Family travel has come a long way since my 70’s childhood. In those days, we kids were content to stay at an inexpensive motel and put coins into the bed’s magic fingers device.  For a quarter, the bed vibrated for a few minutes, which we found thoroughly entertaining. Today, the travel industry is courting families with hotel packages geared specifically to the interests of prized junior customers. If you’re looking to indulge your child with a family vacation that caters to their particular passion, there are a variety of options. Themes include American Girl, Lego, American History, Tintin, Broadway, a Barbie cruise and more.

It's one day until spring--huh?? The east coast has endured some crazy weather in recent weeks, so we wise and hardy NJ moms know there is no guarantee that warm weather will be here anytime soon. Luckily, New Jersey has plenty of fun and exciting indoor play spaces to take the kids. Pack a bag, put on your snow boots, and head out to try out some of these awesome places in Mercer and Somerset counties.

Our month-long focus on Forest Hills comes to a close with a look at our favorite places for kids to play and learn in the area, both indoors and out. Forest Park, which is the neighborhood's southern border, is the go-to green space and boasts playgrounds, ball fields and a historic carousel. But there are plenty of other places for kids to romp indoors as well as get creative, play sports, cook and so much more. Here are our top class and play spots for families in Forest Hills, Queens.

The spring holidays are upon us, and kids who were spoiled for choice at Christmastime are glutted once again, this time with opportunities to see the Easter Bunny and hunt for eggs. Families who were vying for equal menorah time back in December, however, may be having a tough time now finding fun family activities for Passover. Apart from coming up with unleavened baked goods, there are generally precious few activities to prepare us for one of the biggest holidays on the Jewish calendar. The good news is that there are a few - and we've found some fun ones!

No matter what the kids are into - theater, music, arts & crafts, soccer, baseball, swimming, computers, nature - you name it, Boston has a camp for it.

January brings the delightful - yet daunting - task of deciding what to do with the kids next summer. Delightful, because just thinking about summer can take everyone's mind of the dark, cold and snowy days of winter. Daunting, because there are just so many options!

If camp is part of your family's summer plans, our Boston Summer and Vacation Camps Guide, covering everything from “traditional” day camps to specialty programs in the greater Boston area, can help make your decision of which ones to consider easier.

First up, six+ camps in Boston, Cambridge and Brookline.

- Updated March 2013

You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep spring from coming.--Pablo Neruda

The cherry blossom petals flutter like the beats of your heart, racing with the expectation of another season. Spring. The one that doesn't let you  forget that it's a fresh start. Brimming with memories of past warm evenings spent around cafe tables, on picnic blankets, in stadium seats, strolling in the city well-past the kids' bedtime, just taking in the heady newness of this, the best season. Fortunately NJ feels the same way, so there are lots of wonderful things to do, like running with your coat off and shedding the winter blahs. And in honor of my dad, who spends winter forlornly waiting for pitchers and catchers to report to spring training: The true harbinger of spring is not crocuses or swallows returning to Capistrano, but the sound of the bat on the ball.--Bill Veeck

If you’re planning a child’s birthday like I am, you know the sense of responsibility that comes with the choice you make. After all, a child’s 4th birthday only comes around once. Got to make it special! Special you shall! There are plenty of arts and crafts options if you are looking to have somebody else host your child’s birthday party. I found some that will host your party and others that will come to you. Either way, your little one will have a special day to remember. Check out what I’ve found for arts and crafts parties in New Haven County.

We had an awesome time last Saturday at our live baby chicks portrait sessions at Big Apple Portraits. And we were really impressed by how gorgeous our readers are (the kids were cute, too). Though the photo shoot is over, Easter fun is just beginning. There are a slew of egg hunts in NYC throughout the month as well as plenty of Easter activities in Connecticut, New Jersey and on Long Island. Meanwhile St. Patrick's Day is this Sunday and there are lots of ways to celebrate throughout the tri-state area this weekend, including parades in NYC and a way over yonder.

Have you looked at our NYC Birthday Party Guide lately? We've added a lot of new posts over the past few weeks, including info on indoor swimming pool parties, our top ten party places in the Bronx and Queens, and Brooklyn gym parties. If you're planning a vacation not a birthday, be sure to check out our Travel site. We recently reviewed the Mountaintop Lodge at Lake Naomi in the Poconos and rounded up farms where families can stay overnight near NYC.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week: