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.

We recently wrote about Massachusetts spots that focus exclusively on indoor rock-climbing, but in doing so we left out many fitness centers that offer rock walls among other physical activities. So, if parents want rock-climbing for their kids as an option along with, say, swimming in the same building, here are some good places to consider.  

Whether you’ve a newcomer to Westchester, in town for the weekend, or just looking for a day trip, there are plenty of family-friendly destinations in Westchester and the Lower Hudson Valley that are worth the trek. We’ve rounded up our top five picks of places to visit with kids in this area, all of which are easy to plan and easy to reach.

The annual World Science Festival opens June 1 at venues across New York City. Now in its ninth year, the festival adds to its already engaging, kid-friendly lineup a new traveling, interactive mini-fest that debuts in the Bronx and will continue on to other boroughs later this spring.

Forget what you know about Florida. As I learned on a recent visit to Tallahassee, the Sunshine State's capital is the other side of Florida and I don't mean just geographically. Twenty miles south of the Georgia border, this isn't where families go to hit the sand and surf or to visit one of the state's famous town-sized amusement parks. Instead, Tallahassee is a vibrant college-city packed with outdoor adventures, nature and wildlife, art and culture and great eats.

Tallahassee is a perfect weekend getaway (or mid-point break on a trip to Orlando, Tampa or Miami) with something for everyone: Spanish colonial and American Civil War history can be found at every turn, kayaking, hiking, fishing and cycling beckon the outdoor enthusiasts, and critters like alligators and manatee can be spotted in their natural habitats. Plus, there are a couple of cool things you can only see in "Tally" such as the spot where Hollywood filmed the 1950s sci-fi flick Creature from the Black Lagoon and a graveyard full of early generation, rusting Ford trucks.

Read on to find out what else there is to do on a Tallahassee family vacation. 

Going out for Mother’s Day brunch sounds like such a treat, but you may fear you’ve missed your chance if you didn’t make reservations weeks in advance. Not so. There are plenty of restaurants all over the Boston area welcoming walk-ins for breakfast and brunch on Mother’s Day. Some of them are even near a few of the spring festivals happening that Sunday, so you can stroll over after your meal to make a day of it. 

Spring is here and hopefully warmer weather isn't far behind. Get fit as a family with these fun runs and walks across Long Island. And be sure to look out for our list of Summer Fun Runs coming next month. For more family-friendly activities, check out our Events Calendar and Spring Fun Guide.