New York City's annual transformation into a wonderland of holiday magic never gets old, especially with kids in tow. For preschoolers, however, crowds can be daunting and there's little patience for lines and lots of noise. Still, it's a magical time to introduce toddlers and preschoolers to amazing seasonal spectacles—the lights, music, ballets, trains, Santa, and more.

We've rounded events that cater to the preschool set. From abridged performances to gingerbread mania and interactive events and workshops, there's plenty of holiday magic to go around.

Mortality, legacy, and forgiveness. These are heavy subjects for an animated movie aimed at families but, once again, Pixar rises to the challenge. Coco is a visually stunning, thematically rich, and emotionally powerful film that resonates differently for various ages. Set against the backdrop of Día de los Muertos—the Mexican holiday honoring the dead—Coco is Pixar's first feature to focus on a character of color. Miguel Rivera, a 12-year-old aspiring musician, is magically transported to a luminous afterlife where he uncovers long-buried secrets and realizes the importance of family.

Chances are this movie is on your kids' wishlist, but perhaps you're worried a flick focused on—let's be blunt—death might make for an upsetting experience, especially if you have tots in tow. Read on for everything you need to know before you go to this PG-rated release, as well as whether it's worth splurging on 3D.

Over the holiday break you may desire a reprieve from the kitchen or just a nice night out with the family. We've rounded up some of the more popular restaurants in Litchfield County that are suitable for families. Some will be serving up special holiday menus and others will just continue with their regular menu. Don't forget to call for reservations! We've also listed restaurants open on Christmas day in Fairfield County and the Hartford area.

Making holiday memories sometimes involves navigating long lines and jostling crowds, which can push the limits of our youngest holiday revelers. Take a breath and pass around the candy canes—we've found the best activities geared toward the 5-and-under crowd. From decorating gingerbread houses to rocking out at a holiday concert, we've got plenty of ideas that the whole family can enjoy.

You'll find even more ideas in our Holiday Guide, and for a complete listing of things to do this season, be sure to check out our Event Calendar. 

There’s a new version of Cinderella in town and it’s probably the most fun, the most feminist, and the only version that features the princess as a futuristic space engineer. I took my kids to the opening matinee of family musical Interstellar Cinderella, from the creators of Wanda's Monster and The Amazing Adventures of Harvey and the Princess, and the results were out of this world.

Since it was my son’s first theater visit—and he’s not great at sitting still for more than a few minutes at a time—I wasn’t sure how it would go, but it turned out I had nothing to worry about. This delightful, high-energy production has enough glowing spaceships, out-of-this-world costumes, and catchy musical numbers from the queen of kid rock, Laurie Berkner, to keep even a boisterous 4-year-old glued to his seat and wide-eyed for 50 minutes.

Westchester’s Armonk has staked a claim as the home of Frosty the Snowman and celebrates this claim to fame with its annual Frosty Day. Community pride is clearly apparent at this multi-venue, well-attended festivity. We’ve attended Frosty Day and have the inside scoop to share with our readers.

Read on to learn how to join in Frosty’s homecoming and what to expect for your family. For many (many!) more holiday happenings, refer to our Event Calendar and stay up to date by signing up for our  newsletters.

'Tis the season to get the gang all dressed up to see some holiday shows. While there are plenty of spectacles to splurge on like the Radio City Christmas Spectacular and all those Nutcrackers, if you've got young children you may not want to blow all of your bucks on theater tickets.

That's why our roundup includes a range of productions, from inexpensive, low-key offerings perfect for fidgety preschoolers, to extravaganzas that are worth the investment. Bonus: We've got the scoop on how to save money on a few of the higher-priced offerings.

From live stage adaptations of holiday classics such as A Charlie Brown Christmas, Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, and the movie Elf, to tot-friendly fairy tales and Hanukkah tales, to amazing magic tricks, here are our top 14 holiday shows for NYC families.

The holidays are expensive enough without having to worry about forking out cash for a fun weekend. We've rounded up FREE things to do this holiday season in Houston for the whole family. Be sure to check out our calendar for things to do every day.