It’s never too early to try to start planning for the next school year. Since Pennsylvania’s largest school district has released the academic calendar for Philadelphia for 2025-2026, now is the time to start preparing for staff development days (read: days off for your kids). Philadelphia’s school district calendar now recognizes the Lunar New Year, Diwali, Eid al-Adha, and Good Friday with days off, representing more of the cultural diversity in the district. 

Two little New Yorkers gripped their own pairs of golden scissors to help cut the ribbon at the reopening of one of Brooklyn’s most popular attractions. The young Brooklynites joined local officials Saturday, August 2 to celebrate a new chapter for the Samuel J. and Ethel LeFrak Center at Lakeside in Prospect Park—and so far, it looks like a promising one for NYC families.

Since its opening in 2013, the LeFrak Center has been a huge draw for families in the amenity-filled Prospect Park, and Saturday's event marked the beginning of a new chapter for LeFrak.

New York City families are always on the lookout for spaces that feel just as vibrant and creative as the kids who use them—and The Rainbow play space delivers. Situated in the East Village, this space was created for babies, toddlers, and children up to age 7 and their grown-ups.

Filled with iconic imagery from the local neighborhood, it's a beautifully curated new space. There are bold colors, cozy corners, and community-first vibes. Whether you’re seeking a calming nook for tummy time or a place where your preschooler can paint, dance, and build, The Rainbow reimagines what an indoor play can look like in NYC.

With daily open play, classes, and events that celebrate local families, this is one of those rare city finds that feels like an extension of home—only it's stocked with way more toys, and there's no cleanup required. It's surely destined for a place on our list of the top indoor playgrounds in NYC.

The Naples Grande Beach Resort on Florida's Gulf Coast is a surprisingly family-friendly destination, with pools, beaches, kayaking tours, and more to delight kids of all ages.  

New York City kids love trendy and cool experiences, and now you can add Swingers NoMad to your list of fun indoor attractions in NYC. If you think mini golf is just for kids, Swingers NoMad is here to change your mind. This out-of-the-ordinary destination takes putt-putt golf to wild new heights, mixing an immersive course design with a swanky clubhouse vibe, cocktails and mocktails served right on the course, and street food that hits way above par.

Originally opened as an adults-only spot, Swingers NoMad now allows families the run of its courses during its Family Sessions. If you’re teeing off on this mini-golf course with your mini-me, expect a full-sensory experience that feels like stumbling into a secret, special space.

Automatically create digital flash cards, organize notes, and track assignments with the free Five Star app.

Research shows taking handwritten notes promotes kids’ active engagement, critical thinking, and focused attention. In fact, children who regularly practice handwriting have been shown to develop greater persistence, patience, and self-regulation–all skills that’ll help them tackle challenges both in and out of school.

With so much of today’s technology replacing the need to write by hand, an innovative app from Five Star instead aims to combine this critical skill with digital tools to help kids organize and review their school notes and calendars, plus automatically create flash cards to help with studying.

I couldn’t wait to give the app a try with my daughter so that I could share the ins and outs of how you can help your kids master organization skills and benefit from old-school handwritten notes with this very cool new app that’s totally free to use!

Parks and indoor locations for the perfect first birthday celebration. 

The new school year is right around the corner, and we’re betting that if you hear the words “I’m bored” one more time, you’ll be camping out in front of their new classroom door. To help you make it through these last couple of weeks, we’ve rounded up the best end-of-summer activities in Dallas, Fort Worth, and the rest of the metroplex.

From family-friendly Dallas attractions to free kid-friendly events in Dallas and elsewhere, here’s what you should cross off your summer bucket list before school starts. Be sure to also visit our DFW Summer Activities Guide to find more family fun ideas, and subscribe to our email list to get stories just like this delivered straight to your inbox.