If this summer is the typical South Florida summer, it's going to be a scorcher! Visit a Miami splash pad to keep the kids cool and entertained. Check out our list of the top 20 sprinkler parks, spraygrounds, and free splash pads in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, with a few waterplay areas in the Keys and West Palm Beach areas as well.

For more ideas for things to do today with kids, check our South Florida Activities Calendar, or dip into our Miami Summer Activities Guide.

We recently visited Aquatica, SeaWorld’s awesome water park, for the ultimate summer outing to beat the Florida heat! This was my first Aquatica visit with all three of my kids (ages 5, 9, and 12), and we had a blast! There is truly something for every age to enjoy at this tropical oasis. Not only is Aquatica Orlando home to many fun water slides and pool areas, guests can also get a glimpse of sea life as well, making Aquatica a truly unique Orlando vacation.

Traveling with family can be a serious investment. After shelling out for plane tickets, you still have to book a hotel, cover the cost of meals, maybe rent a car, and more. Package deals and all-inclusive resorts can be a great way to save, but even better is choosing a hotel or resort where kids stay free.

Many hotels and resorts offer "kids stay free" promotions at certain times during the year, while others allow kids under a certain age to stay free all the time. These "kids stay free" deals often include free meals and on-site activities for children.

Whether your destination is in the US, the Caribbean, or Mexico, here are 10 family-friendly hotels where kids stay free. For more great plays to stay, check out our Family-Friendly Resorts & Hotels Guide.

From pregnancy to college, this parenting thing is always throwing us curve balls. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a team of top doctors and experts on call to share trustworthy advice along the way or even prepare us with information before we need it? That’s where the toolkits from Connecticut Children’s Hospital come in: created by top pediatric experts and backed by one of the best children’s hospitals in the nation, they offer expert advice on the topics parents need to know about.

In the hospital’s latest kit, What to Expect Through Life Stages, fetal care experts, pediatric physical therapists, nutritionists, and other specialists share guidance on kids' health and well-being for each stage, from pregnancy right through to those tricky teen years. Take a look at some of the standout articles below, from understanding babies’ developmental milestones to helping teens make big decisions about their futures. You’ll find even more articles in the toolkit, so click through for additional advice at each stage.

If you have questions for a pediatrician or pediatric specialist, you can easily request a virtual or in-person appointment at Connecticut Children’s here.

Legoland New York keeps adding to its attractions. In its third season of operation, the mega Hudson Valley theme park debuted its long-anticipated Water Playground and we got an early look at the wet-and-wild fun.

From how to nab coveted reservations, to all the other fun in store this season, here are our parent-and-kid-tested tips for visiting the Legoland New York Water Playground. Coming from afar? Consider pairing your theme park visit with an overnight at the on-site Legoland New York Hotel, too.

As the school year winds down, many parents start to worry about the dreaded summer slide, or learning loss that can happen over summer break. The good news is, there are so many fun ways to keep kids learning and reading over the summer. One way is to take part in a summer reading challenge.

Summer reading challenges are a fun and engaging way to incentivize kids to read by offering them rewards like free books, pizza, movie tickets, and more. We've rounded up eight national summer reading challenges offered by bookstore chains, libraries, and companies. Don't forget to check for any local summer reading challenges sponsored by local businesses, sports teams, and libraries as well.

Need some book suggestions for your child's summer reading list 2023? Check out our lists of 100 kids' books every child should read before they grow up, children's books about women leaders, kids' books about race and social justice, and LGBTQ books for kids. Happy reading!

Whether you’re a seasoned camper or a newbie, an overnight camping trip with the kids can be a great experience for the whole family. It was visions of tent camping and afternoon hikes that prompted my husband, two children, and I—plus our friends and their two kids—to book an overnight stay at North-South Lake Campground in Haines Falls last summer.

One of our favorite family-friendly campgrounds for families, this New York state-run facility offers plenty of creature comforts (bathrooms!) and had enough to keep kids occupied (playground! lake!), but not so much that they’d get overwhelmed.

Here’s a closer look at what we did during our family camping trip to North-South Lake Campground. Find more picks for exploring nearby in our Outdoor Fun Guide.

Whether you call it mini golf, miniature golf, or putt-putt, you'll find tons of places to play throughout New Jersey. The Garden State apparently has a thing for the game—there are dozens of mini-golf courses throughout New Jersey, and most of them have already reopened for the 2023 season.  

We're highlighting nearly the best courses in the state, from the Jersey Shore to Northern NJ. These courses have imaginative themes that range from pirate shipwrecks and African safaris to a medieval castle. Read on to find the perfect New Jersey miniature golf course for you.

For more things to do this summer, from spray parks to amusement parks, don't miss our Summer Fun Guide for NJ Kids.