New Year's Eve Weekend in Orlando with Kids: Count Down to 2026!

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Start 2026 off with an epic New Year's fireworks display at the Magic Kingdom. Photo courtesy of Disney

Looking for the best things to do in Orlando this New Year's Eve weekend? Here are some family-friendly events and activities to add to your holiday weekend list!

This New Year's Eve weekend in Orlando features a host of thrilling activities for the whole family. Ring in 2026 with early New Year's Eve celebrations at Brevard Zoo, Millie Moo's, Monkey Joe's, and more. Older kids can enjoy New Year's Eve fireworks at Sunset Walk, Mount Dora, and Avalon Park. And start the New Year enjoying the beautiful outdoors at a First Day Hike in one of Florida's amazing state parks. Whatever you choose, have a happy New Year and know Mommy Poppins will be with you in Orlando for all your family adventures!

New Year's Eve Weekend in Westchester and the Hudson Valley with Kids: Countdown to 2026

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Celebrate the new year before dark with crafts, confetti, and a dance party at the Westchester Children's Museum. Photo courtesy of the museum

Looking for the best things to do in Westchester and the Hudson Valley this New Year's Eve weekend? Here are some family-friendly events and activities to add to your list.

Families can have a bricktacular New Year's Eve at Legoland New York, featuring an early countdown and Lego ball drop, plus all the other festivities throughout the day. Or enjoy cupcake decorating, a DJ dance party, and a confetti-filled ball drop and countdown to 2026 at the New Year's Eve Kids' Countdown at the Westchester Children's Museum. 

If you're not too tired after all the fun, explore the outdoors on a guided First-Day Hike through Rockwood Hall in Rockefeller State Park Preserve, or kick off maple sugaring season at Muscoot Farm's FREE Backyard Sugarin'.

The Best Family-Friendly Openings of 2025—Plus What’s Coming in 2026 Across NYC, NJ & Beyond

Jody Mercier's picture Submitted by Jody Mercier on

Seeing the drones take flight at the NYBG last summer was a memorable family outing. Photo by author

The holiday hubub is mostly behind us—sugar cookie crumbs and piles of presents still waiting to be put away excepted—and that means it's time to look back at the year that was for families in New York City, Long Island, the Hudson Valley, and New Jersey. So, today, we're bringing you this list of our top family-friendly openings of 2025, plus offering a sneak peek at the fun on the horizon in 2026.

As always, thanks for joining us on all the adventures we've encountered, and cheers to a new year and new openings in the tri-state area.

Top Things To Do with Kids in NYC in January 2026, from MP Editors

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Museo del Barrio's The Three Kings Day Parade takes over the streets of East Harlem Photo by Mommy Poppins

From New Year's Day to MLK weekend, January can be a great time for indoor and outdoor activities. Don't miss our favorite kid-friendly events and activities in New York City this month.

The new year gets off to a thrilling (and chilling) start when Coney Island Polar Bear Club members plunge into the freezing Atlantic on Wednesday, January 1, and families are welcome to join in (or just watch, which I recommend). Catch up with the Three Kings as they hand out gifts on the Lower East Side, and honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at BAM's always-moving tribute. Close down the first month of 2026 by helping Wollman Rink break a World Record!

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