Throwing a Halloween party is a fun way to celebrate the spooky season with kids. But when you've got tweens or teens, you need to think beyond the cute Halloween activities and crafts and come up with ideas that are a little more active and inventive. In other words, you need to up your Halloween party game—literally. Luckily, there are so many great Halloween party game ideas for teens (and tweens and even just bigger kids).

Start planning your Halloween party with these 25 Halloween party game ideas for tweens and teens that will make your next Halloween party epic. If you've got younger kids, check out our list of 25 fun Halloween games for preschoolers and little kids.

For great Halloween activities near you check your local Halloween Activities Guide, and for Halloween movies, games, crafts, costumes, and treats all season long, see our Halloween Activities Guide for Families.

Mommy-and-me classes are the absolute best because not only will your little one have a chance to learn something new, but you'll be able to spend quality time with them and meet other parents (a total bonus). If you're having a hard time picking a daddy-and-me or mommy-and-me class, we've rounded up a few of our favorites. Not only are they engaging for both you and baby, but most of these classes have locations all over DFW, making it even easier to get out of the house for a little fun! 

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With breathtaking waterfalls, massive granite rock formations, ancient giant sequoias, and more, Yosemite National Park should be on every family's travel bucket list. But you (understandably) may have some concerns about visiting Yosemite National Park with kids. Like, are they any kid-friendly hiking trails? Are there things to do with kids at Yosemite besides hiking? Are there kid-friendly places to stay nearby?

After taking my own recent Yosemite National Park family vacation, I can assure you the answer to all of those questions is YES! Our visit to Yosemite was part of a larger national park trip, and all three of my kids (two teens and a tween) agreed that Yosemite was their favorite. We spent a whopping 12 hours in the park and can't wait to return!

I've put together a handy guide to help you plan your own Yosemite itinerary with kids, from must-see spots to the best times to visit to what to pack. In the very likely chance that your family gets the national park bug after your visit, our US National Parks Family Travel Guide has tips for visiting more great parks, from the best viewpoints at the Grand Canyon for families to everything you need to know about visit Zion National Park in Utah.

September means summer is in the rearview, and thoughts turn to school, apple picking, colorful leaves, and more fall fun.

One of my favorite ways to pick something new and fun to do on any given day is to celebrate a holiday! There are national days and holidays just about every day of the year, and it can be fun to take inspiration from them to plan an outing, craft, activity, treat, or game in honor of a silly holiday. September is home to National Playdough Day (below we've got an easy recipe to make your own) and Friday the 13th (read on for 13 ways to celebrate!), and so much more.

Check this list, and you’ll find the perfect thing to do with your kids each and every day. And if you're planning a fall getaway, check our travel guides to our favorite gorgeous fall family destinations in our travel guides to New England, the Poconos, and Maine.

Springfield, MO, and the surrounding areas are known as the gateway to the Ozarks: a stunning region in the heart of America filled with caves, springs, forests, and vast limestone formations. It’s also home to Johnny Morris, founder of Bass Pro, and one of the country’s most important conservationists.

His foundation has created nature parks and important educational institutions that put the spotlight on his home state far more than a certain Netflix show could ever hope to do. And while I loved watching Jason Bateman captain his boat among the fingers of the Lakes of the Ozarks, it was by exploring the land preserved by Mr. Morris’s that I was able to truly understand the historical and natural impact and wild beauty of the Ozarks.

Springfield, along with the nature preserves that fall under the Johnny Morris Foundation umbrella, is just an eight-hour drive northeast of Dallas, near Branson, one of the most popular Ozark tourist attractions for North Texans. If you’re planning on exploring this beautiful part of the country on your next vacation, include the gateway to the Ozarks in your itinerary.

Queens residents have a new public space for their enjoyment with the reopening of Rainey Park in Astoria. After extensive renovations, Rainey Park boasts new playground equipment, fitness areas, spray showers, a new greenway, and increased access for those with disabilities. Read on to find out all you need to know about this new park.

Find more places to play in our NYC Kids' Guide to Parks and Playgrounds and the our list of the best things to do in Queens.

As school starts up again across the country, tweens and teens are beginning the arduous adventure that is middle school. And thanks to pretty much all of pop culture—and many adults who have gone through the middle school years and lived to tell the tale—kids go into middle school fearing the worst. You know—classmates are terrible. School is terrible. Everything is terrible.

We're here to assure you—and your anxious middle schooler—that middle school can, in fact, be the best. Many teachers say middle school kids are their favorite age to teach. That's because they're learning to think critically, joke cleverly, and care deeply. They're growing, learning, and finding their spark. In other words, middle schoolers are becoming themselves.

Read on for middle school tips for parents that will help you encourage, inspire, and celebrate your kids. You'll learn how to make middle school better for your children so they'll become happy and thriving in middle school.

Our 2025-2026 Back-to-School Guide has even more advice on how to make this the best school year yet, including our list of the best school supplies (from a veteran teacher).

When nearly 1 million NYC public school students head back to class in September, they’ll be entering a no-phone zone.

A new state law in New York bans students from using cell phones and all personal internet-enabled devices during the school day. The law goes into effect at the start of the 2025-26 school year, which kicks off Thursday, September 4, for public school kids.

Read on to find out what the ban might look like at your school, and check out our list of 57 screen-free activities for all ages.