Who says science has to be confined to the classroom, or that laboratories are for trained scientists only? At these unique venues, lab coat-clad kids can explore and experiment their way through beakers of fun with their friends. Whether it's a rocket launch or a private romp through the Morian Hall of Paleontology, this will be one birthday for the books...textbooks, that is. And for more birthday party ideas, check out our directory of local businesses.

Mid-winter holidays are few and far between and often focus on Valentine’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and Presidents’ Day. Less celebrated is the Chinese New Year (also known as Lunar New Year). This year, local festivities marking the year of the rooster give families a chance for fun cultural immersion.

The events we’ve culled together vary in scope and offer something for all ages—including food, music, dance and crafts. Read on to learn about Chinese New Year activities happening this year in January and February, and then visit our Event Calendar for other great happenings in and around Westchester this month.

Birthdays are the best time of year for kids, and nothing makes a special day sweeter like free stuff! There's something extra exciting about being treated to something free on your big day. We've got a list of tons of great birthday freebies for kids. From meals to ice cream, to clothes and books, you can find just about anything for free on your birthday. Take note, these freebies require you to sign up for emails ahead of time, so even if your child's birthday isn't coming up, you might want to get started.

Lunar New Year is one of the most important traditional holidays on the Chinese calendar, and what better way to ring in any new year than by feasting. Whether it’s a tradition in your home or not, while you’re enjoying the firecrackers and parades make sure you take time to eat at some of New York City's best purveyors of Chinese food. And when we say time, we mean a few hours.

Banquet dinners can consist of six to 12 courses. Every dish has symbolic significance: fish increases prosperity, noodles bring longevity, and dumplings promise wealth. My family, including my 1-year-old, love a good, traditional, carb-coma banquet. Four generations around one table, red envelopes being passed with love, and hours to spare on course after course? Now that’s how to celebrate the New Year.

Book your own adventurous feast with the kids at one of these celebrated locations in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, Flushing, Queens, and Manhattan's Chinatown, or just stop in for a traditional Lunar New Year snack or dessert. And don’t end the party at the dinner table. Lunar New Year in New York City is jammed with amazing parades and activities for the kiddies as well.

Kids soon can immerse themselves in the imagination and creativity of the Legoland California Resort in a whole new way. We attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Legoland Castle Hotel, scheduled to open in the spring of 2018, and we're already excited to pack our bags and move in!

As parents, we all need a break from being "on" from time to time even if it's just for a few hours. Whether it's dinner with your spouse, a night out with friends, or a few hours where you just shed the role of "parent" and enjoy some alone time, we need those nights off duty. But what happens when you can't find a sitter? You take the kids to a local Parent's Night Out! Many churches, gyms, and other businesses have dedicated evenings - usually on Friday or Saturday - for parents to come drop their kids off for a few hours in a safe, supervised setting.

The kids get to play games and do crafts with other kids, and you get a few hours off; it's a win-win situation for everyone. To make scheduling your next "adults only" night easy, we've rounded up Parent's Night Out offerings across the Houston area - and even a Parent's Day Out so you can enjoy the random day date, too. 

As the country swears in a new president Friday, January 20, a number of New York City museums are opening up their doors for FREE. Many others will host American- or historical-themed events, or even protest sign making at one.

Perhaps it should come as no surprise that in a city where residents overwhelmingly voted against President-elect Donald Trump, that NYC is in less of a celebratory mood than a reflective or even defiant one. Protests continue, including the Women's March on NYC, this Saturday. But the museums' outreach, a sort of taking in of those looking for camaraderie on Inauguration Day, is a welcome touch.

And in the spirit of making lemonade out of lemons, we've rounded up 11 ways to commiserate your Inauguration Day away. Whether you spend it taking in one of the city's cultural institutions FREE of charge, or in the company of like-minded friends we wish you the best on what still strikes us as a truly surreal day.

Sometimes a change of destination and access to new toys—ones you don't have to actually buy—is all small children and their parents need to survive the harshest months of winter.

Liddle Bites Play Cafe in Long Beach is one of the newest and sweetest indoor play spaces to open in Nassau County. With plenty of toys, costumes, and structures set up to encourage play, seating, and even snacks, it's an intimate and complete play space that helps kids stay engaged and unleash imaginations — no matter what the weather is like outside.