Mostly Free & Fun Things To Do With NJ Kids This Weekend Dec 15-16: Nutcracker Workshop, Kwanzaa Party, Zoo Holiday & More!

Submitted by Sasha Muzzarelli on

We may be oh-so-busy wrapping, baking & shopping but there's still time to catch a performance of NJ Ballet’s Nutcracker or snap the kids meeting jolly old Saint Nick at Santa’s Little Elf Workshop. If you’re looking for one-of-a-kind holiday fun, play an instrument at the Touch the Music Nutcracker Workshop or whip up organic Christmas cookies at the Green Gift Workshop. Read on for our top picks and remember you can find a listing of all NJ activities in our Event Calendar.

Hanukkah Events With Kids in Hartford County, CT

Submitted by Tania Pesce on

This year the Jewish holiday Hanukkah (also known as Chanukah or the Festival of Lights) which is an eight day and night celebration began on December 8 and ends on December 16. There are many ways to commemorate with events in the area so set up your menorah or candelabra and observe the holiday with your family at one of the following kid friendly activities.

Islamorada, Florida with Kids: Top 15 Things to Do on Your Family Beach Vacation

Submitted by sarah on

Sometimes you just need to pack up your over-volunteered, over-worked, very tired family and head somewhere warm and relaxing. Last minute vacations may mean heading somewhere off the beaten path to find availability. The last time we did this, we ended up in Islamorada in the Florida Keys, and it turned out to be the perfect remedy. 

Islamorada makes a great family vacation spot. It's easy peasy to get to, at only a little more than an hour away from Miami International. Once there, you'll find a relaxing seaside town perfectly suited to families—the restaurants are chock full of rambunctious children, live bands, and great seafood. There is no shortage of local attractions and water sports and most of the attractions are just minutes from the beaches. But don't make too many plans, because you may find it hard to drag yourself away from the pool and beach. 

Here are 15 delightful must-dos in Islamorada:

News: New Battery Park City Ice-Skating Rink, High School Admissions Deception, Popular Kid Spots Reopening Post-Sandy

Jeff's picture Submitted by Jeff on

Some important school news this week as InsideSchools uncovers a big deception in the already complex and stressful high school application process. Plus an update on mandatory kindergarten, a brand-new Battery Park City ice-skating rink, the reopening of the South Street Seaport Museum and class warfare at the toy store.

Fly High on Indoor Swings at the Park Avenue Armory's New Interactive Exhibit

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About a half hour into our visit to ANN HAMILTON: the event of a thread, the brand-new interactive installation at the Park Avenue Armory, my 13-year-old son observed, "I feel like I'm trapped in modern art." My five-year-old daughter had a much less analytical reaction: "Swings!"

Indeed, there are a lot of swings in the Armory's cavernous main hall—plus hanging fabrics, fluttering pigeons and other offbeat sights. According to Hamilton, the massive multimedia piece is "made of many crossings of the near at hand and the far away." But my kids weren't concerned with its meaning; they just knew it was fun to run around and explore.

Great Holiday Cookie Recipes Made With Chocolate and Cheer

Submitted by sarah on

My 6th Annual Cookie Exchange party is coming up, and if I can manage to finish decorating the house, it should be its usual joyful, twinkly self. Good friends and kids making cookies and cheer and messes, and me being so happy for the love, the friendships and the baked goods. Here are six of my new favorites and check out last year's article for even more buttery goodness. Happy Holidays!

Free Holiday Fun in NYC: Funky Public Art Displays that Will Wow Kids

Stephanie Ogozalek's picture Submitted by Stephanie Ogozalek on

Dazzling department store holiday windows and twinkling Christmas trees aren't the only awesome outdoor sites in NYC this holiday season. As always in our culture-filled city, there are a bunch of stunning public art installations on display in parks and plazas. We've rounded up four that we think kids will really dig, including the awesome LED sculpture BUCKYBALL, which offers colorful light shows in Madison Square Park.

December Holiday Packages and Deals: Winter Vacation Ideas

Allison Tibaldi's picture Submitted by Allison Tibaldi on

The December holiday season is prime family vacation time, so finding deals can be next to impossible. But Christmas vacation packages do exist and deals can be had. We searched far and wide to find winter vacation deals so you won’t need to break the bank to spend some quality time with the kids on a family getaway. 

Consider alternate Christmas vacation ideas like Colonial Williamsburg and Richmond, Virginia; Lancaster and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania; the bucolic Finger Lakes in upstate New York; Vancouver, Canada; sunny Phoenix, Arizona; or historic San Antonio, Texas.  Read on to get the scoop on these Christmas break packages. 

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