Games that are both fun and make your child think are a win-win for everyone. From infants and toddlers to tweens and teens (and even adults) puzzle games and jigsaw puzzles are awesome ways to keep kids happily occupied, get their brains working, and keep their eyes away from TV and computer screens.

With the pandemic and the colder weather keeping many families playing indoors, we thought it was the perfect time to round up some of the best brain teasers and puzzles for kids. We’ve included some of the latest and most popular puzzle games, but we didn’t forget the tried and true.

Need more creative ideas to keep your brood entertained indoors? Check out our Boredom Busters and At-Home guides, not to mention our roundup of the best-ever board games.

From Houston, you can drive just a few hours outside of the city and find yourself surrounded by the majestic landscape and pristine fields of wildflowers in the Texas Hill Country. This beautiful scenery combined with lakes, rivers, campsites, and historic towns makes a quick getaway completely worth the time and energy. While you're in the Hill Country, taking some time to visit some of Texas' phenomenal wineries is almost a rite of passage on any weekend getaway... even with kids in tow!

The Texas wine scene has exploded in popularity in recent years and sampling some of the delicious wines made right in our own state is a must. These family-friendly Hill Country wineries and vineyards are a fantastic choice for your next family trip—and all of the locations below are taking precautions for COVID-19.

One of my favorite places to visit with my family in the Hudson Valley is the Olana State Historic Site. It encapsulates what's so great about the area—natural beauty, history, and amazing art, design, and architecture. With breathtaking views of the Hudson River, it's a great destination for the whole family, offering sights and activities for kids as well as their parents.

We've visited Olana in the summer and winter and enjoyed ourselves equally on each visit. Whether you're taking a day trip or spending a long weekend upstate, make sure to have Olana on your list. You can find plenty more getaway inspiration in our Day Trips and Getaways Guide.

While Bridgerton is being celebrated for bringing much needed diversity to the often whitewashed world of period dramas, it’s definitely not appropriate for children. As a costume drama devotee, historical fiction lover, and devourer of any and all period films and TV series, I’m happy to share some of my favorite popular and lesser known options that are kid-friendly. 

Period dramas are wonderful escapism. And who doesn’t need some escapism right now? Common themes are designed to make us nostalgic for a lost era of manners and the purity of the agrarian, pre-industrial past. Pair that with the over-the-top decadence of the costumes and houses, and there’s nothing better than these bingeworthy British period dramas. 

My recommendations are all rated G or PG and are available to watch online, either included with streaming services or to rent.  

Strawberry candy-scented air tickled our noses as soon as we opened the car doors, and before we even stepped into the building, the kids knew that the PEZ Visitor Center would be a sugary dream come true (for another sweet experience in the New Haven area, venture out to Fascia's Chocolates in Waterbury). For adults who loved PEZ candy during childhood, it’s a trip down nostalgia lane. For children, it’s a colorful world filled with tempting flavors of candy. Though a visit here doesn’t take long (we spent about an hour), you’ll be glad you stopped by, and the kids will not want to leave. 

One thing this pandemic hasn’t shut down is how darn fast kids grow up. Luckily, LA is (in my humble opinion) the best city in the country for raising kids, with the greatest variety of things for families to do. So even with indoor events and activities on pause, there are plenty of the best, most memorable things to do in Los Angeles with kids that take place outside, and these are all open.

Back when Mommy Poppins first launched, we came up with 100 not-to-be-missed, family-fun outings, and there are 25 of them you can still do today (or this weekend). So check out our list below and get exploring—there is still loads of fun to be had.

The cold temperatures and snow have arrived, but that doesn't mean we have to hibernate. Bridging Boston and New Hampshire, the North Shore of Boston delivers New-England-style fun all winter long. In the spirit of 2021, many businesses and towns north of Boston have come up with creative ways to help families stay safe and socially distant while enjoying family time, outdoors and in. Whether the kids are keen to picnic at a fire pit, sample local chocolate, spot owls and arctic foxes, or marvel at a snow-swept beach, parents can cross some of these North Shore activities off their Winter Fun lists and show Jack Frost who's boss.  

While indoor play spaces usually provide a haven from the frigid winter weather, many of us aren't too keen on setting our kids loose at an indoor play space with kids we don't know amid the city's rising coronavirus infection rate.

Luckily, many indoor play spaces and gyms throughout the city have adapted to the moment and offer their spaces for private rentals, giving families or learning pods a space to play on your own or with a close group of friends.

Read on for 13 local play spaces offering this private play perk, and find more play spaces in our Indoor Play Spaces Guide and plenty of seasonal things to do in our Winter Fun Guide.