As soon as the days are warm and mild enough to eat outdoors (whether or not summer has officially kicked off), dining al fresco is hard to beat. If your kids can't sit still for a restaurant meal even in a kid-friendly backyard, consider packing a picnic or picking up some portable eats and striking out for your nearest greenspace. Here are our 10 favorite parks to picnic, with bonus points for entertainment during or after your meal.

Boston has a lot of big, splashy, exciting spray parks and fountains that can be great fun for families in summer. But I've learned the hard way that not every water playground is suited for preschoolers. 

A few years back, when one of my sons was 4, I took him and his brothers to the Christian Science Plaza fountain along Huntington Avenue. To me as a parent, it was a wise selection: awesome fountain, I didn't have to walk far from the parking spot, and bathrooms were nearby in the Prudential Center. But my 4-year-old kid was horrified by the fountain and how big it was. It took him a half hour to even wander up to the where the water shot out of the ground, and soon after he got soaked and was freezing. It was not the best choice for a young child. 

With that thinking in mind, we've rounded up some gentler, preschooler-friendly local fountains and splash pads. Be sure to check out these outdoor pools with fun slide and spray features for more ways to cool off this summer, or if a climate-controlled environment is more your family's speed, consider a visit to a preschooler-friendly indoor water park. There are plenty of ways to get wet around Boston—without tears!

The dog days of summer are almost here! With less rigid schedules and more daylight hours, Philly families have time to create their own personalized Summer 2019 Bucket List, unique to their family. But, don't think you have to go it alone. Mommy Poppins has rounded up a ton of exciting summer activities such as nature programs, outdoor concerts, theater productions, educational opportunities (Bonus: The kids won't even realize they are learning) and free movies. There will be no time for children to be bored!

Be sure to browse our ultimate bucket list, 100 Things to Do with Philly Kids Before They Grow Up. Make this summer the best one yet.

If you haven't visited Lady Liberty lately, it may be time to add the tourist hot spot to your list of summer must-dos. The brand new Statue of Liberty Museum has now opened, bringing with it an immersive theater, plenty of Statue of Liberty history, and kid-friendly, touchable artifacts that bring a new interactive element to your visit. Read on for a look inside the museum, plus tips on how to visit.

When it comes to pick-your-own produce, I don't think there's a better fruit for kids to pluck than the strawberry. The plants are close to the ground, and the berries are accessible without having to reach way into the plant. Ripe berries are clustered together, so kids have the satisfaction of picking a lot in a short period of time. Searching for ripe, jewel-colored specimens feels like an exciting treasure hunt. And no prickers!

June is "strawberry month" and most farms are open for picking by mid-month, but some are ready even sooner. Read on for farms where you can plan a trip to pick your own strawberries, followed by tips for getting the most out of the experience. 

Like most Angelenos, I've been to Long Beach—but until recently I had never considered taking a weekend getaway there. Without traffic I can make it to Long Beach in roughly half an hour, meaning that a trip to the aquarium or to see the holiday lights at the Queen Mary is no big deal. So why would I commit to a full weekend there? The folks at the Long Beach Visitors Bureau invited me to find the answer to that rhetorical question, and I am so glad they did. What a wonderful surprise it was to discover that Long Beach is much more than just a busy port wrapped around an aquarium! In fact, this gem, hidden in plain sight, is a delightful beach town full of family activities and indulgent recreation.

Finding childcare for your infant or toddler can be totally overwhelming. Deciding between enrolling your kiddo in daycare and hiring a nanny is enough to make your head spin, but there's another popular option that could save you some stress: a nanny share.

Not familiar? While a nanny share can mean a couple of different things, I'm talking about one nanny caring for two children at the same time. This smart set-up combines the socialization and curriculum you expect from a daycare environment with the personalized care and flexibility that comes with a nanny—plus, it's convenient and cost-efficient. Now, a service called CozyKin makes finding a nanny share, getting set-up, and managing the share super easy (the service even handles contracts, training, taxes, and sick and vacation time). Read on to learn more about CozyKin nanny shares and, if it's the right childcare option for your family, how you can save. Hint: they're giving Mommy Poppins readers up to $700 off their deposit!

The very best family vacations are the ones where there's something fun for every family member to do, and kid-friendly resorts offer just that. If you can locate a destination that's within an easy driving distance, even better!

Fortunately, the Garden State offers plenty of spots where you can rest, recharge, and enjoy a little recreation without the hassle of long-distance travel. Whether you want a beachy getaway down the Shore, or indoor/outdoor water park adventures in northern NJ, we've rounded up a dozen close-to-home holiday havens that all but guarantee a great time for the whole crew.