6 Must-See Fall Museum Exhibits for Families Around Boston Submitted by Lucie T on Sun, 09/16/2018 - 9:00pm A trip to the museum doesn’t need to be a “boring” excursion for your kiddos, or strictly refer to your family popping into an indoor space for some play time. Whether it's artwork featuring everyone's favorite honey loving bear or interactive challenges like dodging hanging pendulums, at least one of these half-dozen exhibits on display across greater Boston is sure to delight your kids this fall. They might even learn something (but you don't have to tell them that). Read more.
Free Admission Days at 20+ Museums in Los Angeles and Orange County Submitted by Audrey M on Sun, 09/16/2018 - 3:16pm Love museums, but the prices make you think twice? If you have a large family, those tickets add up fast—which is particularly frustrating if you then need to beat a hasty retreat to avoid a meltdown. SoCal has some great museums that have free general admission every day of the year, including The Getty, California Science Center, and The Broad. As for the rest of them (once kids are old enough to have to pay), many LA and OC museums have monthly or even weekly free days or evenings, and we have collected a list for easy reference. Go ahead, bring the extended family, meet friends, or check out a place you have never been before—all for just the price of parking or Metro tickets. And if there's a meltdown? At least it's free. Read more.
Best Science Museums for Kids on Long Island Submitted by Lisa Mancuso on Sun, 09/16/2018 - 11:30am We all know how important it is to get kids involved with STEM … and since the first letter in STEM stands for Science, why not start there? A great way to get your kids more interested in science is to bring them to one of a number of excellent family-friendly museums across Long Island. From hands-on exhibits to workshops and STEM classes, spending a few hours at any of these museums is sure to spark curiosity in your child. And that might be all he or she needs to one day become the next Albert Einstein or Marie Curie. For more ways to get your kids excited about the exciting worlds of STEM and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) check out our Long Island classes and enrichment guide. Read more.
Along Came a Spider Pavilion: Big Spiders Are Back at the Natural History Museum Submitted by Roberta B on Fri, 09/14/2018 - 5:02am While some may ring in the Halloween season by smearing shrubs with 99-cent store fuzzy webbing and plastic spiders, the arachnid purists over at the Natural History Museum have a more organic approach. This weekend the screened pavilion on the museum’s South Lawn becomes seasonal home to more free-range, eight-legged tenants than anyone in his right mind could want – in short, an arachnophobe’s worst nightmare and an eight-year-old boy’s version of heaven. Read more.
American Museum of Natural History in NYC: What to See with Kids Submitted by Jody Mercier on Tue, 09/11/2018 - 4:00pm The American Museum of Natural History may be one of the foremost natural history museums in the world, but a visit here is a rite of passage for all NYC kiddos. The building's imposing footprint and vast collection can make the trip a slightly daunting proposition, especially for first-timers. Never fear: Not only is AMNH one of NYC's most kid-friendly museums, it's also easy to check out a hall or two on one visit and still leave dozens of other exhibits for a totally new experience on your next visit. Read on for our top sights and kid-friendly tricks for checking out this amazing institution. Read more.
Quogue Wildlife Refuge: Get Up Close With Nature, Animals Submitted by Jaime Sumersille on Tue, 09/11/2018 - 1:26pm The Quogue Wildlife Refuge is one of our favorite hidden Long Island gems. Set back from a curved road, the 300-acre nature preserve on the East End boasts FREE family fun via wildlife, water, and wonderment. Continue to foster a love of learning outside with our favorite outdoor classrooms and nature centers. Looking for more ways to experience nature? How about a visit to one of our favorite places to interact with birds and butterflies on Long Island? Or consider our favorite family-friendly hiking trails and bikes trails for Long Island families. Of course, you can keep exploring with our guide to more day trips on and near Long Island. Read more.
Free and Cheap After-School Programs for NYC Kids and Teens Submitted by Jody Mercier on Sun, 09/09/2018 - 10:00am Back-to-school season is also back-to-after-school season, as families look for enriching and fun programs for their children. There are tons of sports, arts, academics, and other kinds of classes for New York City kids, many of them reasonably priced. In fact, a handful of high-quality after-school programs are actually free or super inexpensive! Some places, like the New York City Parks Department, offer after-school coverage Monday through Friday. Other programs only meet once or twice a week. We've rounded up 15 organizations that offer complimentary or reasonably-priced classes to kids and teens throughout the five boroughs. Read more.
Kids Age 10 and Up Are Now Eligible for IDNYC Submitted by Jody Mercier on Fri, 09/07/2018 - 10:00am Big news for tweens (and their parents!): IDNYC, the municipal identification card, which comes with a ton of family-friendly benefits, has lowered its minimum age for eligibility to 10 years old. This means middle schoolers are now eligible for the FREE ID. When the IDNYC program was Initially launched in 2015, the minimum eligible age was 14. Read on for more details on the application process, and the reasons why you should book your tween's appointment now. Read more.
