The end of the year has us waxing nostalgic for the year that was and spotlighting the best new kid-friendly openings of 2022 in Westchester and the Hudson Valley with this look back at eight awesome openings, events, and things to do Best of all? Many of these new-to-the-scene family fun spots are either open all year or still going strong.

Whether your outings this year took you to one of these new openings, or you revisited old favorites like the region's beautiful farms, hit up a festival or two, or simply enjoyed local hikes, and explored destination parks, it's a perfect time to look back on the family-friendly memories made all around and appreciate the kid-friendly fun in our own backyard.

As we turn the calendar to 2023, we wish you and yours a very Happy New Year and thank you for being a reader. Cheers to a new year filled with more family-friendly fun.

When it comes to kid-friendly fun, we might be biased in our thought that NYC has it all and in 2022 the city that never sleeps sprung back to life with tons of brand-new, family-friendly openings adding destinations and attractions begging for our attention. From a brand new kid-focused museum in the Bronx to destination-worthy, story-inspired pop-ups nearby and toddler-friendly stage shows, plus fun playgrounds, parks, and pop-ups, here are our picks for the best kid-friendly openings in NYC in 2022.

As we say a fond farewell to 2022, we also remember it was a good year for saying hello to many family-friendly attractions that opened in New Jersey this year. From indoor play places to outdoor playgrounds—and even an enormous Ferris wheel—NJ's great tradition of having lots of exciting new things to do is alive and well. Read on for the best kid-friendly openings in New Jersey in 2022.

After two years of pandemic-era closures and restrictions, DC opened back up in full force in 2022, and families flocked to enjoy all of the new goings-on. Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum reopened in October after a seven-month closure, four years into a seven-year, $1 billion remodel. The new Museum of Illusions came to CityCenterDC, and several buzzworthy exhibits—including a Yayoi Kusama exhibition at the Hirshhorn and an immersive King Tut experience at the National Geographic Society—drew crowds.

Families also enjoyed several new parks, playgrounds, and indoor play spaces in Maryland and Northern Virginia, as well as a massive new fitness and wellness center in Baltimore. And beloved holiday events Boo at the Zoo and ZooLights finally returned to Smithsonian's National Zoo.

Read on for our favorite kid-friendly openings and happenings of 2022. Here's looking forward to more exciting openings in 2023!

2022 in Atlanta has been making news for all the great, kid-friendly spots that have opened this year. In fact, as we speak Atlanta is still making headlines for 2022 with Winter Storm Elliott's freakishly cold temperatures (Christmas weekend 2022 is the coldest it has been in years in Atlanta). Stay cozy by curling up to your device and reading about our favorite openings and new events that made Atlanta children smile this year!

We at Mommy Poppins love a good recap, so we've rounded up awesome things in Atlanta this year. From engaging exhibits to delicious eateries, 2022 was a great year for Atlantans to try some fabulous new options. Take a look at just some of our favorites!

2022 in Chicago was a fun year. From museum openings to new exhibits and play spaces, there were some great additions to the Chicago kids space this year. To help ring in 2023, we’ll take a look back at some of the top openings, happenings, and other stuff we loved about 2022 in both Chicago and the rest of the country.

If you didn’t get to visit some of these great new spaces, they are great additions to your bucket list in 2023. For more kid-friendly fun in the new year, check out our round-up all things family in Chicago here.

There are so many great attractions in Houston, but if your kids are easily bored or complain they've seen it all before, you might want to read on! If you’re wondering what’s new for kids in Houston, we have rounded up some 2022 openings that have family appeal. Whether you want to visit a new park, a new exhibition, or a new restaurant, we have the list of the 10 best new kid-friendly things and places that opened or upgraded in 2022 in Houston.

It’s been a great year for new attractions in Central Florida! New in 2022 in Orlando were the openings of a brand new amusement park – Peppa Pig Theme Park – as well as new coasters such as Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at Epcot and Ice Breaker at Sea World. We’ve rounded up a "best of Orlando" list of what was new in 2022.