Living in a city as diverse as New York means that many services are right at our fingertips, including expert physical, occupational, sensory and speech therapists who specialize in children. Whether your child is facing a lifetime of therapy due to disability, or is working to overcome a developmental delay or other issue, the city's sensory gyms and therapists can help.

Manhattan has a bunch of amazing sensory gyms that offer fun, safe environments for children to work on their core strength, balance, fine motor skills, language, sensory integration, behavior, attention and social interaction skills. The bad news? There are so many options that picking the best sensory gym for your child’s particular needs may feel like finding a needle in a haystack. We've rounded up nine top gyms to get you started. This list is by no means comprehensive, but as the mom to a tween with special needs who's been to quite a few of these spots, I believe these nine are a great place to start.

Check out our special needs and disability guide for more crucial info on resources and services for NYC families.

Club Med invented the all-inclusive resort, so it’s no surprise that it offers some of the most popular family-friendly resort destinations in the Caribbean, as well as around the world. The all-inclusive resort has become so preferred by families, and the competition so fierce, that resorts keep upping the ante to make their experiences more and more enticing. That’s a big win for families, who get to enjoy the ever-increasing amenities of these resorts. Club Med is meeting the challenge with the relaunch of its all-inclusive family resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic with cool circus experiences and boutique-hotel styling. I was invited to check it out and was wowed by the new offerings. 

Parents tired of hearing the kids whine, "But I can't see!" at every show take note: no boosters are needed at NoFit State Circus' immersive spectacle Bianco. That's because there are no seats and all of the action takes place high up in the air. Set in a sci-fi-looking, 10,000-square-foot big top pitched directly under Brooklyn Bridge Park's namesake structure, Bianco is a rare all-ages show presented by lauded avant-garde performing arts center St. Ann's Warehouse.

While you and your kids are most likely familiar with all of the skills on display—juggling, acrobatics, tumbling, and a variety of aerial acts—you probably haven't experienced them in such an exhilarating and intimate environment. The athletic cast and crew bound through the audience, hooting, hollering and often shoving their way to center tent, where they perform their feats with glee and little clothing. But don't worry: though there's a sexy, party vibe and many exposed six-packs, it's a strictly G-rated affair.

For families who prefer edgy and scrappy neo-circus troupes to the slick razzle-dazzle of Ringling Bros. or Cirque du Soleil, Bianco is a heart-pumping thrill. But there are some important things to know before you bring the kids—you may not need to worry about them running away with this circus, but they could very easily get lost in it.

Dig your hands into the soil of the Earth and learn how to grow your own food. Teaching children at a young age how to cultivate food is a priceless ability. These farms, garden clubs and museums across Long Island have everything you need to get started, so head out with your little seedling and plant some fun. And for more outside activities, check out our Spring Fun Guide.

One of the perks of living in a big city is being able to leave the car at home and get around via public transportation instead. Whether you take the T's Green, Blue, Orange or Red Lines, there are plenty of fun stops to make along the way, especially with kids in tow. On the Red Line you can do everything from bask in nature and tour some of Boston’s most historic sites to visit several terrific museums. Here’s what we recommend for making the most of taking your kids on the Red Line.

Many families may have already enrolled their little ones in summer camp, but if you still have a free week or two (or the entire summer) to fill, don't worry. There are loads of new NYC day camps that will knock your kid’s socks off. From an outdoor free-play camp on Governors Island to a soccer-skills intensive and a Chinese language immersion camp, here are 10 new summer day camps for New York City kids.

For further options, check out our Summer Camp Guide and our Camp Directory.

Learning how to ride a bike without training wheels is a major milestone in a child’s life, and while all kids develop at their own pace, the average age to master this skill is somewhere between five and seven years old. That’s good news for my seven year-old son, who wants to go from four wheels to two sometime this summer. I must admit, though, that we’re both a little nervous about the process. He’s worried about falling and getting hurt, while I’m stressed trying to figure out the best way to teach him. And I’m happy to find I’m not the only one: A poll conducted by Schwinn found that 55 percent of parents are nervous about teaching their kids how to ride, and 36 percent wish someone else would do it for them!

But before I source this parenting chore out, I decided to ask some pros for their best advice on the subject and discovered these eight tips for teaching my son how to ride without either of us having a meltdown.

It's easy to forget that living in New York City doesn’t have to mean severing ties with Mother Nature. After years of exploring outdoor spaces in our urban landscape, we had a blast putting together our top 25 places to thrive outside. 

On that list is the Brooklyn Salt Marsh, 530 acres of a grasslands ecosystem located within Marine Park. The marsh is home to birds, including egrets, red-winged blackbirds and the impressive marsh hawk, and is such a treasure the Urban Park Rangers have established one of its 10 citywide nature centers there. So on your next visit, stop by the nature center and let a friendly ranger educate your children on the powerful role the marsh plays in the local environment.

In the meantime, here are 10 great things we discovered during our recent visit.