When the seemingly endless cold and gray of Winter is giving you a case of cabin fever, it’s time to bundle up the family and head to one of your local parks.  Winter brings its own magic to the local parks and preserves of Fairfield County.  Less crowds means more peace and quiet to enjoy your natural surroundings.  Take in a refreshing breath of cold air and see how many animal tracks you can find in the snow or just spend some time gathering materials to make an awesome Ice Suncatcher.

No snow? No problem! You don’t need snow shoes, skis, sleds to enjoy these parks and preserves - a pair of weatherproof boots and your winterwear should do the trick. So, disconnect from the screens and devices for an afternoon and reconnect with nature. 

Northwest Philadelphia is full of history, and the Chestnut Hill West SEPTA line is your personal guide to many different historic sites, as well as the Wissahickon. Whether families are interested in a night at the theater, a winter walk, or even indoor play spaces, they'll find these activities (and more!) along the Chestnut Hill West line. 

School-age kids with an interest in food—its history, culture and the science behind its production—won't want to miss the Museum of Food and Drink at its first (although temporary) brick-and-mortar location in Williamsburg, near McCarren Park, in Brooklyn.

When my son declared he wanted a mystery party for his 10th birthday, I turned to the Internet to research party games and ideas. Happy surprise, the No. 1 Google result for “kids mystery party” is my friend Liz’s hilarious post comparing the type-A Pinterest-perfect mystery ideas she found online vs her own totally type-B mystery party. 

While anyone who has been to my always-messy apartment will attest I am definitely not a type-A mom, when it comes to birthday parties, I love to go all out with really creative activities that always leave the kids saying, “That was the best party ever.” Let’s face it, kids don’t care if your paper goods are fancy; they just want to have fun. 

So, in response to Mom-101's post, I took up the challenge to create an A-is-for-Awesome kids' mystery party that anyone could throw without a MFP (Masters in Fine Pinterest).

If your child is a soccer fan dreaming of winning the World Cup, he or she will gladly spend the summer developing or honing athletic skills while chasing the familiar black-and-white ball. For children inspired by David Beckham or Mia Hamm, take a look at one of these great summer camps in the Hartford area, and set them up to score the victory goal. 

For many of us, childhood was filled with curious outdoor exploration, making mud pies, trying to catch tadpoles from nearby ponds, and spending hours trekking through woods in our neighborhoods. These are amazing memories that will last us a lifetime. Help your own child enjoy a summer of learning and discovery by registering them in a science-themed summer camp in the Hartford area. 

Looking for a creative art class for your toddler or preschooler without a long-term commitment? Drop-in classes are often the perfect solution for little kid entertainment. We pulled together six great drop-in art options in Brooklyn for budding Picassos eager to go beyond finger paints and crayons at home. These artsy spots provide all kinds of materials and guide tots as they explore art and have fun creating their own masterpieces.

Looking for more options? Check out our Classes Guide and Directory. Our Indoor Activity Guide has even more craft options.

For the past few years, I have dreamed about having a party with a photo booth. Not only does it seem like a fun party activity, but the guests end up with great favors: The funny photos that show everyone together, having a blast. You can rent a photo booth from a local company, but the prices start in the high hundreds and go up from there, so I looked into different options for DIY photo booths.

After much research, my photo booth solution ended up being incredibly simple and free, and it was a huge hit at my last gathering. We got terrific pictures of all the guests, but the biggest surprise was how great having a photo booth was for the kids. We had children ages 3 to 12 completely occupied, snapping away, leaving the grown-ups to eat, chat and mingle.

While this easy DIY photo booth works for grown-up parties, I think it's a particularly great addition to a kids' party. The only downside is, if you want the kids to do anything else, it might be hard to pull them away. Find even more fun and easy birthday party ideas like this in our Guide To Kids' Birthday Parties.