Can you believe it’s almost a brand-new year? As the holiday season comes to a close, take advantage of all the fun opportunities to say goodbye to 2014 and kick off 2015. Celebrate New Year’s Eve at jam-packed family events, including iPlay’s Family-Friendly New Year’s Eve Celebration, First Night Ocean County or First Night Morristown. Warm up those pipes and make it a musical new year with sing-along versions of classic films The Wizard of Oz and The Sound of Music. And you won’t want to miss everyone’s favorite characters on skates in Disney on Ice Presents Princesses & Heroes. For even more weekend fun, check out the full list of weekend activities in our Event Calendar.

As excited as we are for 2015, the New Year is always a bit bittersweet as all the holiday sights come down, we recycle our Christmas trees, and get ready to return to our busy school and work routines. That's why my family and I try to pack as much fun as we can into these last days of holiday break!

This weekend, celebrate Three Kings Day a little early at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, meet Thomas the Tank Engine and his pals at the New York Botanical Garden Holiday Train Show and try to catch a glimpse of the Quadrantids Meteor Shower with the Urban Park Rangers.

If you've already got your 2015 family calendar up, you'll want to check out our January NYC GOList to find out about the absolute best things to do with kids throughout the month. Our picks include lots of annual favorites, plus a special Mommy Poppins-sponsored performance of the Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia's Stella, Queen of the Snow at Symphony Space next Saturday that includes an adorable marshmallow snowman activity and a deep discount on tickets.

All of our top picks for this weekend are below. You can find additional options in our Event Calendar and Holiday Fun Guide.

I've lived in New Jersey my entire life, but just recently discovered the Victorian Village on the Delaware known as Frenchtown. This picturesque town is tiny (just over one square mile), but packed with plenty to do for nature lovers, shoppers, foodies and families. We've highlighted some of the best reasons to visit this great little town. With a perfect location and an eclectic mix of shops and restaurants we promise you won't be disappointed. Take a day trip to Frenchtown and find out why it might just be New Jersey's best kept secret. For even more great small town destinations, check out our Small Towns Guide.

Disney's Christmas day film release at El Capitan is quite different from movies of Christmases past; Into the Woods is definitely no Frozen. In some circles, the release is just as big if not bigger than last season's yuletide kinder-blockbuster, but I don't foresee many three-year-olds memorizing these lyrics. The question on many parents' minds, therefore, is what the right age is for kids to see Into the Woods, and the film's PG rating doesn't go very far to answering the question. Anticipation for this film has been huge - Sondheim fans are arguably as loyal as Star Wars fans - but should you bring your kids? There are those who say no, but I'll go with a qualified yes.

Happy New Year!  As 2014 turns into 2015, the best place to be is Pasadena and its environs. There is a unique way to celebrate the historic 126^th annual Tournament of Roses Parade each day this week. 

Of course every family should try to get to the parade at least once, but if you’ve already done it, or crowds aren’t your thing, there are multiple opportunities before and after to see the floats, meet the horses, and enjoy the marching bands. Though perhaps more of a grown up holiday, we also have lots of ideas for celebrating New Year’s Eve with the kids; and of course there are many non-parade activities on our event calendar, including a holiday opportunity to check out the Bunny Museum - which also happens to be in Pasadena.

So, you’ve made some family resolutions for the New Year. Perhaps this year you want to get outdoors and be more active with your kids. Or you want your children to get excited about science and technology. Maybe you want to eat healthier foods, be more creative, or encourage intellectual curiosity. Those aspirations sound great, but where to start?

We have some ideas! Read on for activities you can do with your kids on New Year’s Day to jumpstart your family's resolutions. Even if you don’t believe in making resolutions, keep reading for 15 things to do with your family on January 1, 2015.

For those lucky children born between Labor Day and Memorial Day, a summer birthday pool party can often be a foregone conclusion. Kids and water-- what could be better? Fall, winter, and spring children need not despair! Just because summer is over there's no reason to put pool parties behind you. For a small splash of season all year long, consider one of these INDOOR alternatives. Many local fitness centers have for pool party packages that are guaranteed to please. Read on for details on where to throw an indoor pool party no matter the season.