Those "lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer" are just about here, and some of the most memorable moments are spent at festivals where the air is filled with laughter, the aroma of cotton candy, and the twinkling lights of carnival games.

Summer always seems to go by way too fast, so be sure to fill yours with adventure and fun before the chilly days descend upon us once more. Many towns across the New Haven area will bring your weekends to life with live music, exciting entertainment, traditional cuisine, thrilling rides, and plenty of fried dough.

Want more? We've got roundups of festivals and fairs in Eastern CT and Hartford County, too, as well as free concert series in Fairfield County.

Calling all Rosie Reveres, Ada Twists, and Iggy Pecks! A new play space is coming to Millburn this spring, and it's sure to capture the imaginations of young engineers, inventors, and creators of all kinds.

Genius Gems, the brainchild of educator and founder Jennifer Romanoff, is a STEM-focused play space where kids can build and design with a collection of more than 24,000 magnetic tiles—and that's not all. The facility will also offer a variety of classes and camps focusing on art, architecture, engineering, chemistry, coding, robotics, and circuitry. A soft opening is scheduled for May 3.

Here on Long Island, kids who play outside also can learn outside. A number of venues in Nassau and Suffolk counties provide children with the opportunity to experience nature in an educational environment unrestrained by classroom doors.

For the most part developed by landscape architects, these nature-friendly learning areas encourage the use of the senses to help children develop a love of the outdoors. Access is generally FREE, but check websites to ensure that regular schedules are not interrupted by special programs.

Here in chilly Boston, we're grateful for the inside playgrounds and indoor water parks that allow kids to replicate outdoor fun all year long. But when you really want to take four-seasons adventure to the next level, point the family cruiser toward the Granite State: At SkyVenture, located just over the New Hampshire border (and less than an hour from Boston), kids as young as preschool-age can "fly," surf and slide under one roof—in a single, glorious afternoon. We got the scoop from parents and kids who've made the trip.

If you’re looking for an especially unique experience for you and your kids on a rainy day this spring in NYC, consider taking a journey through your dreams together. Dream Machine, an interactive pop-up experience is opening in Williamsburg on April 5 and will run through the end of May. Akin to other Instagram-friendly spots like the soon-to-launch Museum of Candy and the past Museum of Ice Cream, this new spot is ready for snaps.

Dream Machine visitors will take an hourlong, self-guided journey through 10 immersive rooms, each inspired by our sleep cycles. These elaborately decorated spaces encourage dreamers to get hands-on in the middle of the magical REM cycle.

We've always been fans of the San Jacinto Battleground and have spent plenty of time exploring the San Jacinto Monument and Battleship Texas, but the lack of play area on the grounds for our kids was somewhat of a drawback. Now, the newly renovated Juan Seguin Historic Park adjacent to the Battleground gives kids a fun new place to play, while also preserving the natural beauty of this historical site. It's filled with informative plaques, features multiple spots for picnicking, a large pavilion, and it has an amazing waterfront view.

The park even pays tribute to the history of the Lynchburg Ferry, which suffered damage during Hurricane Harvey, but is now back up and running. We recently visited the park, and I have to say, there is definitely more to this historical park than first meets the eye. 

Kids grow fast, and they need everything from swimsuits for the beach to (even just for a little while) snow gear for tubing. Having a few go-to consignment and second-hand stores for that next growth spurt is an absolute must. Bonus if you can sell or offload items, too! Here are our top picks for kids' consignment shops (plus a huge kid consignment event) around Los Angeles that are worth the trip. Just remember: inventory changes, so visit often.

Despite what Mother Nature thinks (snow? really?), spring is definitely here, and that means outdoor festivals will soon dot the landscape of Westchester and the Lower Hudson Valley! That's great news for those of us suffering from the winter blues and daydreaming about warm, sunny days and budding flowers.

We’ve rounded up many fun fairs and festivals throughout Dutchess, Orange, Ulster and Rockland counties. In addition to featuring kiddie favorites like rides, games and live entertainment, many of these fetes celebrate the local environment, with workshops and educational activities for the entire family. Read on for all the details, and be sure to check out our Event Calendar for even more options.