Museum of Ice Cream Chicago: Unlimited Ice Cream for All

Get sugared up at Museum of Ice Cream Chicago. Photo by Maureen Wilkey

UNLIMITED ICE CREAM. For us, and I'm assuming for most families, that's the biggest attraction at the Museum of Ice Cream Chicago. Here, you can eat your way through an imaginative world of sweetness, along with one weird savory treat, and take plenty of selfies along the way. So purchase a ticket to the Museum of Ice Cream Chicago, and arrive with an empty stomach.

Not feeling ice cream today? Check out our Museum Guide for Kids and Families in Chicago.

A Bluey Experience is Arriving at CAMP in Westfield Century City

Bluey's house is coming to LA! Step inside for dance parties and lot's of fun playtime.  Photo courtesy of CAMP

Beloved Bluey is coming to Los Angeles with a whole new immersive adventure for kids. Walking through the magic door at CAMP always leads to an afternoon of unforgettable amusement, and knowing what that exclusive experience is creates half the fun in itself. The secret’s out, though, about what CAMP’s newest experience behind that magic door will be, and it’s Bluey’s house! 

Kiddos can play and interact — for real life — inside Bluey’s house. Keep reading below for what to expect inside the house of Bluey, from games, dancing, and even meet and greets. 

Bluey at CAMP means the already entertaining Westfield Century City Mall is about to get even more exciting for kids. See why Westfield Century City is the best mall for LA Kids, and check out all you need to know about the newly opened American Girl Store, also in Westfield Century City. 

The Cauldron Brings Pumpkin Patch, Halloween Fun to the Flatiron District

Spooky and sweet fun awaits at The Cauldron, which has teamed up with Little Kid Big City for a fun Halloween activation.

You don't have to get out of the city to experience the magic of a pumpkin patch this Halloween season. The Cauldron NYC—in conjunction with Little Kid Big City—has conjured an urban pumpkin patch in its brand-new Flatiron location, where you can dress in wizard's robes and create some spooky—or silly—jack-o'-lanterns. My son and I recently checked out this pumpkin carving adventure and had a great time. Read on to find out more about this interactive experience and what you need to know before visiting with kids.

For more Halloween events and activities, check out our jam-packed New York City Kids' Halloween Guide, which showcases our top picks for FREE Halloween events, not-too-scary-haunted houses, and more.

Gift Guide To the Best Gifts for Teens & Tweens

Kids can tune out parents and listen to music with these cool Beats Solo3 Wireless On-Ear Headphones.

If you want to know what the best gifts are for teens and tweens, you need to go to the source. So we did!

It's really hard to come up with gift ideas for teens and tweens that they'll really like that venture beyond electronics, video games, or gift cards. Frankly, even if you go with one of the big three categories, if you're over 20, you are pretty much guaranteed to pick the wrong thing. So we went to the source, asking Charley, who has a keen eye for what the middle and high school crowd is into, to help us come up with a list of gifts teens and tweens will actually be excited to open.

What you'll find here is a mix of electronic gifts kids will be surprised and thrilled by, crafts and artsy gifts for teens who need a little Zen time after school, fashion gifts for teens that don't look like their mom picked it out, and other cool surprises. Read on to discover actually cool gift ideas for teens.

Looking for awesome gifts for other ages? Find the most beloved toddler gifts, cool gifts for elementary school-aged kids, and more in our Mommy Poppins Gift Guide for Birthdays and Holidays.

Fall Leaf Craft for Preschoolers: How to Leaf Press and Make Cool Leaf Art

Leaf pressing is an easy and fun fall craft that results in some colorful autumn decor.

It’s fall y'all, and those leaves outside aren’t just fun for a frolic. One of our favorite fall crafts for preschoolers is to leaf press with tempera paint sticks, and it’s not nearly as messy as you might imagine.

Don’t be fooled by the “paint” in tempera paint sticks, which have the consistency of lipstick and make bright, satisfying marks with virtually no mess. They also happen to be the perfect material for making leaf prints, as we discovered by accident when my toddler colored on a leaf and smacked it on a piece of paper in a fit of rage. His oncoming tantrum was thankfully deflected when we noticed the print left behind.

After experimenting a bit, we found that parchment paper was the perfect match for our leaf pressings, with a slippery surface that grabs right on to the tempera. A big bonus is that it dries super fast, plus the transparent quality of the paper allows the prints to double as simple sun catchers when hung in a window.

Read on for instructions on how to leaf press with tempera sticks and make your autumn an artsy one. Check out our Boredom Busters for Kids Guide for more crafts like this, including our list of 100 awesome art projects for kids. Or, bring some royal flair to your fall with our leaf crown craft.

17 Secret Long Island Spots Kids Love

Winding paths, ponds, and streams line the lush grounds of Clark Botanic Gardens.

While Long Island is home a bevy of culture and fun family-friendly attractions, there are plenty of secret spots and hidden gems on Long Island just waiting to be discovered. That's part of the charm of this island we call home. We've rounded up 17 secret spots on Long Island that kids will love.

From endless stairways to stroll gardens, kids get a kick out of discovering these under-the-radar destinations. The best part: They're almost all FREE. So, read on for our top picks for secret spots on Long Island, and bookmark our Long Island Visitors Guide for Families, for more can't-miss spots to visit.

Best Escape Rooms for Kids in DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia

Beat the Bomb combines the skill of an escape room with the thrill of a video game—and colorful paint or foam! Photo courtesy of the Beat the Bomb Facebook page

With immersive settings, engaging themes, and entertaining storylines, escape rooms are a unique experience that’s fun for the whole family. There are many escape rooms for kids throughout the DC area, so families with children of all ages can get in on the fun.

In escape room games, players are "locked" (don't worry—they can actually leave at any time) in an elaborately themed room and must work together to break free by deciphering clues, cracking codes, and solving puzzles before time (usually 60 minutes) runs out. While the puzzles and clues are typically geared for tweens, teens, and adults, younger children love to help out and embrace the exciting themes.

Here are 14 top escape rooms for kids in DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia. For more indoor fun near DC with kids of all ages—including the best indoor rock climbing gyms and awesome trampoline parks—check out our Guide to Indoor Playgrounds, Play Spaces and More in DC.

Best Playgrounds in Houston: Destination Playgrounds Worth the Drive

Levy Park in Houston has one of our favorite playgrounds. Photo courtesy of OJB Landscape Architecture

It's finally playground season, and there are tons of playgrounds in Houston. A ton. (Including some pretty great splash pads.) And some are better than others. So, if you'd like to find a park with a great playground in Houston where you can easily spend a few hours or even the entire day, read on to learn more about these 13 parks in Houston with playgrounds that are definitely worth the drive. 

For more info on parks near Houston, places to hike, and more outdoorsy adventures, check out our Outdoor Activities Guide for Houston Kids.

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