Toys dominate the landscape in any family home, yet hardly any toys get played with for more than a few minutes before cries of, "I'm boooooored!" echo down hallways and through walls. As long as there have been families, parents have searched for the perfect toy, the one that one keeps children entertained for hours.

We've surveyed our friends and family, conferred with colleagues, and our social media audience and asked them all the same question: What toys keep your kids busy for hours? The answers probably aren't too surprising to longtime parents. All of these highly recommended picks force kids to use their imaginations and build worlds of their own, which, in turn, translates to more extended playtime, and a little more peace for parents.

We've also got parent-tested picks for the best outdoor toys to entertain kids and this great big list of 100 fun things to do when kids say "I'm bored."

This science experiment comes together so quickly you will be playing with your putty in less than 5 minutes. The smooth texture of this putty satisfies any sensory-seeking scientist in your home. One of our 64 Easy Experiments for Kids Using Household Stuff, this simple experiment uses only dish soap and cornstarch.

Read on for a fun, quick experiment to break up your day.

We are starting to see the light at the end of the quarantine tunnel. After over a month of safer-at-home restrictions, only seeing each other over Zoom gatherings or car parades, giving our kids quarantine haircuts and virtual birthday parties, we are finally able to get out and enjoy some of the places that make Central Florida a great place to live.

Thankfully, kids seem to be spared from the worst of coronavirus, mostly showing mild (if any) symptoms. But that thin silver lining of the COVID-19 pandemic became fuzzier this week, as health officials report an uptick in deaths of children from a mysterious inflammatory disease similar to Kawasaki disease, with a constellation of symptoms like high fever, terrible belly pain, and even heart issues related to coronavirus. In an emergency advisory posted Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) are calling it multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, or MIS-C. (Other doctors are referring to it as pediatric multi-system inflammatory syndrome, or PMIS). As of Friday, more than 200 cases of suspected MIS-C or PMIS had been reported in at least 20 states, including California, Massachusetts, and New York, where up to five children have died from it in past month.

How worried should parents be about MIS-C? We reached out to doctors at two of the nation's top pediatric hospitals, and came away with some reassuring guidance about what's still (phew) a rare occurrence in kids. Still, docs say there are five things all parents should know about COVID-19 and MIS-C. For more expert tips about keeping families safe and healthy, check out our posts about social distancing with kids, getting through pregnancy and childbirth during coronavirus, and how and where to get a coronavirus or COVID-19 antibodies test.

Small businesses have been particularly hard hit by stay-at-home orders across the country, including Mommy Poppins and the many local businesses we’ve introduced you to over the years. In response, a new normal has been created as children's birthday party providers, class programs, and now camps are adjusting by going virtual. To help support these local businesses and provide a place for families to find these top programs, we created Poppins@Home, a micro-site offering free and affordable, parties, classes, and other enrichment activities for children and families. Find it at learn.mommypoppins.com. 

The website already has dozens of free programs and more are being added daily. Programs include free dance activities from Dance Theatre of Harlem, Mandarin classes, cooking classes, and preschool STEM classes, among many others. Virtual birthday parties have also been increasingly popular, and we have a variety of affordable options to choose from. We hope you’ll consider trying a few of these fun, affordable, and creative classes—and spreading the word among your friends—as yet another way to support, uplift, and get through these challenging times together!

The coronavirus pandemic is moving so quickly that we're all suffering from information whiplash. But one constant since the outbreak began is the need for coronavirus testing, and with the country inching toward re-opening, the need for wide-spread coronavirus antibody testing is equally critical.

Antibody tests can determine whether any of us who haven't had confirmed cases of the coronavirus have been infected without realizing it. There's been discussion about the possibility of herd immunity, especially if, as some have speculated, the virus has been circulating even longer than initially thought.

And, of course, there is emerging evidence that kids—once thought to have a natural immunity to the COVID-19 pandemic—might be asymptomatic, still shedding virus, and prone to severe complications long after it leaves their systems. This makes testing for the active virus or coronavirus antibodies even more critical.

With that in mind, we've dug into some of the questions we've heard from parents, to try and get clear and concise answers when it comes to testing for both active coronavirus infections and the disease's antibodies. For answers to more coronavirus-related questions, be sure to see our posts dedicated to coronavirus FAQs for parents and parents-to-be. 

The Class of 2020 will go down in the history books: the kids who didn't get a prom, didn't have a graduation ceremony, didn't get all of those fabulous, end-of-childhood parties, all thanks to the Coronavirus. But despite life being put on pause, major life milestones are still happening, including graduating from high school. And while the graduating class of 2020 won't be shaking the principal's hand and receiving diplomas in person right now, there are so many great ways to celebrate all your kid's hard work over the past twelve years, virtually, at home, and socially distanced. From online graduation ceremonies with major celebrities to taking grad photos on the porch, you can help make wonderful memories with your own "coronamencement," social distancing and all. So get the cap and gown ready, grab the camera, and read on for some great ways people are celebrating the graduates in their families.

And from everyone at Mommy Poppins: Congratulations, #Classof2020!

Central Florida local businesses need our support now more than ever. We've shared some of our favorite independent toy shops and bookstores with delivery or curbside pickup around Orlando, as well as restaurants providing brunch takeout options.  Now we want to highlight some additional small businesses that are either open under the 25% capacity guidelines or offering delivery or pickup.  Consider shopping local when in search of birthday gifts, teacher gifts, and Father's Day gifts. Even if your favorite stores are closed right now, you can still support them by purchasing gift cards to use when they reopen. Remember, when you buy directly from one of these companies rather than a third-party service, you can ensure that more proceeds go directly to the local business itself.

And while you're showing your support for the businesses you love, we hope you'll count Mommy Poppins and our small business partners among them. You can support Mommy Poppins by sharing articles you find useful with friends or on your social media channels, checking out our directory of virtual classes, camps and birthday parties and telling businesses you found them through Mommy Poppins. Also, as part of our effort to keep our local parent writers and this website afloat and support some of our favorite family businesses, we've created Poppins@Home, a platform for small businesses to share free and low-cost online classes and birthday parties with kids all over the country. Please consider trying a few of these fun, affordable, and creative classes—and spreading the word among your friends—as yet another way to support, uplift, and get through these challenging times together!