Yes, the pandemic is dragging on, but Boston businesses are finding creative ways to keep kids and families busy and entertained—safely! As Massachusetts permits businesses to slowly increase capacity allowances, Boston museums and play spaces have progressively (and carefully) reopened their doors to the public, with mask mandates and social distancing measures in place. Yes, winter family day trips and February school break outings might take a little more planning this year, with advanced ticketing and timed entries commonplace, but parents who venture out with kids are supporting local or regional businesses while also giving everyone a break from the house—and each other!

Follow up a visit to one of these enriching or entertaining spots with a fun meal at an igloo- or yurt-themed outdoor restaurant, and keep tabs on our Boston events calendar for more activities to keep the family's mojo going through the long Boston winter and early spring.

It's a challenge to stay on top of what's open now in New Jersey for families, but we're here to help. Many of our favorite destinations, from indoor play spaces to outdoor skating rinks, family-friendly restaurants, and more, have reopened to the public with safety protocols in place. While things may look a little different at these popular attractions, it's nice to have a reason to step out of the house and feel a sense of normalcy.

Read on for our list of what's open now in New Jersey, and be sure to bookmark this post; we'll update it as changes warrant. As always, you can find tons of things to do in our Event Calendar.

Bowling is fun for all ages, but hitting the lanes with children is particularly enjoyable because it's an activity that's hard to strike out with, whether a kid is on target hitting the pins or just whips the ball down the gutter. And not a lot has changed in bowling since parents were young.

Greater Boston offers a lot of bowling choices, many of them family-friendly places that have been around for decades. Be warned that this rundown skips some very cool bowling meccas, such as Lucky Strikes on Landsdown Street in Boston or the King's chain, because those places attract 20- and 30-somethings who come to drink and eat well while they bowl – not the best spots to bring your 5- or 6-somethings to. With that in mind, here are a dozen bowling lanes that cater to families looking for a fun afternoon out or an indoor birthday party place.

New Yorkers have ridden the roller coaster of the pandemic figuratively—and virtually—for nearly a year. Some of our favorite spots have closed and opened, only to close again. So, what's open now in NYC for kids? A lot, really.

We've done our best to pull together this list of family-friendly destinations in New York City that are open now. Our favorite parks and playgrounds, most of the city's top-notch kid-friendly museums, and destination-worthy tourist attractions, like the Statue of Liberty, have all reopened and are ready to welcome you and your brood—with safety top of mind.

So, read on for what's open now in NYC and bookmark this post, as we'll keep it up to date as we learn of new reopenings.

With COVID-19 transmission rates starting to drop across the region, public indoor spaces are beginning to reopen.

Restrictions have eased across DC, Maryland, and Virginia, allowing some museums and indoor play spaces to reopen. If you and your kids are feeling cabin fever from winter months spent at home, consider a safe visit to one of these museums, historic homes, and indoor attractions.They remain some of our favorite winter break destinations.

Visitors must still wear masks and maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet at all of these locations.

Believe it or not, we’ve been riding the waves of this pandemic for about a year now. But, we’ve come a long way! Many of our favorite family-friendly indoor and outdoor spots in Connecticut, including museums, zoos, indoor play spaces, and entertainment places (including the Maritime Aquarium's cool new 4D theater), have progressively reopened with enhanced safety protocols, so kids can enjoy a special outing while staying safe.

Read on to see which of our favorite Connecticut winter day trip spots are open for family fun right now, and be sure to contact each business directly in case policies have changed. Most spots require advanced ticketing and mask wearing and enforce hand sanitizing and washing and capacity restrictions; but kids have gotten used to these measures and will just be excited for to bust out of their own four walls to see some cool art, visit animals, and jump and swing around.

We are open! Or at least, working on it... All regions of Illinois are now in Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois Plan—almost all businesses, restaurants, and even indoor play spaces are allowed to open, with limited capacity. It can be a little tricky to know what has opened already, what is about to, and what the rules are. So we prepared a list of all the fabulous places that are now open in Chicago where you can take your kids. We've also tracked what safety measures these places are taking, and anything else families need to know before visiting (like if a destination requires or recommends buying tickets or making reservations online before you go).

We've all learned how quickly things can change (and in Chicago there's always the possibility of places closing because of extreme cold or snow), so please double-check before bundling kids up and loading them in the car.

Some people swear by their favorite Instant Pot recipes. Or their Grandma’s Crock Pot recipes. Me, I love sheet pan dinners. Not only do they require minimal prep (basically, put on your favorite podcast and spend a few minutes chopping), these easy weeknight dinners take no (or minimal) effort once they're in the oven. And the best part? Line your baking tray well, and there is zero cleanup. Let me say that again: Zero. Cleanup.

Find more yummy (and quick) things to make with or for kids in our Easy Recipes Guide.