Brookfield Zoo Chicago turned 90 earlier this month, but the animals have big plans for the next decade and beyond. The Brookfield Zoo master plan—the ambitious Next Century Plan, was unveiled on Tuesday, July 16, outlining a $500 million renovation and expansion plan that will take place in four phases over the next 15 years.

As a native Chicagoan who has been visiting Brookfield Zoo Chicago for more than three decades and taking my kids there for nine years, I'm so excited to see how the zoo will convert its historic grounds into a modern haven for wildlife and conservation!

If you plan to head to the Brookfield Zoo now, check out what's new and cool at Chicago's zoos for 2024. 

How to plan a birthday party for kids? We polled all the moms we know and reduced the hassle of birthday party planning to 10 easy steps. Follow them and voila—birthday party of your kid's dreams with no headache for you!

Close your eyes, and make a wish! Did you wish that you'd be given the magic recipe for how to plan your kid's birthday party? Well, today's your lucky day. Read on for 10 easy steps to plan a birthday party for kids.

Check out our Guide to Kids' Birthday Parties and Birthday Party Ideas for even more inspiration.

Playgrounds, sprinklers, and cold, sweet ice cream are the perfect antidote to a hot summer day. We've found the best ice cream in NYC and rounded our favorite scoop shops for kids and adults alike.

These spots are destination-worthy and scooping up the best ice cream in NYC. With this list, we're skipping the big-time chains in favor of local purveyors. These NYC ice cream shops source ingredients locally, craft their treats in small batches, and give back to the community and beyond. So, you can feel a little less guilty about suggesting ice cream for lunch...or dinner...again.

Read on for 14 of the best scoop shops for ice cream in NYC and find more cold treats and kid-friendly eats in our NYC Kids Guide to Restaurants.

The Summer Olympics are here! The Olympics, be it Summer Olympics or Winter Olympics, are like Christmas or the Super Bowl at my house, where we all gather together to celebrate and watch and cheer. There are so many cool sports to obsess over in the Summer Olympics: gymnastics, swimming, track & field, fencing, basketball, climbing, BMX freestyle, and even breakdancing. There's something for everyone. The only thing that could make it better? Cool snacks.

Here are 10 fun and easy Olympics-themed snacks that kids can help make and will adore devouring.

We also have 15 Ideas for a Fun Winter Olympics Party with Kids, if you're looking for more Olympics fun.

Empire Adventure Park is a first-of-its-kind indoor playground in New York that includes a huge trampoline area, obstacle courses, and augmented reality offerings. While I visited with two teen boys, this 35,000-square-foot space in Westbury appeals to toddlers through adults. 

For more on indoor play spaces, check out our Guide to Indoor Playgrounds on Long Island.

At less than 70 square miles, Aruba is a small island, but it packs in a lot of kid-friendly activities for a Caribbean family getaway. Snorkel or splash in the bright blue waters of the Caribbean Sea, explore breathtaking natural parklands, dig in to a wide variety of tasty restaurants, support Aruba’s wildlife sanctuaries, or just stake out a spot on the powdery sand beaches.

With its mix of beach beauty and easy-access family attractions—and a relatively protected location south of the main Atlantic hurricane corridor—Aruba is a kid-pleasing choice for a sunny school-break vacation. Perhaps best of all, Aruba has a well-deserved rep for being one of the friendliest places on Earth. It certainly lives up to its tagline: One happy island!

Whether you’ve got an active crew in search of some new adventures or you’re just looking for a fabulous hotel pool to sink into for a few days, here are the best things to do in Aruba with kids. Find more tropical family-friendly escapes, including St. Thomas, in our Caribbean Family Travel Guide.

These New England roadside attractions will add extra fun to a family trip.

Cowboy-obsessed kids will love a trip to Western-themed Bandera.