Have a budding Ansel Adams or Annie Leibovitz on your hands? If your kid is always swiping your iPhone to snap some shots or has requested her own DSLR camera, now might be the perfect time to enroll her in a photography class. And Westchester has a whole slew to choose from, whether you’re looking for a week-long summer intensive or a Saturday session during the school year.

We’ve rounded up six places where kids can get behind the lens and learn everything from lighting to editing their shots in Photoshop.

Looking for more classes for kids? Check out what Westchester has to offer in our Classes Guide and follow us on Facebook!

If you've never been to Wave Hill—a bucolic 28-acre public garden and cultural center in Riverdale—you're missing a truly special NYC green space. Though much smaller than the sprawling 250-acre New York Botanical Garden, Wave Hill offers picturesque views of the Hudson River, sprawling grassy lawns that guests are encouraged to play and relax on, beautifully curated gardens, an art gallery, and unique character all its own.

My family has been visiting Wave Hill since my now-teenage son was just a toddler. With family art projects every weekend, nature and garden walks, and other kid-centered programming, plus comparably inexpensive admission prices, Wave Hill definitely deserves a spot on your summer fun bucket list.

We know Westchester is one of the best places to raise a family, and our Mommy Poppins readers are the ones who help make it that way. We asked you to weigh in on the best enrichment programs, family fun and parenting resources in Westchester and the Lower Hudson Valley for our Bestie Awards. We presented an extremely competitive crop of choices, and the people have spoken!
 
A special thank you to our Bestie Sponsors, Great Wolf Lodge and Quassy Amusement Park and Water Park.

Without further ado, here is your guide to the best of family-friendly Westchester, the 2017 Westchester Besties!

Best Family Fun Winners | Best Parenting Resources Winners

We know Westchester is one of the best places to raise a family, and our Mommy Poppins readers are the ones who help make it that way. We asked you to weigh in on the best enrichment programs, family fun and parenting resources in Westchester and the Lower Hudson Valley for our Bestie Awards. We presented an extremely competitive crop of choices, and the people have spoken!
 
A special thank you to our Bestie Sponsors, Great Wolf Lodge and Quassy Amusement Park and Water Park.

Without further ado, here is your guide to the best of family-friendly Westchester, the 2017 Westchester Besties!

Best Enrichment Programs Winners | Best Parenting Resources Winners

We know Westchester is one of the best places to raise a family, and our Mommy Poppins readers are the ones who help make it that way. We asked you to weigh in on the best enrichment programs, family fun and parenting resources in Westchester and the Lower Hudson Valley for our Bestie Awards. We presented an extremely competitive crop of choices, and the people have spoken!
 
A special thank you to our Bestie Sponsors, Great Wolf Lodge and Quassy Amusement Park and Water Park.

Without further ado, here is your guide to the best of family-friendly Westchester, the 2017 Westchester Besties!

Best Family Fun Winners | Best Enrichment Programs Winners

I have a love-hate relationship with children's art. On the one hand, I love decorating the house with my children's paintings, sculptures, and photographs; on the other hand, I just can't bear the mess of the creative process, especially when it involves glitter!

Here are some great places in Fairfield County where your young artists can create masterpieces without trashing your house: (and for more after-school ideas check out our guide.)

Summer is here! There’s nothing quite like celebrating the season with preschoolers—they approach each day with the curiosity that brings you back to your own childhood.

That said, preschoolers are busy, busy little people, and it gets hard trying to keep them occupied all summer long. Fear not, for we’ve come up with a list of more than two dozen things to do with them this summer in Westchester and the Lower Hudson Valley.  

Looking for even more activities? Consult our Event Calendar and follow us on Facebook!

New Jersey families, you have spoken! We asked you all to weigh in on New Jersey's Besties—the best family businesses and resources in categories that range from best theme parks, restaurants, parties, activities, preschools, and more. With all the great family fun experiences and resources in New Jersey, it was hard to choose just 23, but you were up to the task! Each winner was selected from a competitive crop of 10 nominees in each category.

A special thank you to the Bestie Sponsors, and congratulations to the four lucky voters who were picked at random to enjoy some amazing prizes!

We've grouped the winners into three winning categories: Parenting Resources, Enrichment Programs, and Family Fun. 

Without further ado, here is your guide to the best of family-friendly New Jersey, the 2017 New Jersey Besties! 

Best Parenting Resources Winners | Best Family Fun Winners