Where Kids Can Learn How to Ride a Horse Around Houston

We live in Houston, home to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, the largest livestock show and rodeo in the world. After seeing all of the cowboys and cowboys riding at the rodeo, your little cowgirl or cowboy may be begging to learn how to ride a horse. Luckily, multiple facilities in the greater Houston area offer horseback riding lessons. While horseback riding lessons can be pricey, the bond created between your child and their horse can prove to be priceless. Kids will learn skills like responsibility, accountability, and patience through learning how to ride a horse.

These STEM Summer Camps Are Creating a Generation of Inventors

Digital Media Academy offers STEM-focused camps at top universities.

Curiosity, critical thinking, and a collaborative attitude might be three attributes all parents aspire to see in their children. These are also traits fostered at STEM summer camps where the subjects of science, technology, engineering, and math are turned into hands-on group and individual projects. Whether your teen is itching to found the next hot tech startup or she’s just into robots or maybe biology, summer camp offers kids a great place to explore these subjects in-depth, away from the pressures of the classroom.

We’ve put together a list of some of the top science and tech camps that offer sessions in multiple cities and states across the country. Some offer programs for kids as young as 6; some are more focused on coding and computer science, while others include “STEAM” programming with design, music, writing, and other creative pursuits on the roster. All emphasize hands-on collaboration aimed at creating the next generation of engineers and inventors. In many camps, kids will also gain presentation skills, leadership traits, and most likely, the confidence to stick with these sometimes difficult subjects and tasks...even when they fail. 

Santa Ynez Valley: a California Paradise of Kid-friendly Wineries

Saarloos & Sons Vineyard Day, photo by Laura Pedrino

Located near Santa Barbara and just two hours away from LA, Santa Ynez Valley feels a world away — it features a cluster of picturesque towns with distinctive charm and hills that stretch for days. Its unusual mountain range orientation (from east to west, rather than north to south) creates microclimates that allow the growth of more than 50 varieties of grapes, making this region (like kid-friendly Temecula) every wine aficionado’s Valhalla.

10 Teen Philly Activities To Make Them Like You for More Than a Minute

Photo courtesy of iFly

When it comes to entertaining a Philly tween or teen, it can be challenging to find activities that aren't too babyish and have the appropriate amount of cool. Philly parents must dive deep into their former adolescent-selves to be reminded of what was cool when they were a tween or teen. Thankfully, hanging out at the mall or going to the movies aren’t your only options! We have rounded up some ideas for those struggling on ways to connect with these tween/teen creatures... other than by text and emoji.

100 Things to Do in New England with Kids Before They Grow Up

Scenic hikes lead to breathtaking coastal views in Acadia National Park. Photo courtesy of Roy Luck/CC by 2.0

No matter where you live, exploring New England with kids ought to be on your short list of family vacation goals. Steeped in history and natural beauty, the Northeast offers families a chance to learn about the earliest Americans, frolic on snow or sand, and enjoy all sorts of old-fashioned fun, from farm-fresh ice cream to vintage carousels.

Drawing from our carefully curated lists of the best things to do with children in Boston and Connecticut as well as the inside scoop from parents in Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, we've come up with 100 things to see, do, and eat with kids in New England. It includes our favorite beaches, children's museums and amusement parks, charming New England towns with kid-friendly activities, ski and holiday trips, and top seasonal events and carnivals. One thing is for certain: You'll be wicked glad you visited Yankeeland.

What's New for 2019 at Luna Park, Six Flags, Sesame Place, Hershey, and Theme Parks Near NYC

The grand-daddy of all the thrill rides at The Kartrite, the Nor’easter will take you and 3 others on the ride of a lifetime. Rendering courtesy of the Kartrite

Spring may have just begun, but a summer of fun is right around the corner, and NYC's favorite nearby theme parks are starting the 2019 season with thrilling new rides, stunning expansions, and stellar upgrades. Luna Park at Coney Island opens this weekend on Saturday, April 6 with new attractions, and New York State's biggest indoor water park at brand-new Catskills resort The Kartrite is set to open on Friday, April 19.

Keep this post close when planning your next theme park destination getaway. Whether you're planning a day trip or an extended stay, these theme parks are all under 2 hours from NYC. Read on for a sneak peek at what's new and exciting this year at amusement parks close to NYC, from Coney to Hershey.

Weekend Fun for Chicago Kids: Free Museums, Dinosaurs, Spring Colors, Easter Bunny

Free Field Day at the Museum. Photo courtesy of the museum

This weekend is FREE at the The Field Museum, one of every Chicago kid's favorite places. As a special treat for the dinosaur-obsessed, the museum's new, FREE pop-up Dig Experience in downtown Chicago lets kids see how scientists uncover prehistoric treasures, and for those kids who literally eat, breathe, and sleep dinosaurs, the Field also hosts dino-themed slumber party Dozin' With the Dinos on Saturday. 

There's lots of FREE spring color and fun to be had at the final weekend for Macy's Flower Show, the interactive Chagall for Children exhibit in Arlington Heights (also closing after this weekend), and Naperville's Holi Celebration. For music-lovers, Family Day at the Lyric Opera and the family reggae dance party Three Little Birds offer a little something for everyone.

And of course, the bunny of the hour continues to hold court at the 900 Shops on Michigan Avenue, Orland Square Mall, and Stratford Square Mall, among others, plus a special sensory-friendly visit with the Easter Bunny at Yorktown in Lombard this Sunday.

For even more spring family fun, our roundups of 40 Fun Things to Do Over Spring Break (it's coming...) and Kid-Friendly Chicago Spring Fairs and Festivals should come in handy, and keep checking our ever-updated event calendar.

Weekend Fun: Egg Hunts, Cherry Blossoms, Theme Park Openings

Explore the Egg Forest and search for Peter Rabbit's lost eggs at Johnson's Corner Farm. Photo courtesy of the farm

This first weekend of April promises to be egg-straordinary with the kick-off of egg hunting season. Get in the pre-Easter spirit with the Easter Egg Hunt on PAWS Discovery Farm, Egg Hunt Hayride, Paramus Easter Egg Hunt, and Easter and Springtime Family Festival.

Soak up more outdoor time when both Six Flags and Storybook Land, plus the Essex County Cherry Blossom Festival, make their season debuts this weekend. Or spend time indoors at theatrical productions of The Jungle Book, Pinkalicious The Musical, Peg+Cat Live, and Milk & Cookies: Sweetbeatz.

Find even more weekend options in our Spring Fun Guide, including Easter Egg Hunts for New Jersey Kids.  And look to our April GoList and event calendar for a complete listing of happenings this weekend and beyond.

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