We love checking out NYC's newest and coolest indoor play areas, so we couldn't wait to drop in to the recently opened Giocare Play Spot in South Park Slope, Brooklyn. Catering to infants, toddlers and preschoolers, Giocare offers drop-in play sessions, classes, storytimes and more.

We've got the scoop on Giocare and everything you need to know before you go—just in time for an NYC winter when we're all looking for new boredom-busting play ideas.

There's no way around it: most babies fuss and cry a lot. And many new parents are eager to try anything to soothe their little charges, so perhaps it's not surprising that baby massage is one of the latest trendy mommy and me class options in NYC.

Touch is probably the first and most comforting language newborns and infants learn—and massage a timeworn practice. A gentle touch reinforces love, safety and trust between parent and child, making massage instruction one of the more bonding-focused mommy and me classes out there.

The benefits touted for adult or baby massage are compelling: improvement in overall health and sleep, reduction in stress levels, boosting the immune system and easing an infant's colic or even constipation. New York City parents have several great options to choose from, including private sessions at home, as well as venues in Manhattan and Brooklyn that host group lessons in massage.

Find more NYC classes in our Classes Guide and Directory Listings.

Come Christmas time, tourists and locals alike head to Dyker Heights in Brooklyn to check out amazing holiday lights and decorations.  

However, for those who don't have a car, there are other pockets in Brooklyn of wonderful and creative holiday decorations, including among the pretty brownstones of Carroll Gardens, a onetime Italian-American stronghold where churches and funeral homes, along with Italian bakeries and restaurants are equally plentiful. While it might not be as famous as Dyker Heights, Carroll Gardens can be easier to access for Brooklyn families from nearby Park Slope, Fort Greene and even Manhattan. 

Hand-print turkeys, corn husk dolls, leaf collages and Thanksgiving Day parade floats—now is the time of year when kids begin making those adorable seasonal and decorative crafts.

Most young kids love making crafts, and it’s a great way to engage their imaginations, enhance their motor skills and get into the holiday spirit.

While you can make crafts at home and older children often create them at school, it’s fun to take your toddler or preschooler somewhere new for crafting projects. We’ve rounded up several craft destinations where toddlers can make Thanksgiving-related decorations. Read on for our favorites, and make sure to find lots of room in your home to showcase your tot’s handiwork.

The Statue of Liberty, despite its world-renowned status, is one of those iconic local landmarks that few NYC families may think to visit. After all, you have to take a ferry to it and order tickets in advance—not exactly the makings of a spontaneous weekend outing with the kids.

But a tour of Lady Liberty, including a hike to the crown and a ferry stop at Ellis Island for a bit of history, actually has plenty to offer families, whether local or visiting from elsewhere, especially for those with kids ages 5 and up.

Eager to see this monument up close and cross it off our family’s NYC bucket list, I recently made my way to the Statue of Liberty with four kids, ages 5 to 7, in tow and just one other adult. Read on for the scoop on how to score tickets, as well as must-know tips for families like kid height requirements for tours of the crown. 

The charm and appeal of the new Peanuts movie spans generations, from the moms and dads who grew up reading the comics to the youngest who've only seen the TV specials. Sweet and entertaining, The Peanuts Movie (G) can be a great film for the whole family to see together—but does it retain the nostalgic glow of Snoopy and Woodstock without resorting to Lucy's jarring, outdated cries of, "Charlie Brown, you stupid idiot"? And is it worth seeing in 3D, or will the old 2D work just as well?

Good grief! The Peanuts Movie, the first-ever 3D feature film based on Charles M. Schulz's beloved cartoon characters, hits theaters next month and to celebrate, the studio is sponsoring Snoopy-themed kid activities throughout NYC starting this Saturday, October 24. Whether your children are already fans from watching those classic holiday TV specials like It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and A Charlie Brown Christmas or are just now learning how awesome Charlie, Linus, Lucy and the rest of the gang are, they're sure to have a blast at these FREE Snoopy sightings, cartooning lessons and other Peanuts-centric events in Manhattan and the outer boroughs.

Apple picking season is still in full swing and though there are plenty of orchards that offer the chance to pick your own apples and pumpkins in upstate New York and New Jersey, it was really important for my family to choose an organic orchard. Turns out, truly organic farms are harder to come by than I thought.

I did a little digging and found Fishkill Farms a few years back and since then, my family has made the annual apple-picking pilgrimage to this lovely farm that practices ecologically-sustainable farming and offers low-spray apple varieties in addition to a growing number of organic ones. An hour and half from Midtown Manhattan and an hour from central Westchester, Fishkill Farms makes for a great day trip.