During the summer months your child may crave more freedom, more opportunity for creativity, and more time outdoors. If so, the adventures below might be perfect for them. Here are a few summer camps in the Hartford area that focus on art, pottery, and farm life. This will allow young minds to take a break from formulas and to get their hands dirty with paint, clay, or soil. At the end of the summer, they'll be left with beautiful memories, and maybe even a few beautiful works of art.

The Space adventure The Wong Kids at ArtsEmerson's Paramount Mainstage sweeps families across the universe in a side-splitting, colorful romp that cleverly shows audiences that it's more than okay to be different.

Older kids who love Star Wars and superheroes are going to adore Violet and Bruce Wong, the unlikely heroes of this imaginative and unique tale. The production hooks the audience from the very first moments with the appearance of the quirky siblings. They look different, they act different, and they are different. They discover their shared superpower just as a Space Chupacabra appears in the sky, threatening the destruction of the universe. What are quirky kids with a strange superpower to do but pony up and try to save the universe?

This post is sponsored by The Palace Theatre.

Many Connecticut families already know that seeing a show at The Palace Theatre in Stamford is a unique and memorable experience. A one-time vaudeville house, it has been restored with plush red seats and gold decorative work that frames the bigger-than-Broadway stage. But while its décor might be reminiscent of old Hollywood, the line up is fresh and sure to please youngsters. In fact, kids truly rule at The Palace this spring, with family favorites you won't want to miss that include fun with both Disney and Sesame Street.

If you'd like to introduce your kids to the magic of theater, check out the performances and theater-related activities that are a part of the 2016 New Jersey Theatre Alliance Stages Festival. With over 80 kid-friendly performances, workshops, classes, and camp samplers offered throughout New Jersey free or at low-cost, The Stages Festival is the perfect introduction to professional theater for children of all ages.  All events are produced by the professional theaters of New Jersey. According to Ruth Zamoyta, the New Jersey Theatre Alliance Stages' Development & Communications Director, parents love live performances because "they get the kids off the computer, off the phone, and even away from the screens that you find on the TV or in the movie theater."  She adds,  when it comes to the workshops, mini-camps, and classes, "kids get to express themselves freely and creatively. In all Stages events, participants come away with a feeling of togetherness--live theatre is a shared experience, and the workshops and classes are collaborative."

Do you have stacks of stories your kids have drawn for you? Does the spelling in all the thought bubbles make you fear for your child's future? (Maybe that last part is just at my house.) If you have a budding Stan Lee, Hayao Miyazaki or Becky Cloonan, there are loads of classes in New Jersey at great studios and arts centers that will teach your youngster the basics of cartoon, comic book and even picture book illustrations and storytelling. Maybe they'll even learn how to spell 'mwah, ha, ha, ha!!" correctly.

With highlights including everything from Faneuil Hall to the Freedom Trail and some of the best places to eat along the way, the Orange Line boasts every bit as much fun as the Green Line and Blue Line. Read on for the 10 best stops for families and what kinds of activities you can find there.

Yes, it's ultra-hip and loaded with cool nightclubs, but the city of Berlin surprises as a great family vacation destination with impressive museums, wide-open green spaces, affordable hotels—and even a Legoland. Berlin never tries to hide its brutal past; reminders of the Holocaust are everywhere, making a visit part history lesson, so be prepared for frank questions from your kids regarding Germany’s complicated legacy. A tolerant spirit pervades, so families of every configuration should feel at home.

Making spring break or summer travel plans? Check our U.S. regional travel guides for more family travel planning or some of our recent family resort reviews.

Pregnancy and the weeks after birth are a special time in the life of a mom and her baby. Many local yoga studios offer classes tailored specifically to new and expectant moms to exercise, relax, and connect with other women who are pregnant or have recently given birth. Classes are offered all over the Boston area, which means there’s likely a studio nearby. And if you have older children (anywhere from toddlers to teens) looking to get in on the yoga action, check out our guide to yoga classes and birthday parties just for them.