The NYBG Holiday Train Show returns for its 31st run in 2022, and this charming holiday installation always ranks high on our list of must-do holiday activities. The addition of the stunning, sprawling holiday light show NYBG Glow makes a seasonal visit to the New York Botanical Garden even sweeter.

Read on for our top tips for visiting the New York Botanical Garden Holiday Train Show with kids, plus all our favorite things to do at NYBG this season. You'll find more top holiday picks for kids in our NYC Kids Guide to Holiday and Christmas Events.

You might think of Hershey, Pennsylvania, with its towering, roller-coaster-filled Hersheypark as a summer-only destination, but family travel to the sweetest place on earth is always in season. Located in the south-central region of the state, Hershey, Pennsylvania, is an easy road-trip destination from the New York metro area and Philidelphia and has enough family-friendly entertainment and candy-fueled fun to leave your kids asking for a return trip. Here are our top things to do in Hershey, Pennsylvania with kids.

Find more fun family road trip destinations, like nearby Harrisburg, in our Guide to Day Trips and Weekend Getaways.

Every Black Friday, I shoo my kids into the basement, climb the ladder to the attic, and extract our 45-pound artificial Christmas tree. Come January 6, I cram the branches back into the straining box while the kids cry about Christmas being over, then push the box back up the ladder. And every year I wonder if I'm actually helping the environment as I thought by reusing my artificial Christmas tree—or if chopping down a living, breathing Christmas tree would actually be more earth-friendly.

I decided to investigate, and the answer may surprise you... Read on to find out which option is better for our planet, plus get tips on picking the perfect Christmas tree for your family.

For more ways to help save the planet this holiday season and all year long, check out our Earth Kids Guide, and sign up for our Earth Kids newsletter.

Volunteering during the holidays not only helps our community, but also teaches kids the joy of giving back. Sharing traditions with our children is what the holidays are about—baking pies, lighting candles, giving gifts, singing songs—and volunteering to help those in need is another wonderful family tradition. In fact, dishing up food or singing Christmas carols may be the best gift of all, setting up our kids for a life of sharing and empathy. 

These are some of our favorite local organizations that offer up ideas for volunteering with kids of all ages: delivering food, helping lonely grandparents, fostering animals, and spreading cheer for the holidays and beyond! Also, check our calendar for more upcoming charitable events. For more ideas to keep the holidays bright, check out our Christmas and Hanukkah Guide for Families.

The Thanksgiving holiday break is nearly here, and while Thursday is likely filled with giant helium balloons and hearty portions of Thanksgiving dinner, you're going to need more things to do Thanksgiving weekend to keep kids and guests entertained after everyone's stuffed.

From only-in-NYC experiences to fun must-do holiday happenings and a slew of kid-friendly shows, we've rounded up 20 fun things to do Thanksgiving weekend in NYC.

Shopping for a Christmas tree in New York City can be a lovely family holiday activity. If you plan ahead, a day trip out to a nearby farm with the kids to cut your own tree might well become an evergreen tradition. But tree shopping can also be stressful and messy—especially if you leave it to the last minute. Think crowded, picked-over sidewalk tree displays, sap-covered hands, and aching lower backs from dragging trees home on the subway. Decorating the tree is fun. Putting presents under the tree is fun. Getting the tree, transporting it home, and setting it up? Not so much fun. The holidays whiz by and there won't be time for ice skating or baking if you're too tuckered out from transporting a tree that could have been delivered and set up completely hassle-free.

So whether you're a last-minute procrastinator or just prefer the ease of NYC's everything-can-be-delivered culture, a door-to-door tree delivery service might be just right. We've rounded up five local companies that will deliver that tree right to your door, even on Christmas Eve. Many are sustainable and support local farmers. Most offer add-ons like wreaths and lights, and, best of all, a promise to come back and take it to recycle when the season is over.

While New York City is magical during the holiday season, sometimes you're in the mood for a holiday day trip. If you're looking to get away and experience some holiday happenings not too far from home, we've found 15 great holiday day trips near NYC, where kids can see Santa, dazzling Christmas lights, and even a North Pole village.

From right-in-our-backyard picks to rustic Christmas fun in Mystic, Connecticut, and a theme-park pick in the Hudson Valley, here are 15 picture-perfect holiday day trips worth a drive or train trek this holiday season. Be sure to bookmark our Guide to Holiday and Christmas Activities for more seasonal fun and our Day Trips Guide for more local travel destinations.

After months of masked, social-distanced toddler playdates, this mother can’t quite articulate how refreshing a multi-family, indoor gathering feels. Especially since it's suddenly oddly chilly in LA! So when I saw that Ball N’ Bounce just opened in the Encino Commons complex on Ventura Boulevard, an indoor playdate is exactly what I planned.

Stepping foot inside the play space, our whole group of kids and adults instantly perked up. The vibrant colors of the interior are joyful, and there are so many things to climb on and experience that my toddler couldn’t wait to start playing. Read on for just what to expect in this new family gem in the San Fernando Valley.

And if you’re in search of other terrific destinations for indoor playdates, check out our review of My Little Paris in San Gabriel, and all our favorite LA indoor playgrounds in our Indoor Fun and Play Spaces Guide for Los Angeles and OC Kids.