The sticker price for kids' birthday celebrations can be huge, but did you know there are lots of birthday freebies available for kids? Many national businesses offer free stuff on your birthday: kids can eat free burgers, ice creams, calls from favorite characters (like Paw Patrol or SpongeBob), discounts on clothes, surprise gifts, and even more birthday freebies for kids.

For more birthday freebies near you, check out your city's Guide to Free Things To Do with Kids; and when you're ready to plan that party, be sure to check out our Birthday Party Ideas Guide for Unique Goody Bag and Party Favor Ideas, 100 Kids' Birthday Party Themes, and more.

South Jersey boasts amazing beaches and boardwalks, but chilly months may have you searching for play space and indoor playgrounds.

Read on for our list of some of the best indoor play spaces in the region, with offerings that include trampoline courts, arcades, bumper cars, and much more. 

These kid-friendly Long Island restaurants prove that some things in life are still free.  

From pizza to pasta, fast food to waitress service, and pub fare to ethnic dishes, check out these restaurants in Nassau and Suffolk counties the next time your family is looking for a stress-free dinner. Promotions change, so take a look at restaurant websites before you go. And be sure to check out our roundup of The Best Long Island Brunch Spots for Kids and Families for more great dining ideas. 

Bon appétit!

Thanks to your library card and the Culture Pass NYC program, New York's cultural treasures—from museums to gardens, performing arts institutions, and more—are all just a few keystrokes away. While New York is home to some of the world's greatest cultural institutions, visiting them all with your family regularly can seriously add up. So, while we're always on the hunt for free times to visit NYC museums, if you're a current cardholder at the New York, Brooklyn, or Queens Public Library, you're going to want to read on for the details on how to unlock the NYC Culture Pass benefit.

Looking for fresh family movie night ideas? Here are some of the best movies for kids of all ages, from toddlers all the way through teens.

Family movie night is always exciting... until you spend so much time choosing a movie everyone can agree on, it's already past bedtime. We are here to save family movie night by sharing 75 of the best movies for kids of all ages. From classic family-friendly movies we all grew up watching to popular Disney and Pixar flicks to movies that will thrill tweens and teens, there are family movies on this list to please everyone.

So get out the popcorn, grab a blanket, and check out this list of the 75 best movies for kids. Then visit our Guide to Boredom Busters for Kids for more ideas for family fun night, from the 100 best board games for kids and family game night to the 100 best kids' TV shows of all time.

Here at Mommy Poppins we've definitely got the travel bug, and we love to share our favorite family travel destinations with all of our readers. Luckily, we went to some pretty awesome places in 2023. We soaked up the sun on beaches from Florida to Belize; explored amazing US cities in the South, Midwest, and West; caught thrills at some great theme parks and water parks; and even went abroad to Seoul, South Korea and Oslo, Norway.

We shared some less-conventional types of travel, too. Outdoorsy families will love our lists of the best US glamping spots, family-friendly river rafting trips, and even some fabulous kid-friendly wineries in Napa, Sonoma, and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Here are our favorite family vacation destinations of 2023, including some great hotel and resort suggestions. Check out our Family Travel Guide for even more great places to visit with your family—we've got big plans in store for 2024!