Best Kid-Friendly Escape Rooms in Chicago

Lauren LaRoche's picture Submitted by Lauren LaRoche on

Family-friendly and voted one of the top 5 escape rooms in the USA! Photo courtesy of Escape Factor in Forest Park

If you’re looking for the ultimate escape room in Chicago, you’ve come to the right place. An escape room is an awesome and interactive experience for the entire family. Your entire group will need to work together to try and find an escape from the room you’re in. The coolest part about doing this challenge together is the different themes each escape room comes with. There is sure to be a room and theme to fit tweens, teens, and even the littlest member of your group. Check out our escape rooms in Chicago round-up below.

Escape rooms are fun all year round! For other indoor activities in Chicago, check out our Guide to Indoor Play.

12 Places to Play Mini Golf in NYC for Families

Submitted by Stephanie Ogozalek on

Rocket Park Mini Golf is an outdoor miniature golf course with nine themed holes that introduces visitors to rocket science concepts. Photo courtesy of NYSCI

For many families, mini golf is a quintessential warm-weather activity. My son loves mini golf, so we've played tons of mini golf in NYC and the tri-state area beyond. While there are plenty of places to play mini golf near NYC on Long Island and in New Jersey, you don't need to head out of town to hone your short game.

We've rounded up a handful of spots to play mini golf in NYC, including the pop-up VALE(mini)GOLF in Williamsburg, Jurassic-themed seasons installation at the ultra kid-friendly Brooklyn Children's Museum, and plenty of perennial favorites, like the course at Pier 25 in Hudson River Park. We've also found a few grown-up places where kids can take their golf game to the next level.

As sports go, playing mini golf in NYC is relatively inexpensive—often as little as $5 a round for kids. It's also one of those rare intergenerational activities parents and kids can play together. You can even host a birthday party at most of these spots. Read on to find out where to play mini golf in New York City with kids, and we'll see you on the green!

Best Baby Sign Language Classes in NYC

Jennifer Coe's picture Submitted by Jennifer Coe on

Babies take baby sign language classes in NYC at Signing Up. Photo courtesy of Signing Up

Taking a baby sign language class is a great way for young babies through toddlers to communicate with others and gain self-confidence. These baby sign language classes in NYC are all over the city, from the Upper West Side to Brooklyn and beyond. Imagine your baby asking for more milk! Instructors make these baby sign language classes in NYC fun and educational, offering daytime and afterschool options, making it easy for parents to find a time to attend. 

You can find more classes for new parents, including the Best Baby Swimming Lessons in NYC and the Best Local Pregnancy and Parenting Classes in our New York Classes for Kids Guide.

Resort Passes and Daily Pool Rentals Near You: Family Resort Daycations for Everyone

Submitted by Meghan Rose on

Rent a gorgeous backyard pool like this for your family for an hour or a day. Photo courtesy of Swimply

Swimply and Resort Pass solve the problem for those of us who dream of having a private backyard pool or membership to a swanky private pool but don’t have unlimited funds with resort passes and daily pool rentals.

Pools by the hour? Yes, please. This summer has been blisteringly, blazingly hot. Sadly, not all of us have a pool! And private swim club memberships either cost big bucks or sold out of memberships well before summer started. That’s where Swimply and Resort Pass come in.

Swimply is an app that allows anyone to rent out private pools by the hour. It’s basically the Airbnb of private pools. And Resort Pass is a program that allows you to purchase day passes to private hotel pools, without having to rent a room. 

Genius. Read on for how to book your own pool day online, in an instant. If you're looking for a bigger getaway, like at one of the best family resorts with water parks check out our Guide to Family-Friendly Resorts and Hotels.

Best Pregnancy and Parenting Classes in Los Angeles

Submitted by Kylie Williams on

All new parents and their babies are welcome at The Family Room. Photo courtesy of The Family Room

There are a ton of excellent parenting and pregnancy classes in Los Angeles. Take advantage of all the knowledge in our city!

As a pregnant mama of three, I am all too familiar with the anticipations, concerns, and frustrations that can arise during pregnancy and into parenthood. There are so many unknowns and there is so much to learn. I've struggled to form a birthing plan, fretted with a crying baby through the night, and struggled to breastfeed an easily distracted infant. So let me pass on one thing I have learned: seek help when things get hard or uncertainty arises! Not only will you find some of the answers you've been searching for, but you may find deep relationships and camaraderie with others that are on this incredible journey of raising the next generation.

And when your bundle of joy arrives, we've also got loads of great mommy and me classes in LA, where you can keep learning and exploring together. Find all these classes and more in our Guide to the Best Classes for Kids and Parents in Los Angeles.

Whale Watching near NYC: Catch a Cruise to See Whales, Dolphins, and More Marine Animals

Submitted by Danielle Wilson on

Join the Whale Watching Cruise with Event Cruises NYC, to witness whales breaching the surface of the water just outside city limits.

Anytime we've mentioned to friends and family that we had the best time whale watching near NYC this summer, the first question we're asked is, "Where can you go whale watching in New York City?" After all, the closest most local families have probably come to a larger-than-life marine mammal is the famous, oversized blue whale that hangs overhead at the American Museum of Natural History.

Believe us: If we hadn't gone whale watching near NYC and seen these ginormous marine mammals jump out of the water with our own eyes, we wouldn't think it would be possible either! When we set sail on our NYC Whale Watching Cruise, we thought we might see a fin here or there. By the end of our three-hour tour, the whale watching boat roared with cheers of excitement, thanks to several humpback whale sightings.

Pregnancy and Parenting Classes in NYC

Submitted by Katherine Dhurandhar on

Hypnodoula Maeva offers newborn care classes. Photo courtesy of Hypnodoula

Parenting classes are a great way to learn about your child and connect with other parents. There is a saying that it takes a village to raise a child, but for most of us in the modern world who don't have that village, parenting classes can provide much-needed knowledge, plus a support network. Thankfully NYC has plenty of pregnancy and parenting classes for new and expecting parents covering topics ranging from pregnancy and childbirth to sleep training and positive discipline. Many of these institutions also offer play spaces and support groups where parents can share their experiences, make lasting friendships, and even organize play dates.

In the wake of the pandemic, many pregnancy and parenting classes are still offered only virtually, but we have gathered together the best small-group, in-person classes in NYC as well as those offered as private, in-home sessions. You can find more parenting classes, and even book a class online, in our directory of classes and listings. Check out our NYC Classes for Kids Guide for more kids' activities and classes for kids of all ages. Find more new parent resources in our NYC Baby Guide.

Pregnancy Classes and Parenting Classes in Houston

Submitted by Sarah Banks on

Photo courtesy of Texas Health Resources

Pregnancy and the early days of parenting are exciting times. However, you might also have many questions and some fears that you would like to address. That's when our list of pregnancy classes and parenting classes in Houston can come to your aid. You can't expect to know it all. Even if this isn't your first child, advances in maternal medicine and changes in your circumstances might leave you with knowledge gaps. Professionals at these pregnancy classes and parenting classes in Houston can help you with your pregnancy and parenting education. We have drawn up a list of Houston hospitals, independent birthing centers, and expertly trained individuals that offer pregnancy and parenting classes in Houston. Options include pregnancy and parenting classes on-site, virtually and in your own home. Choose the pregnancy and parenting classes tailored to your needs with our handy list!

Check out our Baby and Pregnancy Guide to find out about great activities you can explore with your precious new child.

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