Families, tired of the same scenery as travel plans remain in flux, should try something unique: a Bavarian-style village right here in Georgia! Head to the town of Helen, Georgia, tucked in the mountains and only 90 miles from Atlanta. 

Featuring high pitched roofs, half-timbered exteriors, and wooden balconies spilling over with flowers, Helen, Georgia reinvented itself from a dying lumber town to a major tourist destination. Today, it is home to the longest-running Oktoberfest celebration in the country and welcomes over 1 million visitors annually. With numerous shops, restaurants, and activities, Helen can be a bit overwhelming. Let our guide below show you the best family-friendly activities for your visit.

Nature provides the perfect classroom for kids. New York's little urbanites love to jump in puddles, make mud pies, climb trees, and dig for worms. Nature preschools and forest schools have gained in popularity recently. If you're looking for preschool classes in New York City that draw lessons from nature, we've rounded up the city's best nature preschools, forest schools, and toddler classes which allow little ones to spend a significant part of each session outdoors interacting with the natural world. As these nature classes are often held rain or shine, proper outdoor gear is a must, so get some sturdy boots and rain pants and let your kids explore with the help of these forest schools.

If you've got older kids, take note. Several of these forest schools offer classes for older kids, including after-school nature classes. Find more preschool classes for NYC kids and classes for all ages in our Guide Classes and Activities in New York City.

Monet, Picasso, Van Gogh, and all genius artists share something in common—they were once children! Before they became masters in their field, they were just little Claude and Vincent fingerpainting and tiny Pablo doodling in the dirt. Further your own child's artistic talents by enrolling him or her in art classes for kids. Orlando art classes cover a variety of mediums -- pottery, drawing, painting, sculpture, and many more—and welcome all ages, from young children all the way to talented teens (and even adults).

Enriching children's lives with art provides a well-rounded education, promotes creativity, teaches independence and decision-making, unlocks an appreciation of the surrounding world, and helps develop fine motor skills. Oh, and keeps your child entertained, happy, and messy! We've put together some of our favorite Orlando art classes for kids for budding artists in need of unleashing their creative talents.

Whether your child is a natural ham or a kid with a great imagination who feels a little shy, a theater class on Long Island is a fun way for children to build confidence. Experience in the performing arts improves verbal skills, which are especially valuable when kids present oral reports in school. Those with theater backgrounds find themselves drawing on skills they developed in all kinds of ways. When it's time for college entrance and job interviews later in life, kids with performing arts experience can have an edge. 

We are lucky to have many theaters and programs that host acting classes for children here on Long Island. Read on for our picks for budding thespians.

For additional class suggestions, see our Classes and Activities Guide for Long Island Kids.

Whether you’re in town for a day or a week, there are plenty of things to do in River North and Gold Coast, two of Chicago's most-visited neighborhoods. Out of town visitors and Chicago locals looking for a fun family staycation, will find it all here. To help you plan the ultimate day or weekend in River North and the Gold Coast, we’ve rounded up our favorite things to do with kids in those neighborhoods. Plus, we have the most kid-friendly places to eat and stay in Chicago.

From amazing hotel pools and in-room ice cream service to shopping and sightseeing, this is your go-to guide to visiting River North and the Gold Coast with kids. Let’s get started planning your big Chicago trip. 

If you want to venture into other Chicago neighborhoods, check out our 100 Things To Do in Chicago with Kids post. For more neighborhood guides, day trip ideas, and things to do with kids, check out the Mommy Poppins Travel Section.

For fall fun, nothing neats a hayride. And while the pandemic has whittled down our list down of participating farms a bit, these eight great Westchester and Hudson Valley farms offer great seasonal entertainment in 2021.  

Pair a visit to one or more of these farms with other traditional autumn activities, including apple picking and corn mazes.

After 18 years—and then another 18 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic—Washington, DC has finally gotten a children’s museum! The National Children’s Museum reopened to the public on September 2, 2021 after being open for only 18 days at the start of the pandemic. The National Children's Museum combines the feel of a science center and a children’s museum to create an interactive, fun place for kids ages 0-12 to explore.

I recently got the opportunity to investigate the National Children's Museum with my 3-year-old son on a sneak-peek tour. For a kid who has only gotten to experience museums through Blippi videos due to the pandemic, a museum visit was long overdue, and he had a fantastic time.

Below is my review of the National Children's Museum. You can also check out our list of free museums in DC for more fun museums to visit with kids!

Atlanta’s long-awaited Westside Park recently opened (first phase) and it’s ready to be explored. The gigantic park, located west of Midtown, has been in the works for over 15 years at a cost of $44 million. The true beauty of the park, eventually spanning 280 acres, is the former Bellwood Quarry, now a reservoir set to hold 2.4 billion gallons of water, which contains the emergency drinking water supply for the city.

Larger than Chastain Memorial Park in Buckhead and Piedmont Park in Midtown, Westside Park is open 6 am-11 pm daily. Westside Park features amenities parents will enjoy: playground, stroller-friendly trails, free parking, and plenty of restroom facilities. Note: Though Phase 1 of Westside Park is complete, the public space is not completely finished and thus, some attractions, park hours, and other details could change as the project nears completion. Read our guide below and be one of the first to enjoy this urban oasis!