Nothing brightens up a day like making your own rainbow! For this colorful science experiment, kids get to create their own mini rainbow while learning about capillary action. One of our 63 Easy Experiments for Kids Using Household Stuff, this simple experiment uses only water, food coloring, and paper towels.

Read on for a simple way to bring a little bit of cheer into your house.

Cultural attractions may be shuttered due to coronavirus, but when one door closes, a (browser) window opens. World-famous museums, zoos, theaters, historic sites, and natural wonders are offering amazing virtual tours, free online educational programs, and web-based STEM and art projects. So if you feel like your kids could use a boost of excitement while learning from home, why not let them tour Buckingham Palace, "walk" the Great Wall of China, or see Everest up close? They may have to skip field trips right now, but that doesn't mean they have to miss out on the fun!

For more ideas, info, and activities for kids during the health crisis, check out our Stuck-at-Home Guide for Parents and our Realistic Guide to Homeschooling.

It's hard to believe it's been just one month since the coronavirus shut down schools and most non-essential businesses in NYC, but here we are, and the news, if anything, keeps getting worse for city families. Mayor Bill de Blasio unveiled his executive budget Thursday morning, bringing with it severe cuts to city mainstays, including the closure of city pools for the summer and the elimination of the Parks Department's affordable summer camp. Beaches are also unlikely to open. The City Council must approve the budget before it takes effect.

Read on for more details on these coronavirus cuts, the new mask mandate, and an extension of NY on PAUSE.

Who would have imagined this is what "afterschool" would look like in 2020? But, we're grateful that many much-loved programs are in fact moving ahead with virtual offerings that bring everything from soccer to piano lessons to robot building right to your living room. Using video conferencing, live streams, or watch-when-you-want videos, these online classes are hands-on and interactive, just like the real deal.

To help you find the right fit for your family, we've put together a list of over 20 virtual classes from some of our partners. Make sure to click through for more details and some awesome deals.

A simple science experiment can be the best way to fill an afternoon at home. And as some of us may recall, a lava lamp can be a great way to fill an evening.

For this groovy experiment, kids get to recreate their parents' lava lamp while learning about liquid density. One of our Easy Experiments for Kids Using Household Stuff, this experiment is fun for all ages and is easy to pull together with things you probably have around the house. 

Read on to learn how to prove that oil and water really don't mix!

With grocery shopping becoming an increasingly challenging task in the time of social distancing, many Westchester families are turning to grocery delivery services. Yet, even this resource is difficult to secure. Below, we've rounded up an assortment of grocery delivery options, some of which will likely be familiar to you, while others might give you food for thought.

Before you fill your cart, here are some pointers:

• Plan ahead: With unprecedented demand, shoppers should anticipate a two-week turnaround, as well as the prospect of out-of-stock items and even the occasional canceled delivery. Moreover, with many stores setting limits on the quantity of staples, like milk, that can be purchased, you can safely predict you're going to want another delivery fairly soon.
• Keep trying: Though the website you're shopping on might list the next delivery date as two weeks from now, by refreshing your screen or trying again later, you might get lucky with an expedited timeframe.
• Join forces: Some of the options we've listed below may require minimum purchases that could be difficult for your family to justify. By teaming up with neighbors, you might be able to tap into each other's delivery services.
• Tip well: Shoppers, store workers, and delivery providers are risking their health to feed your family (and their own).

Regardless of your approach, let's be grateful for what we have. To share this bounty, consider helping those with food insecurity by supporting a local food bank.

Read on for 16 grocery-delivery services, specialty providers, and straight-from-the-farm resources able to deliver food to your door. One caveat: With the situation in flux (e.g., stores closing for deep cleaning), the information below may change by the time you read this.

Looking for more help during this trying time? We've got plenty of tips, tricks, and boredom busters in our Stay-at-Home Guide.

If the COVID-19 outbreak is keeping you up at night, you're probably wondering how your kids are coping. Well, according to pediatric specialists at Connecticut Children's, ranked one of the best children’s hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, the stress of this pandemic could have a negative impact on a child’s development. The good news: it doesn't have to.

"We all deal with regular stresses on a daily basis," Connecticut Children’s developmental pediatrician Robert D. Keder, MD told us. "A little bit is a good thing; it motivates us to study for a test or run a little faster in a game. Some stresses are stronger, but still bearable when we have positive protective relationships. What’s happening with COVID-19 right now falls into what developmental specialists call 'toxic stress.'"

By itself, toxic stress can negatively impact children's development—leading to challenges in behavioral and physical health—but, fortunately, this kind of stress can also be buffered by building resilience. Read on to find out how pediatricians at the only health system in Connecticut dedicated exclusively to the care of children recommend you help kids build that resilience and cope with the unprecedented Coronavirus pandemic.

The impact of quarantine on simple (but necessary) tasks like buying groceries has caused families to rethink how and when they get their food. Rows upon rows of store shelves have turned up empty of shelf-stable products like rice, pasta, and beans and necessities like milk, eggs, and bottled water are being limited in the quantity you can purchase.

While some stores like H-E-B are experiencing both long wait lines to enter the store and a spinning dial of wait times for the next available delivery or curbside pick-up, Houston is thankfully home to many different grocery delivery and pick-up options, both from regular grocery stores and from local CSAs and Farm Shares. We've rounded up several different grocery options for you to utilize during these uncertain times, including many local farms who could likely use the support! 

Because things are changing at a rapid pace, we recommend checking stores that may currently have no available delivery or pick up times frequently; you just may luck out with the next available spot! 

For ideas on what to do as a family during this time, visit our Coronavirus Pandemic Parenting Guide.