The Nutcracker, Dinosaurs, and More Things To Do on Long Island this Weekend

Jaime Sumersille's picture Submitted by Jaime Sumersille on

Photo courtesy of the Girl Scouts of Suffolk County

Looking for the best things to do on Long Island this weekend? Here are some family-friendly events and activities to add to your schedule.

This weekend, Long Island is serving up family fun that leans hard into holiday merriment, from a free performance, Holiday on Ice Show at the Town of Oyster Bay Ice Skating Center, to the roaring opening of the Dinosaur Carnival at the Center for Science Teaching & Learning.

And because no December is complete without a Nutcracker moment, you’ve got three options: Eglevsky Ballet’s at the Tilles Center, the New York Dance Theatre at Hofstra University, or the kid-friendly The Nutcracker Act II at Ballet Long Island.

Santa Sightings, Holiday Farm Fun, and More Things To Do this Weekend in New Jersey

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Photo courtesy of Willow Grove Farm facebook page

Looking for the best things to do in New Jersey this weekend? Here are some family-friendly events and activities to add to your list.

It's a very merry almost-Christmas weekend. Grab some last minute quality time with Santa at events like Mill Race Holiday Village, where guests can meet Santa and The Grinch while enjoying a bounce house and petting zoo, and at Liberty Science Center's Santa's PJ Pajama Party with a sock skating rink and live entertainment.  

Plus, dance classes, storytelling and a candle lighting ceremony are all part of the fun at Newark's Kwanzaa Festival and Marketplace. 

Make Music, Hanukkah, and More Things To Do in NYC this Weekend with Kids

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Designing your own clay dreidel is just one of the many fun activities at 'Spin, Sing, and Shine for Hannukah'. Photo courtesy of CMOM

Looking for the best things to do in New York City this weekend? Here are some family-friendly events and activities to add to your list.

'Tis the weekend before Christmas, and all through the town
Not a creature is silent, Make Music resounds!

From the fabulous Mobile Hallelujah, to Bell by Bell, the Harmonica Holiday Jam, and Flatfoot Flatbush, NYC's Make Music celebration on Sunday welcomes the Winter Solstice with a glorious cacophony of noise.

Plus: kids can Spin, Sing, and Shine for Hanukkah at CMOM, follow Alice down the MOMIX rabbithole at the Joyce, and get on a roll with Paw Patrol at the Paris and Pups Holiday Paw-ty at the Paley and the Paw Patrol Holidays jam the Brooklyn Children's Museum.

Keep reading for all our top picks for the weekend ahead!

DC Top Things to Do Between Christmas and New Year's with Kids

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Garden of Lights at Brookside Gardens is one of several light shows open between Christmas and New Year's. Photo by Tony Ventouris for Montgomery Parks

Looking for the best things to do with kids in DC during winter break? We've got you covered!

Christmas vacation can be a long stretch of time to keep children entertained—they're out of school for two entire weeks! Once the presents are all opened, the cookies are baked, and the holiday anticipation is over, kids will likely say, "I'm bored!" at least once. And when that happens, consider this our ultimate guide to the best attractions, experiences, and holiday break events for kids in DC between December 26, 2025 and January 4, 2026.

If you're in the DC area over the holiday break, read on for a ton of fun ideas for things to do. You can also check out our Guide to Indoor Playgrounds and Play Spaces and our DC Winter Vacation Guide for even more suggestions.

Philly Top Things to Do Between Christmas and New Years with Kids

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Holidays in the Village at Peddler's Village is winter break fun for the whole family. Photo courtesy of Peddler's Village

Winter break is almost here, and the kids are going to need full-time entertainment. After they've binged all the Christmas movies or have had their fill of Hanukkah happenings, it's time to get them up and off the couch for all the winter adventures they can handle. We've got everything you need to fill your winter break bucket list, from holiday lights to winter excursions and more. So plan an entire week's itinerary with our picks below.

If you're looking for more ways to keep the kids busy this winter break, check out our Winter Activity Guide and our Guide to Holiday and Christmas Events.

Christmas En El Barrio, Breakfast with Santa, Punk Rock Flea Market, and More Fun Things To Do in Philly this Weekend

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Join in on the Hanukkah festivities at the Betsy Ross House. Photo courtesy of the Betsy Ross House

Looking for the best things to do in Philadelphia this weekend? Here are some family-friendly events and activities to add to your must-do list.

It's almost Christmas, and there is still time to shop and celebrate. If you still want to dine with Santa, don't miss Breakfast with Santa at the Rothman Ice Rink & Cabin or Santa Dines for Breakfast at Hook & Ladder in Conshohocken. Have some last minute shopping? Check out the Punk Rock Flea Market or the Decemberfest Holiday Shopping Stroll in Mt. Airy. Enjoy some carols and community at Christmas En El Barrio. Whatever you do, don't miss a thing.

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