Sometimes the best kids birthday parties (and most budget friendly) are the ones you plan yourself! It's time to step out of the party package!

In your search for a place to host 15 or so rowdy kids for your DIY birthday party, you do not have to break the bank. The creative host has many options in Fairfield County (indoors and out!) to build their own cheap and totally awesome party.

Here are our budget-friendly party venues. For more great birthday ideas, check out our Connecticut Birthday Guide.

In Los Angeles there is pressure to find the best of everything, and finding the best preschool for your little heir is no exception. Some parents jump on this task intimidatingly early, doing research and attending open houses even while Junior is still in utero. And there are so many choices: Play-based or academically focused? Montessori, Waldorf, full-time, part-time, cooperative, parochial, or secular? Media-free or media-intensive? A philosophy of "let children be children" or "teach them everything as soon as possible"? Perhaps we want our kids to learn to use their words in more than one language, to preserve their midday nap, or to spend most of their day playing outdoors in nature.

How do we love Connecticut? Help us count the ways! We know that Connecticut is one of the best places to raise kids, but even the best has its best. So we're counting on you, our Mommy Poppins readers and the most savvy parents we know, to help us pick Connecticut's BESTIES. The best play spaces? Connecticut's got 'em. Family restaurants? We've got those, too. Swim classes, dance classes, and baby 'n' me, along with the coolest theaters, museums, camps—heck, even our dentists are the best. But only you can tell us which is the best of the best, so we're asking you to help us show our best local businesses the love and vote for your favorites in all of these categories and more.

Winter in the Big Apple can seem daunting when you have a preschooler in tow. Luckily, the winter season is full of tot-friendly fun throughout the city, from kid-friendly MLK celebrations, to museum exhibits, live concerts designed for young ears, loads of theater, and so much more.

To help make your planning easier—and curb that urban cabin fever—we've rounded up more than two dozen top event picks for outings with kids under the age of 5. For more ideas, be sure to check out Winter Fun Guide, January GoList, and daily Event Calendar.

How do we love Philly? Help us count the ways! We know that Philadelphia is full of great stuff to do with kids, but we need help finding the best of the best. So we're counting on you, our Mommy Poppins readers and the most savvy parents we know, to help us pick Philly's BESTIES. The best play spaces? Philly has 'em. Family restaurants? We've got those, too.

Winter, spring, summer or fall, there’s never a bad time to visit Woodstock, Vermont. There’s plenty to do for all ages, but it’s an especially nice place to travel with kids. There are farms with animals to meet, nature trails to explore, and lots of great family-friendly food to enjoy. The town itself looks like a postcard and the surrounding areas are absolutely breathtaking, especially with fall foliage or fresh snow on nearby peaks.

Since we love Woodstock so much, we put together this list of 25 things to do with kids in and around the town. It’ll give you fun ideas no matter the season!

Houston's Museum District may be home to some of the city's classic destinations (Children's Museum of Houston and Houston Museum of Natural Science, to name a few), but if you look outside of the loop you'll find some more...eclectic options, shall we say. And maybe you're just not up for fighting the downtown traffic. We hear you. From the history of caskets and coffins to a look at the evolution of the cowboy, here are eight museums to visit with your kiddos.

If you haven't attempted an escape from an escape room lately, I'm here to say you should try it! Trap't opened a few months ago in Stamford. Located in the back of an office building complex, you'd never expect to find a place like Trap't. Admittedly, When I learned we'd be in the abucted room I was apprehensive at first. I was fearful I'd be running for my life through dark tunnels while being chased by someone with a chainsaw. Once I arrived with my brood, my fears were quickly dismissed by the warm and friendly business owners. The experience was nothing like I expected, thank goodness! I loved how everyone instantly got into the challenge and worked together to figure things out.