Like most New York City parents, I’m always on the lookout for new indoor play spaces to occupy my active kid when the weather isn't great. So when I find a unique play area in a cool neighborhood that doesn’t eat up my entire entertainment budget for the month, I feel like an explorer who’s made a groundbreaking discovery. Mini Land Play in Long Island City, Queens is exactly this kind of rare find: a crazy-fun indoor playground with toddler-friendly rides that is only $12 for unlimited play during the week.

Read on to find out how you can discover this new neighborhood gem for yourself.

Construction of a new spray park in Toms River was recently announced, and kids of all ages and abilities have something to celebrate. The park is slated to be all-inclusive, meaning accessible for children with disabilities. “We are focused on all abilities being able to interact with each other at this splash pad,” says Erica Cirillo, co-president of Fountains of Hope, the organization fueling the project.

Vroom Vroom! Does the sound of the garbage truck coming down the street send your kids running to watch? Do they dream of grabbing a ride? Earth Day kicks off city yard open houses and recycling fair season, and these events are hugely popular with kids of a certain age. More than 6,000 residents attend an open house in an average year. If your kiddos have any curiosity about what goes on in a garbage truck, this is their chance to satisfy it.

We've talked before about our teen and tween favorite features at the California Science Center, but there are at least as many things to fascinate preschoolers and toddlers at LA's oldest, freest science museum. Never underestimate the appeal of science to the preschool set, and amazingly, with the exception of IMAX films and special exhibits, the California Science Center is free and open to the public 7 days a week, 362 days a year. 

On Sunday, April 22, Please Touch Museum is hosting a magical celebration with its annual Storybook Ball- Medieval Fantasy. This enchanted event transports guests back to the time of knights and ladies, princes and princesses. Step into a storybook ball and meet your favorite medieval characters like Sleeping Beauty, Maid Marian, and even a real knight in shining armor!

For us here in Eastern Connecticut, we don't necessarily pay attention to the calendar to decide if the season has changed. We have our own barometers and signs that warmer weather is just around the corner! Check out some of these springtime rites of passage. And for more springtime fun make sure to check out our Mommy Poppins Spring Guide.

Dare to compare footprints with fantastic beasts who roamed the Earth long before us at the Dino Trail at Sands Point Preserve.

It's one of six trails ripe for strolling, hiking, jogging and exploring at this sprawling Gold Coast estate turned public sanctuary. And that's not all: There's so much more to explore, including 200 acres of trails, a pond, beachfront, woods and native habitats.

There are so many sweet spots to soak up nature on Long Island. Get out and get exploring. Looking for more North Shore shenanigans? Check out our Mommy Poppins visitors guide to nearby Port Washington, a family-friendly Long Island destination.

It’s a busy year for Harry Potter fans. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is already setting ticket records on Broadway (if you can't get a ticket, see our other theater recommendations). Another of the Potter-prequel flicks hits theaters this fall, Fantastic Beasts 2: The Crimes of Grindelwald, and New York City is getting a brand-new museum exhibit dedicated to all things Harry Potter and his magical world of wizards and magic.

As every wizard knows, this year marks the 20th anniversary of the U.S. publication of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. To celebrate, the New-York Historical Society (NYHS) brings the British Library’s exhibit Harry Potter: A History of Magic to the Upper West Side in October. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Thursday, April 26, and it might be a good idea to buy them sooner rather than later as the museum expects the same Potter-happy crowds experienced last year at the British Library. 

Find out what exactly is included in the upcoming exhibition.