Things To Do on Long Island This Weekend & Beyond: Scavenger Hunts, DIY Sweets, and More

Enjoy ice skating,  hot cocoa, and s'mores by the fire at Waterdrinker Family Farm. Photo courtesy of the farm

Outdoor fun is on the agenda this weekend. Long Island families can go on an outdoor adventure with Ranger Eric at the sprawling Sands Point Preserve or tackle a winter scavenger hunt at Sunken Meadow State Park. We have plenty of options to keep your squad entertained, energized, and enjoying the beauty of a Long Island winter. Speaking of which, we've found 15 spots to enjoy a winter walk, plus 18 spots to go cross-country skiing.

When you're done, reward yourselves—and your sweet tooth—at hands-on workshops at Carousel Bake Shop in Wading River or Stony Brook Chocolate.

If you'd rather stay in, we've got plenty of fun, interactive classes to choose from on our Poppins@Home site. Kids can learn to draw an iconic cartoon character or get their legs pumping with Happy Feet's online soccer series. Harry Potter fans are sure to enjoy a magic potions-inspired science class.

We've got more seasonal entertainment in our Winter Fun Guide, and our Event Calendar is, of course, updated daily with family-friendly fun.

Things To Do in LA this Weekend with Kids: Dance Drive-In, Hide and Seek Garden, and a New Studio Ghibli Film

Sometimes you just want to take flight! Image from Dusk courtesy of Dance Camera West

Things are looking up: Our statistics are improving and California's stay-at-home restrictions are being relaxed. Pretty soon we can look forward to an expanded repertoire of engaging and enriching recreational activities. And in the meantime: we can go to Disneyland! (For vaccinations, if we meet the current Tier 1 criteria.) And horse trails and gardens and farms! (For some fresh air and change of scenery, no matter who we might be.)

The changes aren't happening overnight, so we encourage keeping a close eye on our site. We'll do our best to keep you informed as favorite venues once again roll out the welcome mat. 'Til then, we have no shortage of online amusements. This week we can log on to celebrate chocolate, Marion Davies, and human abilities. Ohana means family, and you'll want to gather yours for the premieres of Finding Ohana on Netflix and Studio Ghibli's Earwig and the Witch on HBO Max.

Poppins@Home continues to bridge the enrichment gap, with fun and funky virtual classes for kids of all ages.  Real science brings magic to life in the Magical Potions class at the Science of Wizarding School. Step by step instructions help kids draw iconic cartoon characters, with a different character featured each class. And happy feet make for happy kids, so sign them up for HappyFeet soccer.

Keep reading for more inspirational picks for the coming week.

Seismique Interactive Art Museum: Houston's Out-of-this-World Experience for Families

Enter the worm hole. Photo by Christopher Brielmaier courtesy of Seismique

In what might be described as the inside of Dr. Seuss' imagination fused with Tron, with some added Bladerunner for a kick, Seismique is Houston's newest interactive museum, with enough LED lights to give Clark Griswald envy. Located in a massive former Bed Bath and Beyond space in West Houston, Seismique houses 40 state-of-the-art gallery exhibits and experiences designed by local and international artists. Even among Houston's many wonderful museums, this new addition stands out as a welcome distraction and escape from reality.

STEM Matters Opens Registration For 1-Day Spring Break Programs

Enjoy an Adventures in Aviation program at The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum as part of the STEM Matters program. Photo courtesy of the Museum

New York City's uber-popular STEM Matters Program returns for spring break 2021, but big changes are in store. Unlike the week-long drop-off program of years past, if you want your child to participate this spring, you'll have to join them. The programs, dubbed Discovery Days, run for single-day sessions at top cultural institutions. Participants are treated to an hour-long, educator-led, hands-on discovery program and enjoy gratis admission for the rest of the day.

The programs, which are open to public, charter, and home school students, run for single-day sessions during the New York City public school spring break, which lasts from Monday, March 29-Friday, April 2, 2021. Read on for more info on the program and how to apply.

Caleb Smith State Park Preserve: 5 Things To Do at This Scenic Long Island Park

Caleb Smith State Park Preserve offers plenty of natural beauty plus a step back in Smithtown's history.

A visit to Caleb Smith State Park Preserve is a must for Long Island families, no matter the season. With more than 540 acres of freshwater wetlands, ponds, streams, the Nissequogue River, and plenty of family-friendly hiking trails, it's a beautiful destination.

Located on the North Shore, in the heart of Smithtown, it's one of only four state park nature preserves on Long Island. Originally part of the estate of Caleb Smith, the great-grandson of Smithtown founder Richard “Bull” Smith, it's a wonderful, peaceful spot to enjoy the natural beauty of Long Island.

Read on for five of our favorite things to do in Caleb Smith State Park Preserve, and find more ways to explore Long Island's all-season natural beauty, from beach walks to hiking trails and winter walks.

10 Creative Virtual Playdate Activities for Preschoolers

Grab some play blocks and get building with a friend. Photo by the author

With many families opting out of in-person playdates, it can feel like a Herculean task to keep little ones with lots of energy engaged. While there are plenty of ideas for older kids (and lots of free games to keep them entertained), it can be a little trickier to find online playdate activities for toddlers and preschoolers.

Luckily, there are a number of ways for younger kids to have fun while playing with friends online. Here, we’ve rounded up 10 creative ideas for virtual playdates for preschoolers—some that require parent participation and other toddler activities where you can just set them up to play at-home and give yourself a much-needed break!

Northeast Snowboarding Parks Where You Can Catch Some Air

What better way to try out snowboarding than with a FREE beginner lesson at Mount Peter.

Whether you’re looking for a weekend winter getaway or an epic day trip adventure, snowboarding is a great family activity. An invigorating sport, snowboarding combines physical activity and fresh air and is suitable for most ages. What’s more, many resorts offer additional fun and refreshments to round out your day.

Below we’ve profiled 12 snowboarding destinations accessible from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. For the uninitiated, consider booking a lesson and budgeting ample time to rent equipment beforehand.

Find more opportunities for seasonal outings in our Winter Fun Guide and our Skiing, Snowboarding, and Snow Sports Guide, where you'll find picks for our favorite Northeast ski resorts and much more.

10 Easy Instant Pot Recipes for Weeknight Dinners

Mexican Instant Pot Quinoa warms on a chilly night.

An Instant Pot is an electronic pressure cooker that is able to cook foods quickly—and once I started using one, I wondered how I ever lived without it. The only tricky thing is finding the best Instant Pot recipes that everyone in the family will eat. From kid-pleasing Instant Pot chicken recipes to the secret to perfect Instant Pot rice, I’ve tried them all, and rounded up the best of the best.

For those of us who don’t think about what to have for dinner until approximately melt-down-o’clock, this list of tried-and-true Instant Pot recipes will save dinnertime, one meal at a time! Don’t have an Instant Pot? Try our favorite easy one-pot meals. And whatever you make for dinner, save room for dessert.

Pages