Located in the heart of The Berkshires, find the town of Pittsfield, Massachusetts. With its walkable main street draped with red, white, and blue buntings and bespeckled with the work of local artists, it's a charming mix of old and new, befitting a region that's experienced a re-birth as a regional travel destination thanks to the pandemic.

Its location is convenient for visitors from major metropolitan areas in Boston and New York City, and it manages to balance a certain small-town allure with arts, culture, recreation, and a burgeoning foodie scene to lure a variety of visitors. Whether you're heading for a hike in the hills outside of town or craving top-notch theater without big-city prices, Pittsfield has something for you. Read on for 35 things to do in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, with kids, and find more fun things to do nearby on our list of the best things to do in The Berkshires with kids. Be sure to bookmark our New England Family Travel Guide for more regional travel destinations.

We've all made hand shadows with flashlights when the power goes out unexpectedly, but have you tried lowering the lights on purpose for playtime? Light experiments are a magical form of sensory exploration with well-documented developmental benefits for kids, while happening to be deceptively simple for even the laziest parent (like me). Setting up a dark environment and incorporating flashlights into your play unlocks a whole new way of looking at the world, mesmerizes tumultuous toddlers, and brings open-ended process play into your home with minimal effort. Light experiments can even work wonders on children who fear the dark.

So cut the lights and grab your flashlights (check for batteries first, because dead flashlights are a bummer) and try out these 10 easy light and shadow experiments for toddlers and preschoolers. For more preschool and toddler science ideas, check out our list of science experiments for toddlers, and more science fun for kids of all ages in our Guide to Science Experiments for Kids.

Looking for things to do in New Jersey with tweens? Read on for our top picks. 

Your tweens may be too big for bouncy houses and tea parties, yet too young for solo outings with friends. But they still love family fun–even if they won't always admit it. When a trip to your local playground is met with eye-rolling instead of cheering, it's time to check out these amazing things to do in New Jersey with tweens. The good news? You may genuinely enjoy competing with your tween in bowling or tackling the fast slides at a water park.

Read on for 40 ideas that are cool enough for big kids and find more fun things to do in New Jersey with tweens in our Tweens and Teens Guide to NJ, which includes our rundown on birthday party ideas for teens in New Jersey. 

Welcome to year one! You’re officially “in it”—and even though you’ll have quite a few occasions in which you’ll want time to fly by, like those first few nights your infant sleeps in a crib for the first time, this year will be over in a flash. So, on top of all the daily snuggle fests and snapshots of milestones, do your best to make the most of these first 12 months with fun activities and family outings.

We’ve rounded up some of the best things to do with your infant, from a trip to a park or playground to a visit to one of Jersey's themed eateries to practice eating those solids.

Read on for 12 things to do in New Jersey before your baby turns 1–plus one to grow on!

Honestly, the kids just started school, and I haven't made our plans yet (note to self: do that today) for a quick getaway or day trip for Labor Day weekend. I am not ready for Halloween! But, with pumpkin spice lattes at coffee shops, Pumpkin Spice Oreos in the stores, and my kids already planning Halloween costumes, I think it's time to start planning. Especially since Disneyland has already announced that Oogie Boogie is fully sold out for 2022... So, I took a look at which beloved Los Angeles Halloween events and attractions are already on sale—almost all of them—so we can all snag some tickets before everything sells out.

From fun for the whole family at Haunt O' Ween to the big kid scares at Haunted Hayride, here are the best Halloween events you just might want to get tickets for today. Keep tabs on all the Halloween fun as it is announced in our Los Angeles Halloween Fun and Activities Guide.

After much reminiscing and debating, we’ve winnowed down our list to the 100 top classic toys for kids. What you'll see below are the best classic, retro, and vintage toys—the ones that capture the nostalgia of childhood and the pure bliss of playtime. Now, this is not a list of simple games and fun like kick the can or hide and seek. This is a list for your ultimate inner child—the one who wants all the toys! Perhaps the most amazing thing is that you can still buy every single one of them, either for yourself or to share the classic toy fun with your own kids. So sit back, remember, and possibly be inspired for your child’s next birthday or holiday. Or maybe your own?

Looking for more childhood favorites and classics? The bookworms here (that's pretty much all of us) brainstormed a list of 100 Kids' Books Every Child Should Read, and we've also got ideas for family movie night on our list of the 50 Best Kids' Movies of All Time.

Looking for a new play date spot in Northern New Jersey? A high-flying trampoline park has just opened, and Catch Air of Hasbrouck Heights delivers on the "wow" factor, promising to keep toddlers through elementary school-age kids busy hours'hours worth of indoor fun. This play center opened its doors in May 2022 and features tons of out-of-this-world space-themed activities. We recently checked it out and can say with certainty that it's a worthy day trip for kids who love to slide, climb, and bounce.

Read on for our full review of Catch Air's trampoline park and find more action-packed places to play on our list of the best play spaces in Northern New Jersey. Be sure to bookmark our Guide to Indoor Play Spaces in New Jersey for Kids.

Celebrating a bat mitzvah or bar mitzvah on Long Island is a fantastic opportunity to gather friends and family and commemorate your teen’s accomplishment, but It isn’t just the child doing the hard work. Parents have the enormous task of planning the event, and since Long Island is home to numerous banquet halls and venues, picking a location can be tough. We’ve narrowed the field to 10 of the best spots for a bar mitzvah or bat mitzvah on Long Island. 

Our list includes traditional and non-traditional venues that can accommodate a small group or a large crowd. Find the best celebration spot, and check one massive task off your to-do list. Mazel tov!

For more fun ideas, check out our Tweens and Teens Guide to Long Island, and be sure to bookmark our updated Long Island Family Activity Calendar.