Top Magicians, Magic Shops, and Magic Shows in NYC

The Brooklyn Magic Shop hosts classes, camps, and private birthday parties with Apolino the Magician. Photo by the author

Kids love all things magic, and parents can find a handful of magicians, magic shows, and magic shops in NYC. At these mystifying destinations, kids can attend magic shows in NYC staged by world-class magicians, plus stock up on all the tricks of the trade, and even enroll in a magic class to learn the craft themselves.

From Abracadabra to The Brooklyn Magic Shop and beyond, read on for the best magic shops in NYC, plus our favorite magic classes and New York City magic shows, then marvel when your kid learns to perform unbelievable sleight of hand tricks that'll leave you amazed. Find more offbeat classes for kids in our New York City Classes for Kids Guide.

Top Swimming Lessons and Classes for Kids and Babies in Westchester

Swim Tank offers swim lessons at two Westchester locations. Photo courtesy of Swim Tank

Anytime is a good time to teach your child to swim with indoor swimming lessons available throughout Westchester. Whether you’ve got little ones looking to dip a toe in the water or big kids hoping to compete in swim meets or train as a lifeguard, professional swimming classes can establish safety and enhance skills for lifelong enjoyment of the pool and beach

Below, we've rounded up swimming lessons in Westchester, with options ranging from group swim classes and camps to private (or semi-private) swim classes. 

Ready to take the plunge? Read on and book early. We offer many more instructional resources in our Westchester Classes Guide and Kids Class Directory and encourage you to sign up for our newsletter to stay in the know!

Best of Queens, NY: 47 Things To Do in NYC's Largest, Most Diverse Borough

The TWA Hotel makes JFK a worthy destination for fun things to do in Queens. Photo by the author

If you're looking for family-friendly things to do in Queens, NY, you've come to the right place. Queens is a melting pot of people and communities from various cultures and backgrounds. Indeed, it's the city's most diverse borough, and that makes Queens a great place to explore with kids. Excellent museums and cultural institutions, like NYSCI and the Queens Museum, a wide array of family-friendly restaurants and cuisines to try, plus a very cool night market, top-notch parks and playgrounds, and a ton of kid-friendly activities can all be found in Queens.

While we've highlighted some of our favorite kid-friendly Queens neighborhoods in our Neighborhood Guide, below we're putting forth our best-of-Queens list. This list of the top 47 things to do in Queens with kids includes all our picks for destination-worthy fun and family-friendly places to eat in Queens.

Tyra Banks' ModelLand Gives Kids a Taste of the Supermodel Life—and Ice Cream

Strike a pose, there's nothing to it. Even when you're in the middle of eating ice cream!

With ModelLand, Tyra Banks has stepped off the runway and brought her fiercest modeling secrets to Santa Monica. When news first broke that ModelLand was coming, we speculated. Rumors suggested this would be anything from a new amusement park to a simple ice cream shop. Well, it opened in September and now we know: It's a little bit of each, giving the Instagram generation lessons on striking a pose, finding your light, and experiencing the supermodel VIP treatment.

ModelLand is a multi-sensory experience where those with tickets (and a cell phone with a camera) are escorted through elaborately staged rooms, all with unique lighting and props. Selfie opportunities abound, and glammed-up staff will teach you how to find your best angels and accentuate your most fabulous self! Is it for kids? How's the ice cream? Read on for the inside scoop on ModelLand.

While you're in Santa Monica, be sure to explore more kid-friendly fun from our list of 30 Awesome Things To Do in Santa Monica with Kids, like visiting the Santa Monica Pier.

How to Pack a Zero-Waste School Lunch

What kid wouldn't want to eat a lunch this adorable?

Packing a zero-waste school lunch sounds like lots of extra work, but it doesn't have to be hard, and it's worth the effort to create a better planet and Earth-friendly habits for our kids. Wrappers, chip bags, applesauce pouches, milk cartons, juice boxes—there's a lot of waste associated with school lunches. By making school lunches as zero-waste as possible, you can help keep extra packaging and food scraps out of landfills. Luckily, there are lots of ways to easily reduce or eliminate waste in your kids' lunchboxes, and many of them will actually save you money.

Here are our top 12 tips for packing a zero-waste school lunch. For more ways to save the planet, including water conservation tricks and ways to live more sustainably every day, check out our Earth Kids Guide.

Best Science Museums and Places to Explore Science in Philly

You can't miss Dino Hall at the Academy of Natural Sciences. Photo courtesy of the Academy

Philadelphia might be known as a city steeped in history, but it’s also home to plenty of places for kids and families to learn more about the science of how the world works. From indoor museums like the Franklin Institute to outdoor nature centers, Philly boasts lots of opportunities for children of all ages to explore science and nature.

Read on to learn more – and get ready to be inspired to conduct your own science experiments at home! For more of our favorite local museums, visit our Guide to Philly Museums for Kids.

Baby Sign Language Classes in New Jersey

Signing Time Academy provides many resources to help parents incorporate baby sign language into their routine. Photo courtesy of the academy

Baby sign language is a valuable tool for babies as young as 6 months to communicate with their parents using simple hand gestures. Baby sign language classes are offered throughout New Jersey and teach babies to sign useful words such as "hungry," "yes," and, of course, "mom," with hopes of eliminating some tears! These mommy-and-me classes are found in preschool settings, language facilities, and schools that focus solely on signing.

Find more classes geared for babies and tots, such as Baby and Kid Swimming Lessons in New Jersey and Best Pregnancy and Parenting Classes in New Jersey,  in our directory of classes and listings. Check our New Jersey Classes for Kids Guide for more kids’ activities and classes for kids of all ages and interests.

Ninja Warrior Gyms and Parkour in NYC for Kids: Cool Classes for Your Little Daredevil

Take parkour in NYC with The Movement Creative, which offers classes in three NYC boroughs. Photo courtesy of the Movement Creative

If you've got an active kid who's looking for a physical challenge, why hit one of these ninja warrior gyms where they can learn parkour in NYC? These local parkour classes specialize in building the skills necessary to conquer ninja warrior obstacles and take place at ninja warrior gyms in NYC, plus parks in the great outdoors, helping kids build physical skills, push their limits, and gain confidence all while having fun in a safe and supportive environment. These ninja warrior gyms and parkour classes in NYC are sure to keep exercise fresh and exciting.

If you're looking to learn parkour in NYC, we've profiled several kid-friendly destinations that offer an introduction to the sport with classes and free play, including Area 53, and the New York Ninja and Brooklyn Ninja Academies. Many of these ninja warrior gyms and parkour classes accept kids as young as age 6, and some even teach parkour in NYC to adults.

You can find more sports classes for active kids in our directory of classes and listings. Check our New York City Classes for Kids Guide for more kids’ activities and classes for kids of all ages and interests.

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