Baby Registry Must-Haves: Your Guide to the Best Tried and Tested Products

If you only put one chew toy on your registry, it should be Sophie the Giraffe. Photo courtesy of the Vulli Store on Amazon

Putting together a baby registry? We pooled a whole lot of parenting expertise to put together the ultimate baby registry list!

This baby registry must-have list includes everything, from car seats and strollers to mobiles and snot-suckers. We've got recommendations for a range of items that all the moms and dads at Mommy Poppins have really put to the test—and we’ve included a range of price points. We also point out which products you’ll use multiple times a day and which are fun extras. And finally, we’ve got some unique and surprising ideas that you don’t even know you need!

Read on to get the scoop on just which products belong on your baby registry. For more baby recommendations and expert advice, from where to babymoon to all about baby developmental milestones, check out our Baby and Maternity Guide.

Halloween Scavenger Hunt Ideas for Kids, Plus Free Printables!

A Halloween scavenger hunt is the perfect kids' activity for fall. Photo by Monserta Production via Pexels

Looking for some fun Halloween games for kids? Try a Halloween scavenger hunt!

A Halloween scavenger hunt allows kids to use their sugared-up brains to solve clues, read maps, decipher riddles, and build team friendships. Whether you’re looking for super-duper simple or next-level complex, we’ve got Halloween scavenger hunt ideas that will engage all ages, from kids who aren’t even reading yet to those “everything is so boring” teenagers.

And scavenger hunts aren’t just for this spooky time of year. Check out our list of indoor and outdoor scavenger hunt ideas for kids, which has more tips on planning, clue-creating, and setting rules.

Find even more Halloween games for kids in our Halloween Activities Guide for Families, which includes our list of fun at-home Halloween party games.

Free in October: 63 Things To Do in New Jersey with Kids

The Ridgefield Park Downtown Street Fair has lots to see and do, including music, food, games, and rides. Photo courtesy of  JC Promotions

No tricks here, just treats: We've rounded up dozens of FREE events for NJ kids and families in October. Save your money for candy and costumes, and load up on dozens of no-cost events every day of the month. Food, crafts, and fall fun are on tap at harvest festivals, including the Dunellen HarvestFest and Hoboken Harvest Festival, plus community fairs like Maplewood and Seton Hall Weekend.

October comes to a close with the main event of the season: Halloween. Throw on those costumes and head over to FREE celebrations, including trunk-or-treats in Wildwood and Dover and annual favorites like Cape May's Boo at the Zoo.

Read on for this month's gratis picks! For more FREE and low-cost fun, check out Free Halloween Events in New Jersey our Family Activity Calendar, as well as our Fall Fun Guide for New Jersey Kids and Halloween Events and Guide for NJ Kids.

Guide to Pumpkin Nights, the Bronx Zoo's Halloween Jack-O'-Lantern Trail

From aardvarks to bush babies, gorillas, and more, the Bronx Zoo's Pumpkin Nights lets you see wildlife in a whole new light.

The spooky season has officially arrived in NYC, bringing with it Pumpkin Nights, an all-new, walk-thru, Halloween jack-o'-lantern trail at the Bronx Zoo.

More sweet than spooky, here's the scoop on the 1/2-mile Halloween attraction, which landed on our list of the best Halloween events in NYC for kids. You'll find more seasonal tricks and treats in our New York City Kids' Guide to Halloween.

Secrets of Atlantis: Tips for a Bahamas Family Vacation with Kids

Aquaventure, Atlantis's gigantic water park, has a slide for every thrill level.

I’m not sure where my kids first heard about Atlantis, the wildly popular (and enormous) family resort and water park in the Bahamas. But once they discovered its existence, they were desperate to visit. I was skeptical that a trip was worth the cost, but once I started looking into Atlantis, I was sold. 

First, the location on the Bahamas' Paradise Island—with its picturesque beaches and clear blue waters—is a draw. The animal encounters are also intriguing, especially swimming with dolphins. And, Atlantis’s water park is huge. There is literally something for everyone, from toddlers to adventurous teens to parents who want to lounge by the pool.

I finally decided to make my kids’ (ages 13, 12, and 8) dreams come true and book a stay. We had a fantastic five-day visit filled with just the right mix of relaxation and adventure.

Here are my tips on making a trip to Atlantis with kids a success. Find more top places to stay in the Caribbean in our Family-Friendly Resorts & Hotels Guide and our Caribbean Family Travel Guide.

Cleveland with Kids: 30 Best Things to Do in Cleveland, Ohio

Climb "Steggie," the eight-foot tall Stegosaurus sculpture that has greeted museumgoers since 1968 at  the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.

Home to beloved sports teams and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland, Ohio is a city with a bustling energy and an all-American spirit. There's so much for families to do in this town set on the beautiful shores of Lake Erie, including plenty of attractions that are really affordable or entirely free.  And step aside, New York and Chicago: Cleveland is a foodie city too, with delicious restaurants that will please the whole family.

My family spent a week in Cleveland over the summer, and my daughters are already asking when they can go back. Here are our top 30 things to do in Cleveland with kids, including kid-friendly places to eat and great Cleveland hotels. For more Midwest vacation ideas, including our guides to Columbus and Cincinnati, Ohio, check out our Midwest Family Travel Guide

Schaumburg with Kids: Best Things to Do in Schaumburg, Illinois

Try one of Schaumburg's outdoor activities. Photo courtesy of the Spring Valley Nature Center and Heritage Farm

Located about 30 miles from downtown Chicago, Schaumburg is a quick weekend drive from the city or surrounding suburbs. If you live in Chicagoland, you’ve likely heard of Schaumburg's big attraction, Woodfield Mall. But, Schaumburg has tons of other fun and family-friendly places to explore, too. From outdoor activities to LEGOLAND, you'll find plenty of fun things to do with kids in Schaumburg. And for more things to do in Chicago neighborhoods, check out our Visitors Guide.

Take a Ghost Tour in Los Angeles and Discover the Terrors of Tinseltown

The Hollywood sign's spooky history is part of the tour. Have you seen the sign's ghost when hiking?

Ghost tours are perfect Halloween (or anytime!) fun for teens, tweens, tourists, and even locals who love LA.

My kids are teenagers. That means they are too old for pumpkin picking at Underwood Farms. They also have inherited my horror of a jump scare, which means they have no interest in Halloween Horror Nights or the Los Angeles Haunted Hayride. But these kids raised in the era of true crime podcasts can get down with some real-life spooky stories. So when I heard about US Ghost Adventures LA tours, it sounded like a perfect family Halloween teen outing.

I signed us up for the LA Ghosts: Terrors of Tinseltown Tour, and guess what? I was right! An evening of laughing, walking, learning, spooking, and eating chocolate with your teens is worth its weight in gold. Read on to learn more about just how scary the tour is, where it goes, and why it's my family's new Halloween tradition.

For more fun with teens, check out our Los Angeles Activities Guide for Teens and Tweens. And, since this tour made me remember how fun it is to play touring in my own town, I really recommend checking out our Ultimate 3-Day LA Itinerary by a Local Mom. Man, I love LA.

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