Long Island's indoor family fun centers are a great way to spend an action-packed day with kids. Our round-up of LI's indoor amusement parks will have toddlers and kids using their boundless energy to bounce, climb, play, jump, and slide through rainy or cold weather days. 

Waivers are required for kids to participate at most family fun centers, along with grip socks. Mega indoor playgrounds are popular for birthday parties and open play, so be sure to call or check websites before your visit. Many family fun centers also offer sensory calming spaces or times for kids with special needs. 

Read on for all the details of the best family fun centers, arcades, and indoor go-kart tracks on Long Island. For more indoor fun ideas, check out our Free Things to do Indoors on Long Island and 25 Things to do Indoors on a Rainy Day. 

There's no lack of world-class museums in NYC, and the city is even home to plenty of amazing children's museums and cool immersive experiences, but sometimes you just. can't. deal. with. the. crowds. And sometimes, let's face it, you and your hard-to-impress NYC kids might just be in the mood for something a little different or off the beaten path...a little weird, even. After all, that's part of New York City's charm!

For those days, we present our list of weird, wacky, and wonderful under-the-radar museums in NYC that kids love. Read on for 12 picks you're unlikely to find in the tourist guidebooks.

Dinner table games can mean the difference between a pleasant meal with kids or a chaotic one, especially if you're aiming for a screen-free dinner. These 25 dinner table games for kids and families will help keep the peace (and your sanity), jump-start conversations and family bonding, and make dinner time fun again. They are perfect to slip into a restaurant or play at home.

If you want to continue the fun after dinner, here's a list of the 100 best board games for kids and family game night. You can find it—plus lists of more fun games, toys, crafts, and more—in our Boredom Busters for Kids Guide.

The Great Jack-o'-Lantern Blaze Hudson Valley is a must-do Halloween event in the tri-state area. Now in its 20th year, The Blaze Hudson Valley is a walk-through Halloween experience scheduled to run 61 nights between September and November 2024. Halloween season might seem far off, but the Great Jack-o'-Lantern Blaze is a perennial sell-out, and tickets just went on sale. Act fast to get yours or risk missing out.

For those traveling from NYC, the Great Jack-o'-Lantern Blaze is worth the splurge and is accessible via public transportation. The event even made our list of 100 things to do with kids in New York state before they grow up. Prefer to head east? Old Bethpage Village Restoration hosts the Great Jack-o'-Lantern Blaze Long Island.

Labeling kids' gear: it's a parenting chore that just needs to get done. As kids prepare for a new school year or camp season, we need to label every article of clothing, towel, backpack, lunchbox, thermos, and every other bit of gear that will travel along to summer camp, to school, or to daycare—in the hopes that when it inevitably gets lost, it will find its way home to you.

Nothing's going to make this job of labeling camp clothes, baby bottles, or school supplies fun, but we've rounded up the whole range of different ways you can label your kids' stuff, from swimsuits to water bottles and sippy cups, with beautifully embroidered personalized labels to fun, custom name tags with cute, colorful designs, to ones you can make at home.

Here are a few of the best name labels for kids' and baby gear that we've found, and yes, most offer dishwasher-safe, easy peel-and-stick options!

Check out our Back-to-School Guide or our local summer camp guide for more ideas!

The mention of Woodstock, New York, might conjure up visions of peace, love, and rock and roll but in reality, the Catskills town that lent its name to the music festival is a quaint destination for a daycation with kids. Hints of its past can be found, sure, but it's got a lovely small-town feel imbued with an artistic spirit.

Here are our favorite things to do in Woodstock, New York, with kids, plus our top picks for places to stay and eat. Find more top Catskills destinations on our list of the 40 best things to do in the Catskills with kids, and find more day trip inspiration in our Guide to Weekend Getaways.

Make the most of summer with these fun family activities before school starts!