Visiting Rockville Centre? Read on for some of the top things to do with kids on a day trip. 

Nestled on Long Island’s South Shore, Rockville Centre is a thriving village filled with restaurants, shops, and a true community feel. This great family-friendly destination is easily accessible by train.

No matter the season, there are plenty of activities to entertain kids and grown-ups, including play spaces, spray parks, and dinosaur exhibits. When you’ve had your fill of fun, check out one of the area's many family-friendly restaurants.  

Be sure to check out our rundown of cute towns on Long Island with walkable Main Streets and more day-trip ideas in our Guide to Long Island Day Trips and Weekend Getaways. 

Long Island's many trampoline parks and bounce houses definitely come in handy when you find your high-energy kids bouncing off the walls.

From inflatable slides to obstacle courses and high-flying trampolines, Long Island is home to a variety of play spaces that let kids work off their energy and have some indoor fun when it’s too hot, cold, or wet to play outdoors. Whether you’re looking for an impromptu bouncing session or want to schedule a birthday party, most of these venues offer a variety of play options. Just be sure to check out their websites for all the specifics.

The sky might be the limit at these venues, but be advised that most of them require socks and some require completed parental waivers before participating.  

Be sure to check out our rundown on the best obstacle courses in New Jersey and other ideas for active fun in our Guide to Long Island Sports Centers. 

This roundup of awesome arcades on Long Island will get your little gamers off the couch and out of the house. As a bonus, most of these arcades are located at party places or sports complexes. Get the whole family together–and invite some friends–for bowling, laser tag, or mini-golf. Cap off your trip with ticket-winning arcade games that can be redeemed for valuable prizes.

Get more ideas on what to do inside with kids in our Indoor Play Spaces Guide or Kids' Sports Centers Guide. For even more kid-friendly activities, check out our Long Island Events Calendar.

Looking for the best breakfast restaurants on Long Island? Read on for our top picks. 

Many say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but why not take it easy and leave the cooking to someone else? The Long Island restaurant scene is full of fun diners and restaurants with extensive morning menus and many kid-friendly options.

Since little ones are often early risers, it’s a no-brainer. Get the family together and check out these family-friendly restaurants that are sure to please.

Find our post on the best Long Island brunch spots and other family-friendly restaurant ideas in our Long Island Kid-Friendly Restaurant Guide. 

Indoor playgrounds on Long Island often cater to little kids, but Xplore Family Fun Center in Commack is upping the ante for action-packed all-ages fun with the addition of glow-in-the-dark go-karts. Suffolk County speed demons can now rev their engines at this local indoor entertainment zone that opened a few years ago. 

Xplore, which already offered laser tag, arcade games, inflatables, soft climbing indoor playgrounds, and a toddler zone, has now debuted its glow-in-the-dark go-karting attraction. On a recent visit, my group of tweens was delighted by the glo-karts and everything else Xplore's indoor playground had to offer. 

For similar fun zones, check out our Guide to Indoor Play Spaces on Long Island, where we've rounded up FREE indoor play spaces, Long Island's best bowling alleys, and more.

Few places offer as many things to do as Long Island. In what other region of the country, for example, can you treat your kids to a morning museum visit in Nassau County, then whisk them off later to one of the most talked-about beaches in the Hamptons?

For the record, yours truly is a Long Island native with roots on the East End. I’ve lived in all three sections of Long Island before settling in central Suffolk, where I am raising my kids. Much as I struggle with the winter snowstorms, summer humidity, Long Island Rail Road delays, and seemingly endless parkway traffic, I’d never live anywhere else. 

No, you won’t suffer from a shortage of things to do here, and I've put together a 3-day itinerary showcasing some of the area's riches, which include pro sports, state parks, seasonal celebrations, amusement parks, farm fun, and plenty more. And if you like sand on your toes, Long Island has some of the finest and most kid-friendly beaches in the Northeast. So the plan here is to introduce you to a number of must-do things when visiting Long Island.

Long Island's many awesome indoor ice skating rinks are a great place to take spirited toddlers, school kids, and teens during winter. This roundup of the best indoor rinks features information on open-skate times, group and private lessons, birthday parties, and sports leagues. 

Most of these rinks offer skate rentals, and some are run by local municipalities that offer discounted fees for residents. Fees and times are accurate as of January 2023.

Of course, if your family prefers to do its skating outdoors, be sure to check out our guide to Long Island’s best outdoor rinks. For more seasonal fun, check out our mega winter fun list, which has dozens of ideas for cold-weather activities, and tons of other helpful posts in our Winter Activities Guide for Long Island Families. 

Looking for the best baby stores on Long Island? Read on for 10 of our top picks. 

There are few things more exciting than anticipating a baby bundle of joy, and shopping for that baby is also pretty fun. Whether you're a newly expecting parent, already a pro, or a friend or family member searching for the perfect baby gift, we've got you covered with the top baby stores on Long Island. You can find everything from an outfit to bring the baby home in, to his or her first lovey, and can even plan ahead for the big first birthday. 

For more great baby tips, check out our Long Island Baby Guide.