If you’ve ever missed a Spirit Day, double‑booked soccer practice, or realized after pickup that early dismissal was today... "Hi! Welcome to the club."  This is exactly why I went down the rabbit hole of family calendar apps in the first place.

For Mommy Poppins, I didn’t just research these apps; I  actually used them with my own family. On iPhones, Android devices, and laptops. With kids who sometimes check apps… and sometimes make me wonder why I pay for cell phone service

Below are the best shared family calendar apps I’ve personally tested — what actually worked in real life, what felt over hyped, and which families each app is truly best for. For more tried-and-tested parenting hacks, check out our Mommy Poppins Parenting Hacks Guide.

Welcome to a NEW year! Whether you’re wondering “Is today a holiday?” or just need a quick way to make an ordinary afternoon feel special, this list of January holidays for kids gives families something to look forward to every day of the month. There's Pass Gas Day (what kid won't want to celebrate Fart Day?), Rubber Ducky Day, and of course, a long weekend for Martin Luther King Jr Day, to make it feel like the holiday season isn’t over yet!

Scroll down for all 31 fun holidays in January, plus links to holiday-a-day ideas for every month of the year.

Check this list, and you’ll find the perfect thing to do with your kids each and every day. In January at Mommy Poppins, we also celebrate all things FREE, so check out our national guide to freebies and also your local guide to free things to do near you!

The holiday hubub is mostly behind us—sugar cookie crumbs and piles of presents still waiting to be put away excepted—and that means it's time to look back at the year that was for families in New York City, Long Island, the Hudson Valley, and New Jersey. So, today, we're bringing you this list of our top family-friendly openings of 2025, plus offering a sneak peek at the fun on the horizon in 2026.

As always, thanks for joining us on all the adventures we've encountered, and cheers to a new year and new openings in the tri-state area.

Find great winter activities, family events, and fun indoor spaces around Boston! 

When the flakes fly, visions of sledding hills fill kids' heads, and all they can think of is bundling up and getting outside for some snow day fun. If your family's plans include sledding, consider heading to one of these popular sledding hills in Westchester County. We've also got a separate post with top picks for sledding hills in the Hudson Valley in case you want to make your wintery adventure a daycation, plus some helpful tips for keeping little ones safe while they sled.

Be sure to check our Guide to Winter Fun in Westchester and our Boredom Busters Guide for more ideas to keep kids busy on cold winter days.

I've found that sledding hills near me on Long Island are a perfect way to spend a fun-filled snow day with the kids. Below, is a list of some of the best local sledding hills to catch fresh powder and wintertime thrills. 

Before sending kids careening down these Long Island sledding hills, always check the area for rocks, sticks, and other hazards. We recommend wearing helmets and proper snow gear for your sledding adventure, too.

Read ahead for all the sledding details before you bundle up your littles for a snowy family adventure. For even more seasonal activities check out our Long Island Kids Winter Fun Guide, with local skiing and snowboarding destinations, ice skating rinks, and more.

New Jersey sledding hills are cold, slippery, and ridiculously fun. NJ is home to plenty of perfect sledding hills for all ages, and we've compiled this list of 26 great sledding spots throughout the state. So, once the flakes have flown, it's time to break out your sleds, bundle up (helmets recommended!), and venture out to one of these great local sledding hills in New Jersey.

Don't forget the safety check! Take a minute to make sure your chosen sledding hill isn't too steep or bumpy for your child and that there's enough of a "landing" spot so your little sledder can safely glide to a halt. Avoid spots near ponds and trees, and be sure the sledding hill doesn't end in a street or parking lot. Skip rocky hills, too.

For even more winter fun, bookmark our Guide to Winter Activities for New Jersey Families.

When the flakes fly, the sledding hills in New York City really come to life. Families flock to these local sledding spots spread across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island for wintertime fun with the kids. In compiling our list of the best sledding hills in NYC, we asked our readers, family, and Mommy Poppins writers and editors for their top recommendations for sledding hills citywide.

Looking for more snowy day activities? Read our roundup of snow day boredom busters, and bookmark our NYC Kids Guide to Winter Fun for more seasonal activities.