The new year is upon us and many Resolutions are being made.   I've read many blogs in the weeks since the tragedy in Newtown of individuals and families inspired to perform 26 Random Acts of Kindness.  A few days ago I read a post that intrigued and inspired me.  The author suggested taking the new year as an opportunity to encourage children to find ways to be kind to others.  So this year in my family, in addition to making a New Year's Resolution, we are going to find ways to perform random acts of kindness to others throughout the year.  I believe that this will not only benefit others, but will help to instill thoughtfulness, kindness and concern for others as part of my children's everyday thoughts. Doing something worthwhile for those in Newtown is one great way to get started.

Happy New Year! As we settle back in to life as usual following the holidays, kids (and parents) may experience a small let-down. Never fear, there are plenty of activities going on around the Island to keep the kids entertained and spirits up. There's a beautiful marionette show at the Tilles Center, a few nature activities at a couple of state parks in Suffolk County, and a trout birthday party at the Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery. Enjoy, and we wish you a healthy, happy new year.

Happy 2013 everyone! We hope you rang in the New Year with all the frivolity and caution thrown to the wind that the night deserves, and maybe even made it through to midnight (don’t worry; East Coast time counts).  Now it’s time to get back on track, tidy up your messes, and follow through on your resolutions. If one of your resolutions was to recycle more, we can help you off to a good start. Mommy Poppins has the low-down on Christmas tree recycling options throughout Los Angeles!

We now return to our regularly scheduled program of classes, shows, and festivals to keep your kids occupied and amused. Keep reading for some of our favorite picks for this weekend.

The new year has started with a blast of wintry cold, and while there’s no new snow in the forecast, the cold temps have us looking for things to do indoors. We have a weekend filled with magic from Bonaparte and 15-year-old Rupayan Neogy, Three Kings Day celebrations at the Boston Children's Museum and Barefoot Books, a fundraising concert with Debbie and Friends, and more.

Our best bets for the weekend are below. You can find additional things to do in our Winter Fun Guide and daily Events Calendar. And follow us on Twitter or Facebook for the latest updates and more family activities. And if your family has resolved to get out and do more in 2013, you can start with some of the great ideas for jump-starting those resolutions or our list of 100 Things to Do in Boston with Kids.

Enjoy!

Welcome to the inaugural weekend of 2013! The first days of January are always a little bittersweet as we watch all of the holiday sights come down, recycle our Christmas trees, and return to our busy school and work routines. But there's never a dull day in NYC. Sunday marks Three Kings Day (a.k.a. the twelfth day of Christmas), plus the New Year brings lots of cool new cultural experiences like family art workshops at the Whitney and The New Museum, and Film Forum's classics for kids movie series, which kicks off on Sunday. There's also Stories for Sandy Hook, a wonderful all-ages benefit for the families in Newtown, Connecticut and a ton of nature fun, including seal and bald eagle watching.

These are just a few of the great things going on this weekend. All of our picks are below. You can find additional options in our Event Calendar. Happy New Year!

With decorations packed up and put away and out of town guests gone, how about bundling up for some winter family fun? Check out story time at the Trailside Nature Center and Owl Prowl at the Tenafly Nature Center. Or indulge your little one’s imagination at the Battle of Princeton Family Adventure and the Dino-mite Meet and Greet at Liberty Science Center. Read on for our top picks and you can find a listing of all NJ activities in our Event Calendar.

I've always dreamed of having fun backyard birthday parties complete with bounce houses, pony rides and an ice cream man, but alas, I have only winter babies whose party options are limited and always in danger of being canceled due to weather. Last February we told you about fun winter birthday parties for New Jersey children but here are 5 more options to add to our Birthday Party Guide, plus a brand new sneak peek venue!  

Every year, we knock an experience or two off our list of 100 things to do with kids in NYC before they grow up. In 2012, my family braved the crowds at Dylan's Candy Bar (No. 8), Dave & Buster's in Times Square (No. 28) and Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloon Inflation (No. 98), all for the first time. And I know that Mommy Poppins' founder Anna and her kids finally made it to the Easter Parade (No. 27) and went on a couple of auditions just for fun (No. 2). But just when we think we're making a real dent in that list, a slew of brand-new must-see attractions pop up in New York City. Not that we're complaining—that's one of the reasons we love living here.

Even if you're still working on visiting all of the amazing places that opened in 2011, 2012's top new spots deserve to be on your radar. If you read the site every day, you'll probably already know about most of these, but if you missed a few of the 500 or so posts we wrote this year, here's a roundup of our favorite new NYC attractions for families that opened in 2012.