Movie theater birthday parties are always a hit – for the kids and parents. Mom and dad enjoy a stress-free experience while the kids revel in the excitement of an afternoon out at the theater.

Reserved seating for a current blockbuster hit or a private movie-theater showing of a favorite flick will make any birthday kid feel like a star. So, butter your popcorn, sit back and enjoy the show at any of these great theaters that host awesome parties for kids in and around Boston.

Ho, ho, ho! It’s that time of year when Santa Claus starts making his list and checking it twice. If your kids are looking to spend a little QT with the Big Guy, then a breakfast with Santa might be for you. At these events, kids can enjoy some delicious food and share their holiday wish lists with St. Nick. And of course, there will be time for photos, too. Read on for our roundup of breakfast events happening this season.

Want more time with Santa? Book your ticket on a Christmas train ride. And for more seasonal activities, check out our Holiday Fun Guide.

One of the quintessential holiday activities for kids is meeting Santa and telling him their Christmas wishes. Make this tradition even better this year when you and your family attend a breakfast or brunch with the big guy in red. At these events, you’ll get to enjoy a delicious holiday meal, spend some extra time with Mr. or Mrs. Claus, and participate in other seasonal activities. Bring your camera to capture all of the festive fun and make your reservation early—spots at some of these events go quick!

Most of the year, most of us parents don't attempt to take our children to full-length ballet productions, but Christmas just doesn't feel like Christmas without one good Nutcracker. And if one good Nutcracker begins to make it feel a lot like Christmas, then LA, Orange, and Ventura counties are evidently hitting Uber-Christmas in the coming weeks with more than two dozen professional Nutcracker productions.

Incidentally, we've got answers to the two questions posed most often by LA parents in search of a Nutcracker Ballet for their families: Yes, there is a condensed version staged specifically for kids, offered by the Festival Ballet Theatre down in Costa Mesa or Classical Ballet Theatre in Palos Verdes; and yes, there are local productions performed with full orchestra—​at the Long Beach Terrace Theater, the Broad Stage, the Dolby Theatre, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, and the Grove of Anaheim. There is even the odd Nutcracker Tea or two—in case you were wondering.

And when you've had your fill of Sugarplum Fairies, we can direct you to some nifty Christmas train rides.

Sensory play—any activity that stimulates any one or all of a child’s five senses—is a crucial part of development. And for children who have difficulties processing all the different sensations that they receive from their senses, sensory stimulation can be even more valuable.

Enter the Watchung Reservation Sensory Trail in Mountainside. The first of its kind in Union County, the trail, located in Union County's largest park, is designed to provide sensory stimulation and interaction for all kids, with an emphasis on special needs children and their families. According to Union County park officials, it is the most extensive sensory trail in the U.S.

On a recent visit with my 5-year-old, we set out to determine if this sensory-friendly trail would stimulate all five of our senses. Read on to find out what we saw, heard, smelled, touched, and yes, maybe tasted, too.

Check out our Fall Fun Guide to find more easy trails along with other seasonal fun.

No one is more electrified by the spirit of the holidays than kids. This year, the Town of Riverhead is presenting a new holiday light show with dazzling displays sure to warm the hearts of everyone in your family.

If you are looking for a seasonal adventure that beats ambling through the neighborhood, this drive-through exhibit will saturate everyone with the holiday spirit. And for a full day of fun on the East End,  check out the Long Island Aquarium or the Railroad Museum of Long Island before your twinkly excursion.

You might also want to check out the Polar Express Trolley Ride, departing from the North and South Forks beginning November 23. As always, our November GoList and events calendar contain the best in holiday activities across Long Island.

The Zimmer Children's Museum, the hugely popular Miracle Mile hub for the preschool set, is making a break for the beach, picking up more space and a new name along the way. Soon to be known as the Cayton Children's Museum, it will create a whole new reason to go to Santa Monica Place, that mall with the ocean view at the end of the Third Street Promenade—giving families one more reason to spend a day in the seaside suburb. 

At a time when the world sometimes feels like a circus, it's soothing to find a real, true, exuberant circus wowing audiences at Lincoln Center. The Big Apple Circus is back for its 41st edition under an intimate one-ring big top, where no seat is more than 50 feet from the stage. While many of the thrills are new, the joyful effect remains the same.

Stephanie Monseu, the fabulous new female ringmaster, keeps the show moving at an exhilarating clip alongside two wonderful clowns, Mark Gindick and Adam Kuchler. And the jaw-dropping array of acts, all backed by a live band, includes both veterans (Jenny Vidbel and her adorable animals) and first-timers (horizontal juggler Victor Moiseev). We've got the scoop on all the audience favorites, whether it's worth splurging on VIP tickets, and how you can connect with the circus stars after the show.