Crafting the perfect science fair project is a right of passage for most elementary-school kids. The ideal experiment involves a few key ingredients, a little bit of parent involvement, and can be completed in under two weeks.

Traditionally, science fairs take place in fifth grade, but many schools are now incorporating STEM experiments into the curriculum as early as kindergarten, so we've put together a list of 19 easy science fair project ideas, ranging from the tried-and-true “exploding volcano” to extracting DNA from a strawberry. There are chemistry science projects for 5th grade and plenty of hands-on, get messy ideas for the youngest inventors.

When you have a kid like mine (obsessed with airplanes, grilled cheese, and curvy slides at playgrounds) then a well-timed trip to the new Aviation Park at The Proud Bird is an afternoon dream come true. We were excited to attend the new playground's recent opening day festivities, featuring models of life-size fighter planes, a view of the jets landing at nearby LAX, face painting, snow cones, and lots of playtime. Whether you're already heading to LAX to pick up the in-laws, flying off for vacay, or desperate for a new park to break up the after-nap routine, The Proud Bird is definitely worth a visit.

Halloween may be the final day of October, but fun and free Halloween events are happening on Long Island all month long.  Go ahead and dress the kids up, these events are a great way to get some mileage out of that spectacularly spooky or glittery glam costume by attending oodles of these free family-friendly outings!

Don't forget to check your local library for the FREE Halloween events it might be hosting. And for more seasonal fun, check out our Long Island Halloween Guide, our October GoList, and our compilation of the best fall fairs and festivals on Long Island. 

Richmond’s place in U.S. history is distinct, and many of the best things to do in Richmond, VA, include a stroll past monuments or an icon central to America's origins. One of the oldest cities in the nation, Richmond was the capital city of the Colony of Virginia. It was the site of Patrick Henry’s “Give me liberty, or give me death” speech in 1775, and during the American Civil War, Richmond was the capital of the Confederacy.

Today, Richmond is known as the River City, and more colloquially as RVA, and there are plenty of modern attractions and things to do for kids and families. While the deep history is evident in monuments, battlefield sites, and the architecture, Richmond is also home to an expansive parks system, 550 aces of river shoreline, and a growing small business economy, including delicious Richmond restaurants,  breweries, fun festivals, children's museums and science centers, as well as a nearby theme park, Kings Dominion. 

To help you navigate this incredible Southern city, we’ve put together a list of the 50 best things to do in Richmond with kids, as well as a guide to the area.

My family has long thought of Central Park as our backyard. And while we've romped across most of its 843 acres, and enjoy an occasional visit to the zoo or our favorite playground on the southern end, we're just as happy to leave that portion of the park to the tourists.

Instead, you'll find us exploring above 100th Street, in the northern reaches of the park, which are just wooded enough to make you forget the urban jungle for a bit. A recently-announced $150 million dollar renovation project will update the aging pool and skating rink at Central Park's Harlem Meer, while creating new trails and restoring the landscape—but there's no reason to wait until that project's estimated 2024 completion date to enjoy this beautiful parkland.

From a babbling stream, to renovated playgrounds, rolling meadows, perfectly manicured gardens, and the wild of the North Woods, here are 10 things to love about Central Park's northern edge.

I have a mama friend who refers to this time of year with all the Halloween Festivals and Theme Park Haunts as the High Holidays, and she ain't talking Yom Kippur. She's also not wrong; there really is no higher holiday on the kid calendar than Halloween. And Southland families can enjoy a long slow build to All Hallows' Eve with more spooky celebrations, haunted happenings, and evil events per capita than any other urban area. Little ghouls and goblins have their pick of pumpkin patches, haunted houses, corn mazes, and ghost trains—but wait; there's more! SoCal theme parks get all creepy at this time of year, too, and the annual festivals below scream Halloween like nobody's business.