to romp on the rooftop playground. Photo courtesy of the school

The great preschool hunt might seem especially daunting these days, but schools are stepping up to help parents through the process, offering everything from videotaped interviews to virtual tours. And while preschool spots are always in high demand on the Upper East Side, this might actually be the perfect time to score a spot at some of the most sought-after early childhood schools. Remember that some preschools still require you to apply in September the year before your child enrolls, after which you'll be invited to visit and confirm your interest in the school (some have early admissions and wait lists!), with final acceptance letters going out in February or March. In short, there's no time like the present to get the process started.

We've rounded up some of the top preschools on the Upper East Side below and broken them down into categories to help you decide which may be best for your family. Your odds of finding a comfortable fit for your family are excellent. We've also compiled our best preschool admissions tips as well as 10 questions to ask during a preschool tour, and don't forget that our Preschools Directory is an excellent resource.

The Battery Playscape Brings Nature-Inspired Playground to Lower Manhattan

Race down the speedy slides at the brand new Battery Playscape.

A new playground is always cause for celebration in our book, and the debut of the long-awaited Battery Playscape in Lower Manhattan brought a spectacular, new, expanded play area to the neighborhood. We recently checked out the 1.5-acre playground, which is destined to land on our list of the city's best playgrounds.

Read on for the details on this new romping spot and find more of our favorite places to play in our Guide to Parks and Playgrounds in NYC.

Free Admission for Kids at 40+ Family Attractions, Museums, & Theme Parks in Los Angeles

The Great Park Balloon in Irvine is free for everyone! Photo courtesy of cityofirvine.org

Getting in free at Disneyland: it's one of those precious moments of childhood that if you blink, you miss. But unlike the ones you can't put a price on, this one is worth about $100. In other words, it's really worth keeping track of when those free admission deals for kids run out. If you're working your way down our Bucket List for Los Angeles Kids, you should probably coordinate with the cut-off ages below; some of the museums you can catch on their free admission days (and happily, some are free every day!), but the theme parks, museums, and other attractions listed below really drive home the bittersweet point that you're only young once.

Free Museum Passes and More Perks From Your LI Library Card

Score a free pass to the Long Island Children's Museum with your library card. Photo courtesy of LICM

Unlike the other cards in your wallet, your Long Island library card doesn't come with fees or payment due dates. It does, however, come with a list of very cool, very FREE perks on Long Island for the whole family, and we’re not just talking books.

Access to free museum passes from your Long Island library is a huge perk for families, and one not everyone knows about: We are here to spread the word. In addition, your Long Island library card gets you access to a variety of other freebies that can entertain the whole family, from toddlers to tweens and teens.

Take a look at our list of museums from which you can score free passes and our roundup of other cool perks available at libraries in Nassau and Suffolk counties and on the East End. For more details, check individual library websites. And see our seasonal fun guide and events calendar for more ways to keep your family busy this winter.

Winter Day Trips Near Westchester for Families

Wave Hill is a stunning sight in any season. Photo courtesy of Wave Hill

Are you and your family looking to escape those post-holiday, mid-winter blues? Well, you don’t need to take a trip far away from Westchester, because there's plenty of local, family-friendly day trips to enjoy in winter.

Here are just a few of the best winter activities at communities in and around Westchester that are easily accessed in a day trip.

Ski Day Trips: Where Families Can Go Skiing near Los Angeles

Hit the slopes! Photo courtesy of Visit California

SoCal Skiing is the best. Sure, Colorado and Tahoe have some bragging rights, but you can't hit the beach and the ski slopes on the same day in Aspen, can you? Only ski slopes near Los Angeles let families pair snowboarding with surfing in one weekend. Los Angeles living offers easy access to ski resorts that are sunny, budget-friendly, and lead us back home in time for bed. So, if you're dying to get out of the house this winter and the kids are ready for something more adventurous than sledding and tubing, check out this list of area slopes and snow schools. Plan carefully and kids can have skis on their feet two hours after packing the car—because the mountains are even closer than they look.

For more winter fun, check out these fabulous Winter Day Trips from Los Angeles and our complete Winter Activities Guide for Los Angeles Kids.

Kemah Boardwalk Wintertime Blues

Activity Date: 
Repeats every week every Sunday and every Friday and every Saturday until Sun Feb 27 2022.
Friday, January 7, 2022 - 9:00am
Saturday, January 8, 2022 - 9:00am
Sunday, January 9, 2022 - 9:00am
Friday, January 14, 2022 - 9:00am
Saturday, January 15, 2022 - 9:00am
Sunday, January 16, 2022 - 9:00am
Friday, January 21, 2022 - 9:00am
Saturday, January 22, 2022 - 9:00am
Sunday, January 23, 2022 - 9:00am
Friday, January 28, 2022 - 9:00am
Saturday, January 29, 2022 - 9:00am
Sunday, January 30, 2022 - 9:00am
Friday, February 4, 2022 - 9:00am
Saturday, February 5, 2022 - 9:00am
Sunday, February 6, 2022 - 9:00am
Friday, February 11, 2022 - 9:00am
Saturday, February 12, 2022 - 9:00am
Sunday, February 13, 2022 - 9:00am
Friday, February 18, 2022 - 9:00am
Saturday, February 19, 2022 - 9:00am
Sunday, February 20, 2022 - 9:00am
Friday, February 25, 2022 - 9:00am
Saturday, February 26, 2022 - 9:00am
Sunday, February 27, 2022 - 9:00am
Event Info
Cost: 
Buy 1 pass for $24.99, get 1 pass for $5
Recommended Age: 
All ages
Editor's Pick: 
Activity Types: 

30 Fun Things To Do in Santa Cruz with Kids

See the works of local artists at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History. Photo courtesy of the museum's Facebook page

Maybe it's because it's so far off the beaten path (aka the 101 and 5 freeways), but Santa Cruz always seems like a blind spot for Southern Californians. But our neighbors in the San Francisco Bay Area have known for decades that this funky coastal city is a great year-round destination for families. Growing up, my Bay Area-raised wife would spend long summer weekends enjoying the many miles of beaches around the city. However, there's so much more to Santa Cruz than the beach.

To help you plan your first (or next!) Santa Cruz vacation, here is our list of 30 things to do in Santa Cruz with kids, including Santa Cruz restaurants kids will love and family-friendly Santa Cruz hotels. While you're there, check off a few of the items on our list of 100 things to do in California with kids!

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