New York City doesn't lack for fabulous museums or Instagrammable-popups but put them together and you'll come close to the brand new Museum of Illusions, opening today in Chelsea.

Equal parts trippy, mind-bending fun house and educational wonderland, the museum is home to more than 70 exhibits that will trick your senses, force you to question your perceptions and look at the whole space from a different perspective. Modeled after the original location in Zagreb, Croatia, the New York location is the first installation of its kind in the Western Hemisphere.

Autumn marks the start of a new theater season, but you don't need to shell out big bucks on Broadway shows to give your kids a memorable live entertainment experience in NYC. In fact, this fall boasts more high-quality theater productions for young audiences than ever—so many in fact, we have a whopping 25 picks, and that's after whittling down the contenders.

Preschoolers will be excited for the return of old friends Pete the Cat and Angelina Ballerina, plus the debut of a new show based on a Laurie Berkner song. Older kids will be inspired by That Inventions Show, the interactive improv piece Show Up, Kids!, and the immersive Gumshoe, which takes place throughout the 125-year-old Henry Street Settlement. There's also funky fare for tweens at Lincoln Center and the New Victory Theater, plus everyone in your family can enjoy the Big Apple Circus. Best of all, many of our picks are $25 or less per ticket.

There's only so much time a parent can spend inside the house if they don't want the kids to completely lose their minds. That's when a little socialization and a change of scenery is a great idea! While a trip to the local park or library for story time can be great, there are a few ways to change it up with other indoor play spaces. Our list of indoor play areas in Chester County is here to help. Be sure to also check out our roundups of indoor play spots for little ones in Bucks, Montgomery, and Delaware Counties as well as Philadelphia.

My daughter and I have read Bob Shea’s brand new Crash, Splash, or Moo! so many times now that I’m pretty sure I could transcribe it here from memory. But instead of giving away the much-anticipated outcomes of the interactive book that plays out like a totally wacky quiz show, I’ll tell you why it’s quickly become “The Song that Never Ends” delivered in book form to our household.

The maker movement is alive and well in NYC, annually bringing one of our favorite festivals, Maker Faire, to the New York Hall of Science.

But what to do with your inventive child the other 51 weekends of the year? Of course there are after-school classes, birthday parties, and summer camp options, but for drop-in, one-off workshops and tinkering sessions? Not as many. Still, we've dug in and rounded up nine NYC maker spaces offering chances for year-round STEM-inspired making, building, and creating, from robots to 3D printing and creative coding.

If you're looking for a longer-term commitment, check out our STEM Guide to read up on all the options for maker-inspired camps, classes, and DIY fun.

New York City doesn't lack for spectacular destination playgrounds, but Hippo Playground is more than a great place to play. Nestled among honey locust trees and a stone's throw away from the Hudson River in Riverside Park, Hippo Playground serves as the heart of the community for this slice of the Upper West Side and countless tots have grown up playing in the cool shade of its trees.

What the Hippo Playground may lack in modern bells and whistles, it makes up for in community and character, starting with the playful pachyderms who form the centerpiece of the playspace.

I have a child on the Autism Spectrum, or, as I like to call it, the Anxiety Spectrum. Every quirk and disability on the Spectrum—from OCD to sensory issues to ADD to dyslexia—goes hand in hand with lots of anxiety. So if you're like me, you can't simply throw your little one into any ol' extracurricular activity and assume it will go well. Noise levels, group-think, verbal directions, physical coordination... these can be overwhelming challenges for some children.  

Over the last few crazy years with my family, I've discovered many classes and sports around town for special kiddos. And while I'm no PhD-degreed expert, parent-to-parent I would like to share some ideas with the Mommy Poppins community as we immerse ourselves in another school year.

A trip to the museum doesn’t need to be a “boring” excursion for your kiddos, or strictly refer to your family popping into an indoor space for some play time. Whether it's artwork featuring everyone's favorite honey loving bear or interactive challenges like dodging hanging pendulums, at least one of these half-dozen exhibits on display across greater Boston is sure to delight your kids this fall. They might even learn something (but you don't have to tell them that).