When the summer heat descends on Washington, DC, there are plenty of free public swimming pools that families can visit to cool down. But for those who live in the DC suburbs, it may seem like paying for a pricey summer membership is the only way to gain access to an outdoor swimming pool. We're here to assure you that is not the case. There are plenty of outdoor swimming pools near DC that offer a daily pool pass option for families who can't commit to a whole summer of swimming. From hotels with pools in DC that offer families a luxurious daycation to community swimming pools with lots of fun features for kids, these pools are all great places to spend a hot DC summer day.

For more ways to make a splash outdoors, check out our lists of 12 outdoor water parks for kids near DC and 17 sprinkler parks, spraygrounds, and splash pads near DC for kids. Stay cool this summer!

Here's a fun summer craft for kids of all ages that helps pollinators and ecosystems, too: making wildflower seed bombs. Maybe you've heard that pollinators are in danger, but you don't know how to help or maybe don't even know what a pollinator is. Well, here's the scoop, along with a quick, easy, and fun craft for kids that also helps the earth. When you make wildflower seed bombs, you can plant flowers—without any digging or trowels—in your backyard, a flower pot, around your city, or even gift them to neighbors and friends to spread far and wide.

Here's how to make your own wildflower seed bombs that are perfect for whichever pollinators buzz in your backyard. Check out more green activities for kids in our Earth Kids Guide to Green Activities for the Planet.

Running for four miles down Manhattan's west side, the beloved Hudson River Park is the longest waterfront park in the United States. It's packed north to south with green space, playgrounds, splash pads, inventive programming, and plenty of amenities. There are tons of family-friendly things to do from bicycling to kayaking and more.

Each of Hudson River Park's piers is a unique destination unto itself and worth exploring, from the stunning waterfront playground at Pier 25 to the Pier 40 ballfields, the inventive Little Island, and the action-packed Chelsea Piers. The green space is even the future home of Manhattan's first public beach set to debut next spring.

So, read on for the best things to do in Hudson River Park, then hop on a bike or a scooter and enjoy a daycation at this Manhattan green space. Find more places to play in our Guide to Parks and Playgrounds in NYC.

Explore the best Connecticut area beaches for a great family escape on a summer day!

Kids and parents alike look forward to the carefree days of summer, but it’s also a time when activity-related accidents and injuries in children tend to rise. With families gearing up for backyard BBQs and beach vacations, we teamed up with Connecticut Children’s–the only health system 100% dedicated to kids–to share their 2022 Summer Safety toolkit.

In the toolkit, Connecticut Childrens’ experienced pediatric experts provide parents with everything they need to know about the most common summer safety concerns, at home or on your summer travels. From ticks and sunburn to dehydration and drowning, you’ll learn safety and prevention tips, plus when it’s time to call a doctor or visit the emergency room.

In this article we’re highlighting the top six summer safety tips for kids and families. Click through to the Connecticut Children’s website to see the full toolkit or explore their other children’s health and safety resources.

A visit to the Cape May Zoo is an incredible experience that wows kids of all ages. The South Jersey facility is our family's favorite zoo, and we explore it several times a year.

At this world-class zoo, you can get up close and personal with a bobcat (that my 3-year-old has appropriately named "Bob"), watch ring-tailed lemurs frolic in the treetops, and thrill as kangaroos and wallabies take leaps and bounds. Your family will experience all this wildlife and much more, and all for FREE.

Read on for all the ways to make the most of your visit to the Cape May Zoo and check out our Zoos and Gardens for New Jersey Kids Guide for other great places to visit.

Summer in New York City is the perfect time for teens to explore, get active, make friends, learn new skills and tackle one of these bucket list-worthy summer activities for teens. Whether they're enrolled in a teen-friendly summer camp, honing skills at a summer internship, or have landed a teen-friendly part-time job, NYC teens have plenty of options to keep busy.

When they do have some downtime, though, there are plenty of fun things to do. To help navigate the myriad options, we've rounded up 12 summer activities for teens that are guaranteed to deliver a good time, whether they're into fun in the great outdoors or want to check out a cool new NYC destination. If that's not enough to keep boredom at bay, bookmark this list of 15 all-seasons teen activities for NYC's ultra-cool big kids.

We've got even more teen activities in our Tweens & Teens Guide to NYC, and you can also search our Family Activity Calendar for teen-specific events.

As a mom-of-two who just made yet another summer camp payment, I’m not exactly surprised it was a husband and wife team with four little ones of their own who finally cracked the code on money management with an easy and intuitive app that’s perfect for busy parents.

Yes, Qapital is seemingly the answer to an age-old parenting problem: how to budget and save when it feels like you’re constantly opening up a daycare bill or a surprise Invisalign invoice just as your kid outgrows the sneakers you bought three weeks ago. Using behavioral science and automation, the Qapital budgeting app gives families an organized, unintimidating, and customizable way to set and reach financial goals while still accounting for expected and unexpected childcare costs–plus your own personal spending habits.

From clever ways to almost trick yourself into growing your savings to a joint money management tool that lets you and your partner share financial goals, Qapital offers a stress-free, budget-building, money-saving app busy parents like me–and probably you–have been looking for.

Now that I’ve given Qapital a try, here are a few of my favorite features––plus a code for a $25 sign-up bonus with a free trial: