Zootopia Review: Adorable Animals and a Tale of Tolerance at El Capitan

If you have a child in your household, chances are Disney's animated romp Zootopia is on your must-see list. What kid can resist a movie about adorable, anthropomorphized animals? The good news for grown-ups is that these creatures, cute and cuddly as they are, are never cloying, and neither is the movie. Zootopia is a fast-paced and funny (or is that furry?) tale of tolerance—a buddy detective story that touches on timely societal issues and champions our ability to evolve and get along, regardless of what kind of mammals we are.

Not that young kids will care about most of that. They'll be too busy laughing at the adventures of Judy Hopps, the cosmopolitan city of Zootopia's first-ever bunny cop (voiced with perpetual optimism by Ginnifer Goodwin). Fate throws her together with Nick Wilde (the wonderful Jason Bateman), a fox con man who helps her crack the case of the missing predators. Although they dislike each other at first, they inevitably bond. These two have much more in common than they initially realize, including fighting against being stereotyped and childhoods scarred by taunting.

Those bullying flashbacks, especially Nick's, are two of the scariest scenes in the film, which is rated PG with good reason. Worried your preschooler might not be up for it? Here's what you need to know before you book tickets (or a babysitter), and what treats await if you splurge on seeing it at El Capitan.

Lacrosse Lessons for Long Island Kids

Lacrosse is a popular sport on Long Island for both boys and girls. Whether your child has never picked up a stick before or is looking to take his or her game to the next level, there are a number of programs in both Nassau and Suffolk counties to fit any child's needs, offering specific clinics, ongoing classes and even summer camps. And for other enrichment programs in the area, be sure to check out our Classes Guide.

Fly Kids Aerial Class Offers Gymnastics with a Twist

A pole and aerial dance studio does not sound like the most G-rated spot for a Sunday morning kids class. As a parent, a visit to Body & Pole’s website certainly didn’t instill optimism: the color scheme, the photos, the skimpy outfits all seemed to translate into a not-so-kid-friendly vibe—but boy was I wrong.

 We’ve written about circus artstrapeze classes for children and even rhythmic gymnastics, but we’ve yet to review a kids aerial class, where the session next-door might be adults-only Hammock Fluidity or Aerial Contortion. With my brave 9-year-old in tow, we decided to give it a whirl.

A Nerdy Day Out in Japantown NYC Tweens Will Absolutely Love

It can be hard to find things to do with tweens in New York City. They're too old for little kid activities, but not really into the culture that older teens tend to favor. Our tween only begrudgingly participates in most family outings, so I decided to design a day totally focused on his interests, which, not surprisingly, are pretty much limited to video games, computers and comic books. What was surprising was how much fun we had.  

Within a few blocks of the Astor Place 6 train stop, in a section of the East Village dubbed Japantown or Little Tokyo, are a number of over-the-top fun spots for kids. Packed with funky Japanese-themed collectible stores and awesome eateries, plus some old-school video game and comic spots, we found tween utopia all within a few blocks. We rounded the day out with Japanese snacks for an itinerary that had our usually picky kids over the moon and was just as much fun for the grown-ups.

Reader Contest: Earn Free Tickets to Very Hungry Caterpillar Show

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show, which opened in January this year, just extended its NYC run into April, and we're excited to be able to offer discounted tickets and the chance to win FREE tickets to our readers through a fun contest.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show, is one of our top events for preschoolers this season and among our top theater picks for the winter, so we're thrilled to be partnering with this great children's production, now running through Sunday, April 17.

Now let's get down to business. We're offering readers a chance to win FREE tickets to this adorable puppet play. We will give away ticket packages (some with a slew of extra-cool caterpillar swag) to the families who share the most creative representations of the Very Hungry Caterpillar with us on social media. We are challenging you to bring the Eric Carle text to life in new ways, just as this new show does. Creativity will be rewarded—so think outside the cocoon! As if that wasn't enough, we scored you a terrific money-saving offer on tickets, too.

Easter Egg Hunts in Central CT and Hartford

The Easter Bunny is coming and Spring is on it's way!  Can't wait to get your little bunnies outside to look for eggs?  The wait is coming to an end and  below we have listed great places to take your kids to have some Easter fun in Central CT! If you don't mind the drive, check out the Easter events we've rounded up in Fairfield County.

Things to Do with Boston Kids for St. Patrick's Day

For well over a hundred years, Bostonians have been celebrating St. Patrick's Day at the South Boston Parade. But if the parade crowds are too much for your little ones, there are still plenty of opportunities to celebrate all things Irish in and around Boston. We've rounded up story times, craft activities, performances, and other celebrations for families with young children. From leprechauns to traditional Irish dance, we're betting the whole pot of gold that you'll find a fun way to get your green on this March. Erin go bragh!

8 New Birthday Party Spots for NYC Kids

There's little that makes me sweat more than planning a birthday party for one of my kids. 

One August, after I finished the exhausting task of throwing a DIY-birthday party for my 5-year-old, my 8½-year-old said, "Well, great, now that that's over, we can start planning my party." And so it goes that, as a mom of three kids in New York City, party planning seems to be a perpetual state of being. And whether you have one or three kids, or however many, it's easy to lose your sanity planning the perfect bash.

We've round up eight recently opened birthday spots around NYC for when that at-home, more budget-friendly fete isn't in the cards. So in the interest of surviving to celebrate many more birthdays, we're sharing these cool spots with you from STEM-centered parties, where kids can learn and have fun, to foodie adventures and active play spots.

Check out our Party Guide for more ideas like DJs who will host a karaoke bash

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