A day trip to Van Saun Park in Bergen County will give you and your family an outdoor play adventure beyond the local playground. My own family makes this hour-away journey a few times a year, and it never disappoints. With its massive playground, splash pad, carousel, and train rides–plus a zoo–a trip to Van Saun Park almost feels like a free theme park. The playground and zoo are open year-round, while some of the activities, such as the rides, are open seasonally from April through October. A little tip–there’s plenty of parking, but weekends get pretty crowded– you may want to arrive early. Please note that admission to Van Saun Park is free, including the playground and splash pad, but some features do require an additional fee, as noted. Here are 12 awesome things to do on your next Van Saun Park adventure.

If you're looking for other rec areas worth visiting, read out our rundown of the best NJ playgrounds worth driving to or our look at Garden State playgrounds that big kids will enjoy. For even more on parks and playgrounds, check out our Guide to Playgrounds & Parks in New Jersey. 

Sandwiched between two freeways, adjacent to a hub for rental cars, and below wires buzzing from the electricity pulsing through them, you’ll find a special sort of secret garden. Giant sunflowers and rows of zinnias & snapdragons make you forget that you're actually still very much in an urban jungle. Hana Field, which is the name of this secret garden, is part of the better-known Tanaka Farms in Irvine, about ten minutes away. Tanaka has long been a staple for hayrides, pumpkin patches, veggie-picking, and their awesome produce stand, but this flower field (where you can wander, take Instagram-worthy pics, and even pick your own flowers) is well worth a visit all its own this summer.

For more flower adventures in the summer in Los Angeles, when the spring wildflower blooms have finished for the year, visit the lavender fields at 123 Farm.

The Colorado Rocky Mountains are an ideal destination for a family vacation in any season with tons of breathtaking hiking trails, awesome skiing slopes, abundant wildlife, and more. And at the heart of it all is Boulder, which offers great museums, delicious restaurants, and many family-friendly hotels.

Traveling to Colorado has been a treasured adventure for my family for years. With so many things to do in Boulder and the Rocky Mountains, it can be hard to narrow down the best choices. Here are 30 great things to do (many of them free) in Boulder and the Rocky Mountains with kids, including kid-friendly Boulder restaurants and great Boulder hotels.

For more tips on visiting Colorado with kids, check out our Denver Family Travel Guide which includes 40 Things To Do in Denver with Kids and so much more.

Toddler birthday party places offer that magical combination of nonstop fun for little kiddos and easy clean-up and supervision for parents. Whatever the theme or interest of a toddler birthday party, these Orlando birthday places offer an afternoon (or morning) of uninterrupted excitement that any child will love. The best part about these toddler birthday party venues is that mom and dad actually get to enjoy the birthday party, instead of worrying about neverending logistics.

There are many wonderful Orlando birthday party ideas for toddlers and preschoolers so take a look at a few of our favorites. Have older children? Make sure to check out our Top Kids' Birthday Party Venues in Orlando for more great ideas. Better yet, take a deep dive into our Birthday Party Guide for even more helpful information about throwing the ultimate Orlando birthday party.

There's never a bad time to enjoy a creamy serving of ice cream and there are tons of ice cream parlors in Long Island where local families can enjoy a scoop—or two—of the sweet stuff.

We’ve rounded up some the best ice cream parlors in Long Island for a family-friendly treat. These destinations create yummy flavors from scratch and have a nostalgic feel that makes the experience extra special.

If ice cream is not your thing, check out our roundup of other decadent desserts on Long Island, and bookmark our Guide to Family-Friendly Restaurants on Long Island for more dining inspiration.

Families now have another great place in Brooklyn to go bouldering with kids: The Cliffs at Gowanus is open, offering tons of action-packed, family-friendly fun, including rope climbing, yoga classes, a gym, and more.

My 11 year old and I recently went on a tour of The Cliffs Gowanus and tried rope climbing. Read on for all the details of this new gym, where you can go bouldering with kids, and what you need to know about NYC's newest and largest kid-friendly rock climbing gym.

Discover the best openings and attractions for kids this spring: these are perfect ideas for family summer travel!

Is the world getting back to normal? Is there a normal anymore? These questions are frankly too much to contemplate as school wraps up and parents are desperately trying to finalize non-refundable summer camp and family travel plans. But one thing we can say for sure is that big things are opening again, and there's probably something new and exciting wherever you happen to live or plan to travel to this summer. From a new amusement park for tots in San Diego to a new way to go skating at Rockefeller Center in NYC, here are the highlights of the best things that have opened recently for kids and families.

If you are planning a family trip this summer, we've got plenty of reviews, resources, and ideas in our Family Travel Guide. And if you're staying home, we rounded up a cool 100 fun activities on our Ultimate Summer Bucket List.

As a parent, I’ve spent a good chunk of my life searching for kid-friendly recipes. There are three meals every single day and I need easy recipes for kids—that they will actually eat—for all of them. And while I don’t mind making toast for one kid while pouring a bowl of cereal for another, I’m only cooking one family dinner, which means easy kid-friendly dinner recipes are like gold.

You know where I find the best recipes? Right here. The kid-friendly recipes on Mommy Poppins are all parent-tested and kid-approved. These 100 kid-friendly recipes are the most popular, both among readers and our staff. So if you need to add to your repertoire with some new easy recipes for kids, look no further. All of these recipes, and so many more, can be found in our Guide to Easy Recipes for Kids.