Ewwwww! There's an worm in my apple. Photo by Ally Noel
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Kids love these jokes that require audience participation. Photo by Jay Wood via Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
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Grab your list and head out for a scavenger hunt with the kids!
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An illustrated Haggadah encourages kids to read the story of Passover and the Passover Seder. Photo by Melanie Preis
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Go ahead. Hand them the iPad; these websites for kids are fun and at least a little educational. Photo courtesy of Bigstock
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Skip the candy and the plastic that ends up in a landfill with these creative goody bag and party favor ideas. Photo courtesy of Hannah Rodrigo/Unsplash
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One top tip is getting kids involved from the planning stage, and they'll want to help cook! Photo by Brooke Lark, via Pexels
Family Dinner Secrets from Savvy Parents: Weekly Menu Planners and Meal Planning Made Easy
Join Dairy Queen's Blizzard Fan Club and enjoy a free birthday Blizzard! Photo courtesy of Sunny Daze and Dairy Queen
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Just one kid composting can save 400 pounds of food waste a year. So yes, one kid can make a difference! Photo by Maureen Wilkey
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These questions to ask grandparents help kids get to know their favorite people a little better.
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When kids are bored, bored, bored, it's handy to have a whole list of fun things to do. Photo by Mommy Poppins
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There are so many fun ways to reuse your Imperfect Foods boxes. Photo courtesy of Imperfect Foods
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Sea otters really don't want to get lost! Photo courtesy Joe Robertson/CC BY 2.0
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What kid doesn't love a game of pretend?
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There's nothing like a delicious cup of hot chocolate on a cold day. Photo courtesy of Cotton Bro Studios
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Enjoy snow sports or stay cozy indoors with our Winter Activities Guide. Photo by Ally Noel
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It's time to plan the ultimate Bluey birthday party!
Bluey Birthday Party Ideas: Bluey Birthday Cake, Games, and More
Disney turns 100 and there will be celebrations from coast to coast. Photo courtesy of Disneyland
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How about a birthday celebration at a local park for free! Photo by Antonius Ferret vis Pexels
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It's easier than you'd think to turn a simple paper lunch bag into a festive piñata!
How To Make a Piñata at Home: Easy Paper Bag Piñatas
It's up to kids to save our planet, with a little guidance from us. Photo by Ron Lach from Pexels
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Learn some random fun facts that will leave your kids laughing. Photo by Sara Marentette
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Step into Bluey and Bingo's imaginations at Bluey's Big Play. Photo courtesy of BLUEY
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Trader Joe's how do I love thee? Let me count the ways: for being inexpensive, gourmet and friendly.
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Kids can play these daily word games alone or with a friend. Photo by Sara Marentette
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Snuggle up with one of these beloved bedtime stories for kids.
30 Best Bedtime Stories for Kids, Including Free Bedtime Stories Online
Screen time doesn't have to be a solo activity with these fun, free online games for kids to play with friends.
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Take a spin around the lazy river at Mandalay Bay.
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SingleCare offers major savings on more than 10,000 prescription drugs through its free app.
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The outdoors are a natural playground for curious kids.
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Remember getting your first Cabbage Patch Kid? Photo by Charlotte B
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Photo by Leah Kelley via Pexels
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Are you brave enough for some of these spooky ghost stories?
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A perfectly packed lunchbox helps kick the school blues. Photo courtesy of www.YumboxLunch.com
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Jump rope solo, skip with siblings, or round up the whole gang for double dutch.
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Revel in the dirty hands! Outdoor activities help kids sleep better and jumpstarts their imaginations.
30 Outdoor Activities in Nature for Kids for Hands-on Outdoor Learning
Rent a gorgeous backyard pool like this for your family for an hour or a day. Photo courtesy of Swimply
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Alphabet Soup. Photo courtesy of foodwithfeeling
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Gather 'round the campfire and sing some fun songs. Photo courtesy of the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation
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These funny jokes for kids will have them laughing in no time!
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A cheap roll of tinfoil, an incline of some sort, and water is all you need for a tinfoil river. Photo by Ally Noel
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Timber Ridge Lodge in Geneva, Wisconsin features both an indoor water park and outdoor pools.
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Kids can give parents tickets if they forget to turn off the water to soap hands or brush teeth!
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Things like having a children's museum with a view like this make it easy to leave your heart in San Francisco. Photo courtesy of the Bay Area Discovery Museum
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A zip line and more await at Portland's Eagle's Nest Treehouse. Photo courtesy of julian@hipcamp
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Did you know a pillow fight is a great way to get proprioceptive input? Photo by Mommy Poppins
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Find a bare patch of soil to place your seed bomb. Spread them far and wide! Photo by the author
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The Outdoor Play Plaza at Greensboro Children's Museum in North Carolina.
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Enjoy stunning views of the Thames River.
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How does your garden grow? Photo by Filip Urban, Unsplash
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Taco Tuesday makes meal planning easy and dinner kid-pleasing.
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Would you rather drink hot chocolate or chocolate milk? Photo by the author
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Enjoy the clear turquoise waters of Turks and Caicos.
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Why Ocean Club Resort Turks and Caicos Is Tops on Our Family Vacation List
Watch as kids become entranced by a live show. Photo by Alexis Buatti Ramos, courtesy of the New Victory Theater
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Our guide to living a more earth-friendly life.
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Sometimes #momlife just makes you laugh.
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Plan the perfect at-home kids' birthday party with these ideas and tips. Photo by Kampus Production via Pexels
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A water park, beach activities, and more await at Coconut Bay's all-inclusive resort in St. Lucia.
21 Best All-Inclusive Resorts in the US, Caribbean, and Mexico for Kids
We found plenty of things to do in Paris to fill our days and nights!
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Creating a baking soda volcano is a classic science experiment for kids. Photo by Sara Marentette Nighswander
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Children are natural advocates for the planet and our actions truly can make a difference.
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Abracadabra! These videos teach kids how to do magic at home! Photo by Amina Filkins/Pexels
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Try wrapping your tongue around a few of these tantalizing twisters! Photo courtesy of Saeed Karimi via Unsplash
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Create colorful storm clouds out of shaving cream and food coloring.
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Science experiments and STEM activities for kids entrance children with their
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Guide to Science Experiments for Kids and Fun STEM Activities
The outdoors are a natural playground for curious kids.
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Even the pickiest toddler will want to literally eat a rainbow.
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A bowl of chili. Photo by Svitlana via Unsplash
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Need a kids' music playlist that will get you dancing, eating, and even learning state capitals? We found a playlist for every occasion.
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Have a Post-it party! Easy but fun games for toddlers can be made with household items.
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The Muppet Show never goes out of style. Photo courtesy of Disney Enterprise, Inc.
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These boredom-busting activities turn a stuck-at-home day into a lasting memory.
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Laila's Lunchbos is a lovely introduction to a child's new country and Ramadan, the month of fasting.
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Photo courtesy of Language Workshop for Children
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It's so important for kids to see themselves on the pages of books.
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Milo Imagines the World, by Matt de la Peña was one of our favorite books of the year.
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Try a little freeze dancing, robot style! Photo courtesy of Pavel Danilyuk via Pexels
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The internet is full of coding programs for kids, but which are the best? We tested them all. Photo courtesy of Kodable
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Long car rides don't have to be boring!
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Kids gobble up broccoli when it's smothered in cheese sauce. Photo courtesy of butterwithasideofbread.com
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Find a new favorite children's book with these reading lists.
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Mexican Instant Pot Quinoa warms on a chilly night.
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The best gift on Grandparents' Day is just more time with grandkids! Photo by Rodnae Productions, Pexels.
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Make the day special by letting your kid call the shots!
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The Outdoor Play Plaza at Greensboro Children's Museum in North Carolina.
The Best Children’s Museums in the US: Museums Worth Planning a Vacation Around
Ride the San Diego Zoo Skyfari. Photo courtesy of Christina Simmons, for the San Diego Zoo.
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Find the best baby gear, parenting hacks, and kid items.
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Find a new children's book to read today. Photo by Jody Mercier
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Canoe or swim in the many lakes and rivers in the Poconos. Photo courtesy of Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau
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Walk the rocks at Fort Williams for views of Portland Head Light and the waves.
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The Water's Edge Resort and Spa in Connecticut offers the beach and so much more. Photo courtesy the resort
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Prepare yourself for the awesomeness of Baha Mar. Photo courtesy the resort
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With Bestow, get a personalized term life insurance quote—no medical exam required—in as little as five minutes.
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The Saguaro in Palm Springs, California, beckons families with its pool and more.
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Seattle is the city of the Space Needle, Puget Sound, miles of green, and loads of family-friendly fun.
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Families can get their groove on with these easy TikTok dances.
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Playing card games is not only fun, social, and educational; it gets kids off screens!
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River Falls Water Park at Orlando World Center Marriott opened in March 2022, just in time for guests to cool off this summer! Photo by Jackie Jones
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Keep babies occupied with highchair activities at their own baby activity center.
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Climb to the highest point in Tennessee at Clingmans Dome in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
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Meet, mingle with, and help feed the gorgeous Caribbean flamingos at Discovery Cove. Photo courtesy Discovery Cove.
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Dessert charcutterie boards, like this S'mores Board, delight kids and parents alike.
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Build trains, cars, houses, and creatures with cardboard boxes!
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A water park, beach activities, and more await at Coconut Bay's all-inclusive resort in St. Lucia.
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Sleep in a spaceship at the Area 55 Futuro House. Photo courtesy of Airbnb
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A coat of paint turns a simple plate into a work of art.
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Climb Monument Mountain for panoramic views of the Berkshires. Photo courtesy of Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism
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The Saguaro in Palm Springs, California, beckons families with its pool and more.
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New Jersey's farms offer year-round family activities, including festivals, mazes, petting zoos, and fruit picking.
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Visit LACMA's Levitated Mass. Photo by Joey Zanetti
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The Skydeck at Willis Tower has spectacular views spanning four states.
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Portland Maine Family Travel Guide

Photo by Stephen Ritchie/CC BY-NC 2.0
Photo by Stephen Ritchie/CC BY-NC 2.0
8/9/19 - By Rose Gordon Sala

The charming coastal city of Portland, Maine, has undergone something of a revival in the last couple of decades, racking up awards for its restaurants and breweries. Families-in-the-know have always been drawn to its down-to-earth vibe and kid-friendly outdoor and indoor attractions, including a great children's museum, railroad museum, lighthouses, parks, and boat and ferry rides.

Portland is also a great destination for families seeking to explore the rest of Maine. Travel Down East to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park or drive south to the family-friendly beaches of York, Kennebunk, and Old Orchard Beach. The latter includes a full-size amusement park right along the beach. Don't forget to stop at the various lobster shacks that dot Maine's coast for a roadside treat.

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The play-focused Children's Museum is the perfect spot for a rainy day. Photo by Shira Kronzon
The play-focused Children's Museum is the perfect spot for a rainy day. Photo by Shira Kronzon

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Take a hike in Acadia for a view of Bar Harbor. Photo by Kelley Heyworth
Take a hike in Acadia for a view of Bar Harbor. Photo by Kelley Heyworth

Family Attractions and Day Trips from Portland Maine

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