We've compiled a carefully curated list of the very best NYC happenings for kids in 2016 to bring you our very first annual GoList. It includes the best things to do on long holiday weekends and annual events that we know tend to sell out quickly or require advance registration. Plus we've got the scoop on several brand-new outings that we are particularly excited about, including an outdoor climbing wall, a chance to see alligator hatchlings, some of our favorite upcoming children's theater, new museum happenings and of course, the city's best annual festivals and parades.

You can always check our Event Calendar for upcoming events and activities. Happy planning!

Whether you’re looking for traditional music and dance, a parade, a big Chinese New Year festival complete with a Lion Dance, or simply a fun craft to celebrate the the Lunar New Year, Boston has it all. Check out these great picks for families to celebrate the Year of the Monkey.

You’ll also find links for cooking traditional recipes for kids, children's books about the New Year, and visiting Boston’s Chinatown.

We've highlighted our favorite things to do in the quaint village of Chappaqua, and we've let you know about the best places to eat with a family. We're now focusing on the best places to play in the area.

With parks, gymnastics, music academies, a yoga studio and more, families needn’t worry about finding something fun and educational to do all year round. Read on for our top picks on where to play and learn in this great town, and sign up for our FREE newsletters to stay in the loop. 

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) is not only a huge buzzword in education, but also with parents hoping to raise the next Steve Jobs. The term STEM has been around since 2003, but lately there's been a greater focus on education integration at an early age. Makerspaces are locations that foster the notions of STEM, where children and adults can build things, take risks, celebrate successes and failures, collaborate and most of all, have fun! Check out these great Makerspace locations. From 3D printers to sewing machines and software, each of these destinations is stocked with high-tech equipment that will help you and your kids turn ideas into reality. 

I'll never forget the year I tried to do an ice-skating birthday party on the cheap by taking a bunch of kids to the rink at Bryant Park and then herding them over to a diner afterward for dessert. If I had known we could have a regular ice skating party for less than $350 I probably wouldn't have this nervous tic whenever I hear a Zamboni.

Read on for the real deals on ice skating parties all over New York City. We've even dug up all the hidden fees you might not have calculated so you can truly compare the costs at these seven ice skating rinks.

Beading is a really fun craft activity for kids of all ages and grown ups, too. In fact, it can be a great moms night out. Basic beading doesn't require any skill, but still gets your creative juices flowing as you piece together your own creation from a selection of beads.

We've written about hosting a beading party at home but there are several city spots that will host your party for you, too.

Nothing tops a pancake or waffle like that thick, amber-hued liquid, produced only here in the Northeast—maple syrup. Fortunately for Long Islanders, we don't need to travel to New Hampshire or Vermont to get a firsthand look at the process of converting maple sap into syrup and ultimately sugar. There are farms right here on the island that offer demonstrations and provide samples (yum!).

Lest you harbor a notion that I, as "Mommy Poppins," am some uber-organized, type-A, helicopter mom, let me dispel that myth for you right now with this story about my daughter's 10th birthday party. Yes, double digits, big deal birthday...and the morning of the party, what had I prepared? Nothing.