Noisemakers and party hats make the evening feel festive from the start! Photo by Ivan Samkov via Pexels
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Make memories to last a lifetime at the all-inclusive Beaches Turks and Caicos.
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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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Those eight crazy nights are approaching and we’ve got everything you need to celebrate Hanukkah with your family. Photo courtesy Cottonbro Studios
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Get gooey for Slime Day! Make your own at home, or get that goop out of your house at a local slime museum. Photo by Kylie Williams
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Test your family's knowledge with this fun list of Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader questions.
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Printable word search puzzles are a great way to keep little brains engaged.
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Would you rather drink hot chocolate or chocolate milk? Photo by the author
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These boredom-busting activities turn a stuck-at-home day into a lasting memory.
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The Saguaro in Palm Springs, California, beckons families with its pool and more.
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All you need for Crazy Hair Day are some cupcake baking cups! Photo by the author
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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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Timber Ridge Lodge in Geneva, Wisconsin features both an indoor water park and outdoor pools.
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Teachers have found inspiring ways to be there for our kids. Here are some ways to show our appreciation. Photo by Yan Krukov, Pexels
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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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Kids love these jokes that require audience participation. Photo by Jay Wood via Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
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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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Belize is the perfect tropical vacation destination for families.
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Photo of girl laughing by Amina Filkins via Pexels
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Toys make perfect first birthday gifts for budding toddlers! But which ones? We've got you covered.
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Get a sunscreen they won't mind slathering on! Babyganics Mineral Sunscreen Lotion image courtesy of the company
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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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Being a dad is one of the two best jobs on earth. Photo courtesy of the City of Fort Collins, Colorado
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Photo by Liz Baill
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Kids can play these daily word games alone or with a friend. Photo by Sara Marentette
7 Games Like Wordle for Kids: Daily Word Games Online
Sea otters really don't want to get lost! Photo courtesy Joe Robertson/CC BY 2.0
50 Fun Animal Facts For Kids You Won't Believe
These questions to ask grandparents help kids get to know their favorite people a little better.
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It's time to plan the ultimate Bluey birthday party!
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Adorable? Yes. Useful? No way. Babies don't need shoes.
Deinfluencing Your Baby Registry: Baby Products You Totally Don’t Need
Starface's star-shaped pimple patches make kids look and feel awesome while dealing with pimples.
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Kudos diapers use four times more plant-based materials than competing brands. Photo courtesy of Shark Tank Products
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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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There are so many fun ways to reuse your Imperfect Foods boxes. Photo courtesy of Imperfect Foods
How To Get Free Stuff, Save Money, and Reduce Waste
Grab your list and head out for a scavenger hunt with the kids!
Indoor and Outdoor Scavenger Hunt Ideas for Kids - Plus Cute Printables!
Now we can send you articles about things to do in your neighborhood that match your interests!
Mommy Poppins' New Web App and Notifications Are the Easiest Way To Find Fun Things To Do
Walking, talking, grabbing, holding, smiling, laughing... it's all coming. But when? Photo by Tatiana Syrikova, via Pexels
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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
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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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's nothing like a delicious cup of hot chocolate on a cold day. Photo courtesy of Cotton Bro Studios
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Photo by Polina Tankilevitch via Pexels
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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!
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Learn some random fun facts that will leave your kids laughing. Photo by Sara Marentette
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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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Snuggle up with one of these beloved bedtime stories for kids. Photo courtesy of Bigstock
41 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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Las Vegas, Nevada: 50 Awesome Things To Do in Vegas with Kids
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
100 Classic Toys for Kids: Favorite Classic Toys, Retro Toys, and Vintage Toys
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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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!
75 Jokes for Kids That Will Keep the Whole Family in Giggles
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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Kids can give parents tickets if they forget to turn off the water to soap hands or brush teeth!
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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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Enjoy the clear turquoise waters of Turks and Caicos.
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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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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.
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We found plenty of things to do in Paris to fill our days and nights!
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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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The outdoors are a natural playground for curious kids.
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girl making apple pie courtesy of canva
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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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The Light We Feel Inside encourages children to look to Black female changemakers of the past as guides for their biggest feelings.
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It's so important for kids to see themselves on the pages of books.
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Photo courtesy of Language Workshop for Children
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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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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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Mexican Instant Pot Quinoa warms on a chilly night.
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For Grandparents' Day or any day, the best gift is more time with grandkids! Photo courtesy of Canva
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Ride the San Diego Zoo Skyfari. Photo courtesy of Christina Simmons, for the San Diego Zoo.
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Walk the rocks at Fort Williams for views of Portland Head Light and the waves.
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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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Cypress Springs Water Park at Gaylord Palms Resort has the perfect lazy river for families to enjoy together. Photo courtesy of the resort
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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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SeaWorld Orlando theme park, zoo and aquarium offers exciting rides and roller coasters, up-close animal encounters. Photo by the author
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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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Suncatcher_Liz Baill @creativishmom
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Visit Adirondacks
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The Skydeck at Willis Tower has spectacular views spanning four states.
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This Week: Countdown to Halloween, MoMA's Art Lab: People, Fabulous Free Weekend Events

10/18/12 - By Raven Snook

As you can see from the photo of my daughter in full Nightmare Before Christmas regalia, we're ready for Halloween in our house! We're ready for it on the Mommy Poppins sites, too. This week, we rounded up free family-friendly Halloween parades in NYC, do-it-yourself Halloween decorations and accessories, haunted houses in New Jersey and Halloween train rides in Connecticut. Be sure to check out our Halloween Guides for NYC, New Jersey and Connecticut for a truly terrifying amount of seasonal activities.

Of course Halloween isn't the only scary thing on our mind: We're also all obsessed with the upcoming election. Our Boston site shared a wonderful post about teaching your kids about voting. Regardless of which candidate you support, it's important to involve your kids in the process so that when they grow up, they become voters, too.

In other big news this week, Mommy Poppins is getting our own ice cream flavor! And we want you to help us choose what it will be. Our friends at Malu, which is one of our top places to have dessert in Long Island City, are considering five different flavors and you can vote for your favorite on our Facebook page. Make it sweet!

Here's what else we covered on our NYC site this week:

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

Two cool new exhibits opened that have lots of kid appeal. The Children's Museum of the Arts unveiled The RAMMELLZEE Galaxseum, which chronicles the wild, sci-fi-meets-street world of NYC-based graffiti and hip-hop artist RAMMELLZEE. Meanwhile, the Museum of Modern Art opened Art Lab: People, a hands-on studio where kids can make sculptures, puppets, digital and analog art inspired by the human body.

We added two new posts to our Halloween Fun Guide: A roundup of free kid-friendly Halloween parades and tips on how to throw an at-home Halloween party in a small apartment.

Looking to boost your kids' math skills? Then check out our favorite educational math apps, many of which are FREE.

Our biweekly links roundup included details on youth circus auditions, changes to the G&T test and the return of Harry Potter: The Exhibition.

One of NYC's top family theaters, the New Victory, kicked off its new season with Urban, a unique and gritty circus show that we just loved.

In honor of Adopt-a-Shelter-Dog Month, we shared ways to adopt a dog or cat for your family.

Best bets for the weekend include a host of harvest festivals, tons of Halloween celebrations and the opening of the Children's Museum of Manhattan's Grinch's Holiday Workshop.