For the past 24 years, the award-winning New Victory Theater in the heart of Times Square has been the premier destination to catch entertaining and affordable productions for all ages. But the beloved New Victory is much more than just a place to catch a show in NYC. Through hands-on workshops, interactive pre- and post-show activities, and performances adjusted for children with special needs, the nonprofit organization is raising the bar for what theater for young audiences can be. I know this firsthand: I've been bringing my daughter to the New Victory Theater for well over a decade, and her formative experiences there inspired her love of live entertainment. I'm pleased to share a preview of the New Victory's 2019-2020 season, including the best plays for kids of different ages (even big kids, like mine), and ways to save on tickets.

Wondering what a cheeky little tank engine can teach our kids about science? With STEM learning stations and opportunities for developing social skills, the Thomas & Friends: Explore the Rails temporary exhibit at Boston's Museum of Science is a sneakily educational outing that children will experience as just plain fun. In a city filled with fun museums for kids, I recently chose to bring a preschooler and a toddler to this new exhibit at MOS, and I was so glad I did. The kids came away from the visit with new knowledge about train engineering and history, and an even deeper love for Thomas.

While Houston has no shortage of fall-themed activities, the Zoo Boo at the Houston Zoo is definitely one of our favorites. Even if you aren't a huge fan of Halloween, this not-so-spooky event is a hit with kids of all ages.

Fun events and activities for Houston kids and families in October 2019.

If your kids are Halloween-obsessed like mine, you know how lucky you are to live close to what may be the country's Halloween capital: Salem. Despite what you might have heard about "Witch City," it’s not all scary stuff. Many of the events happening in Salem over the next month are tailor-made for families, replacing most of the tricks with treats. There's a Wednesday program just for kids, and some old favorites have slowly become more fun than frightening over the years. If you've never done fall in Salem, it's time!

After welcoming my second baby, I wouldn't say I was feeling my best... A tough pregnancy had left me seriously out of shape, lifting my newborn and toddler was taking a major toll on my back, and let's just say the baby weight wasn't exactly "falling off." At 4-months-old, my little one was diagnosed with a milk protein allergy, which forced me to clean up my diet (no dairy or soy — yikes!), and it finally started to show on the scale. But when the ban was lifted 6 months later, cheese plates and pints of ice cream seemed like the obvious way to celebrate. It was right around then that I heard from obé, an at-home workout app and fitness program, and I figured it had to be a sign, right? I've never been much of a gym-goer, but their apartment-friendly signature 28-minute workouts required no equipment and looked manageable. I put down the mint chocolate chip and the heating pad and created an account.

Read on to find out how the obé fitness app actually got me working out, and why it seems like it was made for busy parents everywhere. Mommy Poppins readers can also snag their first month for just $1 with the code below.

This Halloween season, teens and tweens in the Philadelphia area have plenty of options for a spooky adventure. We’ve compiled a list of haunted houses, hotels and hospitals, ghost tours, zombie-filled amusement parks, horrifying hayrides, and creepy corn mazes. Older kids will encounter witches, werewolves, skeletons, bloody monsters, ghosts, and ghouls around every corner at many of these terrifying entertainment attractions. Most of these events are NOT recommended for children under the age of 12. Be sure to check each location's website for more info on dates and schedules. Enter if you dare!