Lincoln Center is making headlines in the New York City special needs community. The iconic cultural institution is launching the "Big Umbrella Festival," a month of arts programming dedicated to autistic kids and their families. The inaugural festival is set to take over stages on the cultural campus and at local schools in April 2018, Autism Awareness Month.

The stated mission is to "enrich the lives of children on the autism spectrum through inclusive art that engages, educates, and inspires." While still a year away, the monthlong festival is surely a welcome addition to city's existing cultural programs for kids with autism.

What little girl doesn't fantasize about one day owning her own pony? Let us not forget little boys dreaming about riding a horse like the cowboys and Native Americans did. This summer you can give your child, sometimes as young as age three, a week long experience riding, taking care of and enjoying everything about horses. We've rounded up some great stables that offer summer camps in Litchfield County. We can't think of a more beautiful environment to enjoy spending time with horses this summer.

Our favorite Queens amusement park just added a new ride for kids and toddlers. Hold on to your hats, the Twirling Teacups have arrived at Fantasy Forest, the mini kiddie theme park in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park.

Debuted to the public on April 22, 2017, the spinning and rotating giant teacups promise to leave families dizzy for more.

Find more amusement and water park fun in our Theme Parks Guide.

With 42 acres of gardens and sculptures, the Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, New Jersey, is perhaps not your typical family museum or park outing. Yet, even my 2-year-old was fascinated with the various art we discovered, including many pieces that towered well over both of our heads! Plus, he absolutely loved being outside and walking around the grounds, which are built on a portion of the former site of the New Jersey State Fairgrounds.

Situated just outside of Trenton, and just over the state line from Pennsylvania, the garden draws in visitors from all over. There are fun surprises hidden around seemingly every corner as you explore the grounds: a spray of mist, a lotus pond, little bridges, peacocks, and more. Whether you're 2 or 92, this outdoor museum likely holds something exciting for everyone.

It's berry season in Texas, and Blessington Farms is officially open for picking. Berry picking has been high on our spring activity priority list, and we took full advantage the first Friday morning we had available. We lucked out with clear blue skies, cool temperatures and an empty farm, which - I'm sure every parent can agree - is pretty much the ideal situation when you show up to pick berries with two 3-year-old boys.

Connecticut has more than 100 certified CT Grown Farmers' Markets in the state to check out this summer, so it is easy to take the family out for a fun day of shopping for fresh, local produce. Many of the markets are mini destinations where children can be entertained while learning about the importance and nutrition of locally grown food. We love to pick our own berries when they are in season, too, so check out our list of our favorite Pick Your Own Farms in CT.

Here are suggestions on kid-friendly markets, so get out there, eat some healthy food, have fun, and explore! 

I tried every meal kit, and it wasn't at all what I expected.

I am a meal planning fanatic (yes, spreadsheets and all). So I was curious to try out the new trend of meal kit delivery services to see if they really make family dinnertime with kids easier. And because I’m completely compulsive, I signed up for every single meal kit option out there, so that my family ate only meal kits for five weeks. Want to know how it went? 

After cooking dozens of meal kits, here’s my obsessive, totally non-sponsored rundown of the best and worst. If I didn’t answer your question here, feel free to check out my meal kit review videos on Facebook and leave a question there. 

The word is that if you want to visit the popular national parks like Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon you have to plan a year in advance because the accommodations get booked up.

When we decided to take a last minute cross country drive last summer, I thought we might have to skip Yellowstone. In a panic, I started looking into how to get accommodations about a week before our arrival. Sure enough, all the rooms were booked for the two nights we wanted to stay in the park. But, in the end, it all worked out and we had an amazing stay. It was definitely worth it. Read on for my best tips for booking last minute accommodations at Yellowstone and other national parks.