Top Indoor Playgrounds & Play Spaces in Houston

Little girl playing at an indoor play space in Houston. Photo courtesy of Frogs, Snails and Fairy Tales

Having a list of fun indoor play spaces in Houston is a must practically all year. After all, we're often navigating either hot and humid summer days or wet winter storms, which necessitates having an arsenal of great indoor options. Fortunately, there's plenty of indoor activities in Houston perfect for kids looking to burn off some of that endless energy. Heck, we even have the largest indoor playground in Texas nearby!

Read on for our favorite indoor playgrounds for any day of the year, and if you still need more indoor fun, check out our Guide to Indoor Fun in Houston for Kids.

Best Outdoor Dining on Long Island: Igloos, Greenhouses, and More Winter Restaurants

Enjoy oceanside dining inside a heated igloo at Gurney's Resort in Montauk.

Outdoor dining on Long Island is still viable in the dead of winter, with family-friendly local eateries offering options like igloos, mini-greenhouses, and heaters. 

While these outdoor dining options come with perks like fairy lights, Bluetooth speakers, plush seating, and more, they also often come at a hefty price tag, and they might be best saved for a special occasion. Reservations are generally required and the spaces often sell out, so plan in advance.

Find more family-friendly eateries in our Family-Friendly Long Island Restaurant Guide, plus plenty of seasonal fun in our Winter Fun Guide.

Best Free Fun Things To Do in New Jersey with Kids February 2024

Celebrate the Year of the Dragon for free at the Woodland Lunar Fest NJ 2024. Photo courtesy of the Maplewood Division of Arts and Culture

Looking for free things to do this February in New Jersey? Check out dozens of great options below. 

February is the month of love, and you’ll love all the free events happening in New Jersey! It's a month full of holiday celebrations, with a Valentine's Bazaar, many Lunar New Year festivities, and a Black History Celebration.

And don't miss February festival freebies like Ocean County Mall's Winter Beach Blast and Livingston Public Library's Winterfest. 

30 Banned Children's Books You Should Read Today

New Kid book signing with author Jerry Craft. Photo by Ally Noel for Mommy Poppins

Books are getting banned at an alarming rate, especially children's books. When you think banned, you think there's got to be something controversial, mature, or upsetting in the books. But many of these books are classics that are beloved by generations of kids.

While kids might want to ban bedtime, bathtime, or broccoli, we're guessing that books like Charlotte's Web and Captain Underpants are things kids would rather celebrate than ban. We've compiled a list of frequently banned children's books that kids of all ages adore. So go ahead, be a rebel. Read a banned book. Books are magic, and knowledge is power.

For more of our favorite books that expand minds, thoughts, and hearts, check out our Best Kids' Books Guide to Great Reads, which includes incredible Kids' Books About Racism, Best LGBTQ Books for Kids, and more great book recommendations.

Best Indoor Playgrounds in Chicago for Kids

Climb and play all day no matter the weather, at Present Place. Photo courtesy of Present Place

Looking for indoor playgrounds in Chicago? Here are our favorite indoor play spaces near Chicago.

When the weather's too cold, too hot, or too rainy to play outdoors, you can head to one of our favorite indoor play spaces for kids in Chicago. There’s a climate-controlled play zone for every age, every interest, and every kind of kid. Many indoor play spaces in Chicago even offer coffee and wi-fi for grateful parents, so you can catch up on email (and caffeine) while your little ones get their sillies out.

Here are our favorite places to play indoors in and around Chicago when the weather won't cooperate. Looking for something else fun to do indoors with kids in Chicago? Check out our list of the best FREE indoor play spaces in and around Chicago. For more fun when it's too hot or cold to play outside, check out our Winter Activities Guide for Chicago Kids.

Parents Confess: 50 Things We Pretend to Enjoy

Let's see if they're still smiling after a long day at the amusement park!

Every week we here at Mommy Poppins ask our readers a question—things like, "What is your favorite donut place in your city?" or "Which would you rather have, a maid or a chef?" We typically get lots of great responses—some funny, some sweet, and some super insightful.

But rarely do we receive as much feedback as when we posed this question: "What are you convinced people are pretending to enjoy?" So many of you came to your keyboards for this one! We received hundreds of responses, with kale being mentioned the most.

Since this was such a hot topic, we decided to compile the best answers into one big list of 45 things we pretend to enjoy—and believe other people pretend to enjoy, too. Save this for the next time you're hanging out with other parents—it's sure to make for a lively discussion. Then check out our Parenting Guide for more parent talk, from funny animal memes to parenting tips from dads.

21 Birthday Freebies in NYC: Places Where Kids Eat Free and Nab Gifts

Hit up the Hard Rock Cafe for a free birthday treat.

Rent-out-the-whole-museum and hire-a-marching-band kid birthday parties have their fans, but when it comes to a memorable day, we think it's nice to find a few birthday freebies. Of course, there are plenty of at-home, DIY ways to celebrate your child's birthday for FREE, from leaving cute notes on the mirror to playing hooky. But it's also the one time each year you can take advantage of all those corporate birthday clubs that promise to make your kid's big day even more special with fun birthday freebies like complimentary gifts, food, and other deals.

We've rounded up a mix of local spots, with a lot of national chain restaurants and popular kids' stores thrown in, which all offer FREE birthday goodies. Some are specific to kids, though adults can snag a few birthday freebies, too. Most require an email list or loyalty card sign up.

Find more fun for your little one's big day (maybe even a marching band) in our NYC Kids' Guide to Birthday Parties.

26 Best Things To Do in NYC February 2024 with Kids

Celebrate Lunar New Year with Chinatown's big, annual parade on Sunday, February 25. Photo by Better Chinatown

Whether sending valentines or planning a Presidents Day weekend getaway—there is plenty to love about February! Don’t miss our favorite kid-friendly events and activities in New York City this month.

Even though it's the shortest month, February in NYC manages to cram annual favorites like Kids' Night on Broadway, Governors Island's Ice Sculpture Show, Chinatown's Lunar New Year Parade, the activity-filled Kids Week at the Intrepid, and the BAMKids Film Fest into its meager 29-day span.

Don't miss CAMPTOPIA, where Mommy Poppins has teamed up with top area summer camps for a fun, FREE day of play that helps get your summer camp plans on track early!

We’re adding more events to our Family Activity Calendar every day, so don’t forget to check it frequently.

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