For local families with curious kids, the Connecticut Science Center is one of the best places to spend a chilly or rainy day. Kidspace, the Engineering Lab, Invention Dimension, and Our Changing Earth are just some of the exhibits and activities that simultaneously entertain and educate youth of all ages. Also, there are traveling exhibits that change regularly, making it worthwhile to come back to the Connecticut Science Center more than once during the year. Add in take-home projects and school vacation enrichment programs, and it's no wonder that a visit to this brainy museum is one of our favorite things to do in Hartford with kids.

Read on for our 10 favorite things to do at the Connecticut Science Center—including the new dinosaur exhibit—and don't miss our Connecticut Museum Guide for more enriching outings with kids.

Beach walks and beach playgrounds are fun year round, and on the stray warm winter weekend families can even hit the surf at a favorite beach. But there’s one beach activity that’s even better in the winter—tidepooling. On rocky beaches, where little pools of water stay in the rocks when the tide goes out, kids can uncover whole underwater worlds. Crabs, mussels, starfish, snails, sea urchins, minnows, and more can be found by little explorers. Tidepooling in LA is best in the winter because the tides are the lowest, and the beaches the least crowded.

Put those rainboots to good use, grab a pail (and your camera, because kids look extra cute peering into puddles), and see what lives under the sea.

For all you families with budding adrenaline junkies, we have the perfect experience queued up for your weekend: ziplining! Riding a zipline through the air, flying above the treetops, and taking in a birds-eye view of your surroundings makes ziplining and other aerial adventures the ultimate (safe!) thrill-seeking experience for kids and adults alike. Treetop adventure parks also lay out some heart-pumping challenges in magical surroundings. We've rounded up a few different locations around Houston that offer family-friendly aerial adventures that will take your weekend activities from ordinary to sky-high.

Find yourself looking for even more adrenaline-inducing activities? Be sure to check out our favorite locations with outdoor go-karts or indoor trampoline parks. As a bonus, some of the trampline parks have mini ropes' courses and ziplines for kids who want to test out a pint-sized version of an aerial obstacle course before tackling the full experience.

Chase away the winter blues and embrace a change of scenery outside the walls of your living room at one of these Long Island play spaces open now and welcoming visitors . We've rounded up 11 fun places to play indoors, from toddler-friendly play spots to action-packed sports centers for bigger kids. Of course, no matter which you visit, expect to see some changes from capacity limits, to temperature checks, and reservations requirements.

For more indoor fun, check out our Guide to Play Spaces, and find plenty of seasonal entertainment on our winter fun list for Long Island kids.

We get it: February vacation week in DC will be a little different this year. With so many winter activities sacrificed to the pandemic, it might seem a daunting challenge to entertain little ones during the upcoming school vacation.  

Fear not: We here at Mommy Poppins DC have the skinny on winter activities you can actually do in February 2021. There’s skating, skiing, snow tubing, and plenty more. This year we’ve even included a list of great virtual activities in case you’re anxious about heading outdoors.  

Here is a just a sample of the possibilities for kids and families from Saturday, February 13 to Sunday, February 21, including special Capital District events on Presidents Day, Monday, February 15.

Philadelphia's abbreviated winter break is almost here, and even in a shortened recess, families might be looking for entertaining, safe, and exciting ways to spend time together. Of course, there has already been quite a bit of togetherness since many families are virtual for work and school. So it might take a bit of planning and effort to make non-school days extra special.

Mommy Poppins Philadelphia has rounded up some great ideas for families to make memories over the extended weekend while staying safe. Our list includes outdoor adventures, indoor activities, as well as virtual ones. Indoor venues may require purchasing timed tickets in advance, so be sure to visit websites as you plan your day. Activities such as skiing, snow tubing, and ice skating likely require advance purchase of tickets. No matter what you decide to do over your winter respite, have fun and cherish these family moments.

When I moved to the South Shore from downtown Boston, I was pleasantly surprised by how much there is to do with kids. I figured the list would dwindle significantly once the weather turned cold, but alas, it seemed to actually grow the more I investigated!  

Here are my top 20 choices for things to do with kids in the South Shore during the winter, from indoor play spaces and classes for young children to our favorite family-friendly restaurants. No matter where you are around Greater Boston, you'll find fun ways to spend a cold day in our Winter Fun Guide.

One food we know families can't live without—pandemic or otherwise—is pizza. Lucky for us, Connecticut doesn't just have passable pizza—it's famous for it! Next time the family has a hankering, consider venturing beyond your neighborhood and ordering a pie or two from one of Connecticut's best pizza places for families, from standard-bearers Frank Pepe and Roseland to relative newbies like Swyft and yPizzeria Marzano. Whether dining in or takeout, we can promise the pizza will be delicious, and you will be helping a small business through trying times for the restaurant industry.

Look to our Connecticut restaurant guide for more kid-friendly brunch, lunch, or dinner outings, including igloo restaurants and heated patios that are operating outdoors through the wintertime.