NJ Cat Cafes: Purr-fect for Feline-Loving Kids and Families Submitted by Alison Reiser on Wed, 04/25/2018 - 2:00pm If you're a cat-lover who craves a new place to sip a cappuccino while enjoying some downtime with your kids, then you're in luck: the cat cafe trend has officially arrived in New Jersey. Three kitty cafes have opened in the Garden State since July 2016—in Asbury Park, Rahway, and Palmyra—and the best part is, they're all kid-friendly. Guests big and small are encouraged to pick up a toy and get down on the floor to interact with the cafe's feline friends. For kids who go gaga for kitties, it's a cool alternative to a traditional indoor play space—and, since all of the four-legged residents are up for adoption, you just might leave with a new best friend. Read on for more about NJ's three cat cafes and get ready to plan an a-meow-zing visit. Read more.
Review: Gaming with the Franklin Institute's Newest Exhibit Submitted by Christine Mooney on Tue, 04/24/2018 - 12:00am For the avid gamer in your family or for the nostalgic parent who wants to show off their Asteroids skills, Franklin Institute’s latest exhibit GameMasters, one of the many things new to Philly in 2018, gives gaming savvy families a fun way to spend an hour or two in the city. I recently took my young children to check out the new exhibit and here’s what we found. Read more.
Boston Kids' Swim Lessons Where Parents Don't Need to Get in the Pool Submitted by Elyse Andrews on Mon, 04/23/2018 - 12:58pm There are plenty of places that offer parent-child swim lessons for babies and toddlers in Boston, but that format doesn't work for all families. In some cases, parents aren't keen on the idea of getting in the pool themselves; in others, kids respond better to instructors when parents aren't around. Fewer places offer lessons for under-3-year-olds without a caregiver in the pool to participate, but many that do are highly rated by parents. Here are a few places to choose from if you'd prefer to stay dry while your little one takes the plunge. Read more.
Flushing's Peek-a-BooO Play Area Brings Super-Sized Kid Fun Submitted by Sally Chaffin Brooks on Mon, 04/23/2018 - 10:00am Kids in New York City are used to making the most out of small spaces, so when you find a wide open place where they can roam free, it’s a real treat. At over 6,000 square feet, Flushing’s new play space, Peek-a-booO, is a super-sized delight. And it’s not just huge, it’s filled with modern, bright, fun climbing equipment, ball pits, interactive games, toys, and so much more! Read on to find out all the details about this massive new Queens indoor play area. Read more.
Mini Land Play Gives Long Island City Tots a New Indoor Hot Spot Submitted by Sally Chaffin Brooks on Thu, 04/19/2018 - 10:35am Like most New York City parents, I’m always on the lookout for new indoor play spaces to occupy my active kid when the weather isn't great. So when I find a unique play area in a cool neighborhood that doesn’t eat up my entire entertainment budget for the month, I feel like an explorer who’s made a groundbreaking discovery. Mini Land Play in Long Island City, Queens is exactly this kind of rare find: a crazy-fun indoor playground with toddler-friendly rides that is only $12 for unlimited play during the week. Read on to find out how you can discover this new neighborhood gem for yourself. Read more.
How to Get Tickets to NYC's New Harry Potter Exhibit Submitted by Andy Fenwick on Tue, 04/17/2018 - 10:00am It’s a busy year for Harry Potter fans. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is already setting ticket records on Broadway (if you can't get a ticket, see our other theater recommendations). Another of the Potter-prequel flicks hits theaters this fall, Fantastic Beasts 2: The Crimes of Grindelwald, and New York City is getting a brand-new museum exhibit dedicated to all things Harry Potter and his magical world of wizards and magic. As every wizard knows, this year marks the 20th anniversary of the U.S. publication of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. To celebrate, the New-York Historical Society (NYHS) brings the British Library’s exhibit Harry Potter: A History of Magic to the Upper West Side in October. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Thursday, April 26, and it might be a good idea to buy them sooner rather than later as the museum expects the same Potter-happy crowds experienced last year at the British Library. Find out what exactly is included in the upcoming exhibition. Read more.
Candytopia: Let's Hear It for Selfies with Candy by the Beach! Submitted by Roberta B on Mon, 04/16/2018 - 1:40am The answer is yes: Yes, it is worth paying a visit to the latest in LA's series of selfie-inspired "museums"—the recently opened Candytopia in Santa Monica Place. Yes, kids of all ages love this place, and yes, you'll feel like you got your money's worth.Read more.
Night at the Museum: Sleeping Over in the Nation's Best Known Museums Submitted by Christine Mooney on Sun, 04/15/2018 - 1:13pm Taking a road trip just to go on a sleepover probably isn’t something you’d think to do, but that’s about to change with the Smithsonian’s Sleepover Series. This summer, kids can experience an overnight adventure at one of three Smithsonian museums, each with its own adventure. Just a two hour drive from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C. means you and your elementary- and middle school-aged children could solve a mystery, explore outer space, or sleep beneath a 50-foot whale. Read more.
