We're counting down the days until spring. Oh, it has nothing to do with the weather. We're just really excited about all of the cool things that are happening that season, like the reopening of the long-shuttered New York Aquarium, free indoor swimming lessons, a Glee star on Broadway in Annie and a pair of new Laurie Berkner projects. Hopefully all that happy stuff offsets the bad news, like higher MTA fares and the passing of a famed NYC children's storyteller.

The last time I checked the calendar, it read October. Today, it tells me spring lurks around the corner and just over three months stand between me and the end of school! After recovering from that sobering realization, my thoughts turned towards warmer weather, vacations, and those inevitable moans and groans of summertime boredom. In my house, idle kids mean an unhappy Mom, so summer day camps abound! Luckily, here in New London county, our neck of the woods boasts plenty of opportunities for our creative kiddos.

El Capitan is already our favorite place in LA to see a kids’ movie; but sometimes you want to go that extra mile. Or in this case, that extra meal. Character breakfasts at the Disney Soda Fountain & Studio Store turn a day at the movies into a full-fledged special event. Kids get to spend some one-on-one time with a beloved Disney princess (or pirate or monster) and take home a commemorative photo - plus the whole family gets to fill their tummies.

If your toddler is anything like mine, she probably has a borderline manic obsession with all things Elmo.  What it is about that red furry monster who speaks in the third person I may never know; but because he makes my daughter smile, I’ve become a bit of an Elmo-stalker myself.  So you can imagine my delight when I saw that he was co-starring in a mini film at the Museum of Science Planetarium: One World, One Sky: Big Bird’s Adventure.

Did you know that March is National Craft Month? In honor of the occasion, the folks at Artbeat Creativity Store in Arlington have issued a challenge – A Month of Creativity – and we’re taking it up a level. Inspired by cre8time.org, the challenge is to find 8 minutes every day, for 30 days, to devote to an art activity. We've added a Mommy Poppins twist: Spend 8 minutes each day working on an art activity with your kids. 

We’ve started the challenge, and so have many of our readers. We know you can do it – and we’ve got a whole palette of tools to help you succeed. Read on for a roundup of ideas to get you started, stores for art supplies, and places to make arts and crafts in and around Boston. 

Are you in?

Yes, it's still officially winter, but wise parents like yourselves are thinking ahead to those lonnnggg summer months with your school-less darlings, so we hope our NJ Summer Camp Guide will save you some time and planning-anxiety. We've covered everything from your standard swim-and-craft day camps to we-love-air-conditioning indoor camps. We're constantly updating the Guide and adjusting all pricing for 2013, so check back frequently for new information. Happy camping, NJ!

Stars on Ice has returned from its pandemic hiatus for a glorious 2022 tour, following up the exciting winter Olympic season with a skate-and-run visit by the entire US Olympic team. Stars on Ice is the ultimate skating show, and an Olympic year is probably the most exciting time to see it, with all of our young star athletes fresh from international success. If you've only seen an ice show hosted by a giant mouse and a Disney princess, it's high time you checked out the inspiring athletic power house that is Stars on Ice—a grand scale stadium show that features fabulous costumes, uplifting music, and seemingly impossible physical feats on blades. What's not to love?