New York City's uber-popular STEM Matters Program returns for spring break 2021, but big changes are in store. Unlike the week-long drop-off program of years past, if you want your child to participate this spring, you'll have to join them. The programs, dubbed Discovery Days, run for single-day sessions at top cultural institutions. Participants are treated to an hour-long, educator-led, hands-on discovery program and enjoy gratis admission for the rest of the day.

The programs, which are open to public, charter, and home school students, run for single-day sessions during the New York City public school spring break, which lasts from Monday, March 29-Friday, April 2, 2021. Read on for more info on the program and how to apply.

A visit to Caleb Smith State Park Preserve is a must for Long Island families, no matter the season. With more than 540 acres of freshwater wetlands, ponds, streams, the Nissequogue River, and plenty of family-friendly hiking trails, it's a beautiful destination.

Located on the North Shore, in the heart of Smithtown, it's one of only four state park nature preserves on Long Island. Originally part of the estate of Caleb Smith, the great-grandson of Smithtown founder Richard “Bull” Smith, it's a wonderful, peaceful spot to enjoy the natural beauty of Long Island.

Read on for five of our favorite things to do in Caleb Smith State Park Preserve, and find more ways to explore Long Island's all-season natural beauty, from beach walks to hiking trails and winter walks.

With many families opting out of in-person playdates, it can feel like a Herculean task to keep little ones with lots of energy engaged. While there are plenty of ideas for older kids (and lots of free games to keep them entertained), it can be a little trickier to find online playdate activities for toddlers and preschoolers.

Luckily, there are a number of ways for younger kids to have fun while playing with friends online. Here, we’ve rounded up 10 creative ideas for virtual playdates for preschoolers—some that require parent participation and other toddler activities where you can just set them up to play at-home and give yourself a much-needed break!

Whether you’re looking for a weekend winter getaway or an epic day trip adventure, snowboarding is a great family activity. An invigorating sport, snowboarding combines physical activity and fresh air and is suitable for most ages. What’s more, many resorts offer additional fun and refreshments to round out your day.

Below we’ve profiled 12 snowboarding destinations accessible from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. For the uninitiated, consider booking a lesson and budgeting ample time to rent equipment beforehand.

Find more opportunities for seasonal outings in our Winter Fun Guide and our Skiing, Snowboarding, and Snow Sports Guide, where you'll find picks for our favorite Northeast ski resorts and much more.

An Instant Pot is an electronic pressure cooker that is able to cook foods quickly—and once I started using one, I wondered how I ever lived without it. The only tricky thing is finding the best Instant Pot recipes that everyone in the family will eat. From kid-pleasing Instant Pot chicken recipes to the secret to perfect Instant Pot rice, I’ve tried them all, and rounded up the best of the best.

For those of us who don’t think about what to have for dinner until approximately melt-down-o’clock, this list of tried-and-true Instant Pot recipes will save dinnertime, one meal at a time! Don’t have an Instant Pot? Try our favorite easy one-pot meals. And whatever you make for dinner, save room for dessert.

Of the many tough things about 2020, one of the big ones for Southern California families was the loss of Disneyland. Last year kicked off with a major price hike that left SoCal residents scrambling to enjoy a few last weeks of locals only deals, before being cut short by the park's abrupt closure for COVID-19. The ten months since then have marked the longest some people have ever gone without visiting the Mouse House, and there is still no end in sight.

So what can we expect of Disney in 2021? Will we get to see the inside of Disneyland, and if so will it wipe out the college fund? Is it true that annual passes have been canceled? And will last summer's canceled Avengers Campus opening ever see the light of day? With so many unknowns in the year ahead, we thought hunting down a few of these answers might make the wait more bearable.

Sitting here on the 3756th day of March 2020—and the five billionth day of remote learning—it's comforting to know we are not alone. Parents around the country are dealing with the same issues. In fact, after watching the "Quarantine" episode of Little House on the Prairie (season 3, episode 13), I now know that our struggles have been shared, not only across the country but across the centuries. This show gets it spot on. Does homeschooling while baking endless loaves of bread sound familiar? At least, we don't have to wash our laundry in a bucket of boiling water! Check out these relatable moments and funny quarantine memes.