If you live in SoCal, you probably know someone who has camped out all night in Pasadena to be on the spot New Year's Day for the Rose Parade. And if you have kids, you're probably not willing to do that yourself. But there are all sorts of ways to enjoy the Rose Parade without pitching a tent on the sidewalk. Some of these ways may even more fun than the parade itself, which many of us feel is best watched in PJs under a blanket on the sofa.

Love watching the horses? Check out Equestfest. Have a soft spot for marching bands? Bandfest is for you. And if you are intrigued by all of these enormous masterpieces made entirely out of flowers, seeds, and leaves, then the Post Parade Showcase of Floats could be a more satisfying experience than the parade itself. One thing is for sure: any of these belongs on a bucket list of things to do before your Angeleno kid grows up.

Susan Izatt is an Early Childhood, Infant and Toddler Development expert and the Director and Co-founder of now-closed MoonSoup Early Childhood Studio. With years of experience playing with and teaching babies, Susan certainly knows how to get babies moving and make it fun. She agreed to share some activity ideas that parents can easily do at home with their babies excerpted from her upcoming book New Moms & First Time Dads. Thanks, Susan!

Keeping tabs on the changing landscape of Westchester businesses is no small task, with all the openings, closings and relocations. We've kept our ear to the ground to help you stay in the know for your start to 2016. Read on to learn about new sweet spots, a new location for maternity clothes, a new facility where you can fly(!) and more.

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Growing up in South Florida amidst the palm trees, there were certain things that never crossed my mind; basically anything having to do with snow. Snow angels, sledding, snowball fights, skiing, skating, snow shoveling…you get the picture. But one job interview, a moving truck and about 148 boxes later, my family and I became official residents of New Jersey, braving our first winter. I also never thought much about maple syrup. Sure, I knew it came from trees, maybe up somewhere in the mountains of Vermont. But lo and behold, New Jersey actually has a maple sugaring industry and this is the perfect time of year to bundle up the family and take a day trip to a demo at one of our state’s many nature preserves.

Planning a family getaway in 2016? We have a little inspiration for you. We're looking back at our favorite destinations of the last year and revisiting what made these locales so compelling for kids and parents.

Read on for our top 12 travel reviews of family-friendly resorts, great cities and beaches and warmer climates of 2015.

Check out the Mommy Poppins travel site or the day trip and weekend getaway guide for more fun travel with kids. Planning a few vacations? Read last year's top 10 favorite vacation spots for Mommy Poppins families.

It's the perfect time of year to lace up those skates and hit the ice. New Jersey is home to some great outdoor ice rinks as well as plenty of indoor skating arenas. If your kids are dreaming of becoming Olympic figure skaters or professional hockey players, you might be thinking of signing them up for skating lessons. We've found some great skating programs across the state that will have your kids going for the gold, or at least not falling down as much. From Mommy and Me classes to advanced figure skating and hockey lessons, your kids will be ready to compete, or just show off, in no time.

So "summer camp" means being outdoors, right? But maybe your kid would rather dance, bounce, create, or paint in lovely, reliable air-conditioning. These indoor summer camps are big on creativity, fitness, and fun—and easy on your wallet—so maybe you can save the swimming and horseback riding for another summer. To find more New Jersey summer camps, be sure to check out our Camp Guide and Full Directory of Listings. 

Planning a birthday party is no easy task these days.  From choosing a theme to finding a venue, the checklist seems endless.  One way to lighten the load is by finding a great bakery to customize the cake.  Cakes and cupcakes have become the centerpiece of most parties.  If you really want to make your guests smile, a fun, tasty cake is the way to do it.  Whether you are looking for that perfect themed cake, or some outstanding cupcakes, we've got you covered.  Check out our list of great bakeries in Central NJ.  For even more information on throwing the perfect party, check out our NJ Kid's Birthday Party Ideas Guide.