Lincoln Center is making headlines in the New York City special needs community. The iconic cultural institution is launching the "Big Umbrella Festival," a month of arts programming dedicated to autistic kids and their families. The inaugural festival is set to take over stages on the cultural campus and at local schools in April 2018, Autism Awareness Month.

The stated mission is to "enrich the lives of children on the autism spectrum through inclusive art that engages, educates, and inspires." While still a year away, the monthlong festival is surely a welcome addition to city's existing cultural programs for kids with autism.

Step aside spring blooms. There's a new diva hijacking your spotlight this season at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx. It's sparkly, magical, and comes in almost as many eye-popping shades as your petals.

The just-opened CHIHULY outdoor art installation features more than 20 glimmering pieces by renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly. It spans more than 40 years of his career. Special tours, events and programming are planned around the exhibit, which opened Friday, April 22.

Read on for our review of the latest exhibit at the beloved NYC garden, including whether or not you can bring your kid, or even a toddler, without fear of them crashing and smashing their way through the show. 

If you have a houseful of theme-park thrill-seekers—or if you are one yourself—we've got good news: With summer on the horizon, amusement parks along the East Coast have big plans in the works.

We've rounded up 10 new attractions scheduled to debut in 2017. Read on for details, including locations, opening dates, and height requirements, and start plotting your summer travels today.

It's been said that necessity is the mother of invention, and that's certainly the case for one new, mom-owned business in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.

When Anna Bychowska went searching for an affordable birthday party spot for her then 6-year-old daughter last fall, she came up empty in her neighborhood and nearby Williamsburg. Party spots she found were either too expensive or booked months in advance. Discouraged with the offerings, she saw an opportunity and founded a party spot of her own. In late 2016, Cotton Candy Spa was born.

Looking for the ultimate princess getaway for your little...well...princess or prince? Adventures by Disney has just announced its 2018 cruising schedule, and fans of Beauty and the Beast take note: A series of sailings along Europe's Rhine river celebrates the film, its stars, and even its backdrops.

My family goes crazy for sports. We love baseball and Sundays are definitely reserved for rooting on our favorite NFL teams, but our recent  afternoon to see the New Jersey Devils was our first taste of the action-packed family-friendly entertainment of a hockey game. The fun afternoon has me confident we'll be heading back again soon. And you should too. In fact, we're giving away a family four pack to the upcoming NJ Devils Kids Day on March 19th. Read on to hear more about my family's newest sports passion and how you can enter to win. 

If a trip to Japan is just slightly over your budget, but you're still crazy—or curious—about Japanese culture, the newly reopened Hello from Japan! exhibit at the Children's Museum of Manhattan is a perfect, albeit petite, alternative. This exhibit—the third in the Upper West Side museum's Global Cultural Exhibition Series, following exhibitions on Ancient Greece and China, and preceding the ongoing Muslim culture exhibit—originally graced the museum in 2015 and has returned for another run, offering an immersive experience for NYC's youngest art and museum fans.

We may be mired in winter in New York City, but it's already time to think about summer camp for the kids. A number of the city's top camps host open houses over the next few weeks, and attending lets you preview summer offerings and familiarize yourself with new-to-you programs.

We've compiled more than two dozen upcoming open houses from our sponsors, including options for day and commuter camps, so you can stay warm while perusing the listings from your couch. There are hundreds of summer camps in Manhattan alone, but this list should get you started.

And whether you're looking for a preschooler-age camp, music camp, sleepaway camp, or even a FREE camp, remember to check out the Mommy Poppins Summer Camp Guide for more ideas in 2017.

Read on—and let the research begin.