Not sure what to do with your baby or toddler in Chicago after maternity leave is over or in the middle of a long cold winter? Looking for a class or lesson to take with your preschooler so you don't have to think of activities to entertain them constantly? Chicago parents can choose from dozens of Parent & Me classes and all of these Mommy & Me classes (and Daddy & Me classes, too!) focus on activities that babies and parents can do together to bond and spend some quality one-on-one time. With swim classes, yoga classes, dance classes, and outdoor activities, there are classes for every kind of family, baby, toddler, and parent to enjoy in the Chicago area.

Check our guide to the Best Kids Classes and Activities in Chicago for more kids' activities and programs.

Hitting the dance floor is a great kids' activity that gets the body moving and the creativity flowing. Whether your tiny dancers want to bust a move at a hip hop class or twirl in tutus in ballet class, there's a perfect dance class for every style in the Boston area. Not sure what kind of dance class to start with? Try out a combo class to sample a variety of moves or give something international or acro/rock-n-roll a try. And if you're not ready to head inside the studio yet, many dance studios are offering virtual options, too.

From toddler movement with music sessions to more competitive dance classes that run all the way through teens, we've rounded up the best kids' programs in Boston and surrounding neighborhoods. Just grab those dancing shoes and read on to pick your kiddo's next dance class. And don't forget to check out our guide to the Best Kids Classes and Activities in Boston for other great toddler classes and big kid classes in Boston.

Whether you’re doing an Alaska cruise or individual travel, costs can really add up on a family vacation, especially when traveling in Alaska. Luckily, if you know the area, there are actually plenty of fun and free things to do in Sitka and other SE Alaska cities, as well as affordable eats. 

My grandparents moved to Alaska when I was a tot, so even though I’m not a local, I’ve been visiting Haines and Juneau my whole life. It wasn't until I started bringing my own kids that we started exploring Alaska’s tourist attractions and also traveling as a family to other Alaska destinations. This summer we decided to visit Sitka.

While an escape to Pennsylvania’s Poconos often means quiet hikes in the woods, a swim in the Delaware, or maybe a ski down the slope, my family also relishes a trip to one of the Poconos water park resorts. We recently indulged in a long weekend at Camelback Resort and thoroughly enjoyed our stay.

Read on to find out what’s new at this Poconos resort and to hear all our best tips for a visit to Camelback with the kids.

Backpacks are probably among the most universal of school supplies, the item that gets the most use and suffers the most wear and tear. Finding the right backpack for school that will accommodate all of your child’s supplies—and that they’ll love carrying—requires a bit of research and a big stamp of approval from the student who has to lug their brand-new cool backpack around from home to class to afternoon extracurriculars.

So if you’re on the hunt for an extra cool backpack this year, we've done the homework for you, pulling together a list of our top 12 backpacks, drawing on many years of experience from our parent writers and readers. For more back-to-school tips, from perfect alarm clocks for the first day to school lunch ideas kids will actually eat, check out our Back-to-School Guide.

You can't spend all summer in the pool (though kids often wish you could), and some days the perfect way to burn off some energy is to head to a playground in Los Angeles! Of course, it's hot in LA during the summer (and spring and fall—even sometimes in winter!), and playing on equipment that is too hot to touch is no fun. Not to mention the sunscreen factor—even when kids let you apply it at the beginning of the day, it can prove impossible to reapply. The solution? Be armed with a list (like the one below) of the best parks that offer shaded play throughout the day.

Keep bodies (and tempers) cool at these playgrounds in LA with plenty of shade. And when the temperature dips, check out our favorite playgrounds that are worth the drive and the best toddler playgrounds in every corner of the city.

Need to find a playground near you with shade for a hot summer day in NYC? These shady playgrounds in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens offer a break from the sun but no shortage of fun.

While kids can always cool off in NYC's many sprinklers, there's no reason for us parents to get stuck baking in the heat. A few NYC playgrounds are known to offer exceptional amounts of shade—Hippo Playground in Riverside Park and Discovery Playground in Fort Washington Park come to mind—but we asked our readers if they knew of any super-shady playgrounds in New York City, and they came through with several great suggestions.

Yes, I was a masking tape mom, too. But when an order of quality, convenient personalized name stickers and kids clothing labels from Mabel’s Labels appeared in my mailbox for my two young daughters—covered in unicorns and rainbows, no less—I was a very quick convert.

Created by four mothers who were tired of digging through the lost and found bin, Mabel’s Labels are durable, waterproof, laundry-safe, microwave-safe, and adorably customizable with dozens of designs. Specially made to fit kids’ most-used (and most-lost) school items, you’ll find labels for backpacks, lunch bags, shoes, sports gear, and water bottles—plus options for the daycare and preschool crowd, like pacifier and baby bottle stickers. You can even shop by occasion to find the best labels to fit your needs, or snag combo label packs like “Little Kid School Combo” and “School Uniform Label Pack.” Yeah, they get it.