On the very first day of spring I spent my afternoon on an adventure racing my children through Peppermint Forest, Licorice Lagoon, and Lolipop Palace to the lost Candy Castle. Just as I was going to jump ahead through Frosted Palace on a double purple draw, our soft pretzel arrived in the boardroom cafe. Hawkwood Game Cafe opened its doors earlier this year in downtown Milford, tucked in a row of businesses that run alongside Colony Grill.

Bouncing off the walls in Orange County just got a whole lot more interesting. We recently checked out Circus Trix, Mission Hills' latest and greatest extreme sports park. Part trampoline park, part aerial sports gym, part Ninja Warrior training course, this place offers thrill-seeking kiddos plenty of opportunities to take flight. We went on a mission to see just how many ways a kid could could bounce there.

Many families in the Port Jefferson Station area were sad to see the indoor play spot Fun 4 All close at the end of 2017. But good news: The space has been rebranded by the folks behind Safari Adventure in Riverhead, who have transformed it into one of the top indoor play destinations in Suffolk's North Shore.

Welcome Xplore Family Fun Center.

What started out an obscure and edgy treat in Koreatown a year or so ago has recently become a trendy dessert sweeping many corners of LA: Dragon's Breath. That's the name given to a frozen snack made by dipping some small, sweet bite (usually a cereal-like puff) into liquid nitrogen. If it sounds more like a science experiment than a dessert, it kind of is. But K-town's Chocolate Chair turned Dragon's Breath into a must-try confection on every tween and teen's to do list (not to mention their Snapchat and Instagram feeds). As the trend works its way down from big kids to little ones, and from obscure to mainstream, parents need to be in the know—and ready to answer the question, "Is it OK for my kid to eat liquid nitrogen?"

Spring kicks off this week and with it (fingers crossed!) the warmer weather won’t be far behind. And after an entire winter spent cooped up indoors—or at least, spent layering up your preschooler to actually leave the house—it’s time to shake things up a bit. To help, we’ve rounded up a whole slew of activities that are great for the 5-and-under set. 

Looking for even more family fun? Check out our Event Calendar.

Disneyland may be the happiest place on earth, but eventually even the most enthusiastic Disney fans need a break from crowded shows, long lines, and sugary treats. When your little princess or prince melts down for the third day in a row because the line to meet Cinderella is longer than your trip home, it may be time to take a breather on the beach.

Now it's spring, and even though it's a delightful time to explore some of Fairfield County's fabulous parks and nature spaces, my kids seem to need a little convincing to leave the house.

But it turns out that a guided hike is just the ticket. It gives us an agenda and a goal, but someone besides me does all the planning. All we need to do is show up (and, in some cases, preregister). You can go for a stroll with the family pooch or look for amphibians in a vernal pool. We've rounded up  some fun-filled family hikes in Fairfield County, many of which are FREE. For more ways to enjoy the springtime check out our CT Spring Fun Guide.

Spring is in the air, and that means Easter is almost here! Easter egg hunts are one of those special events that adults remember fondly from their childhoods and that children look forward to every year. The Bayou City offers many exciting hunts at parks, churches, cultural locations, and other interesting venues. Most include other fun activities, such as crafts, face painting, petting zoos, live entertainment, and photo ops with the Easter Bunny. There are also tons of breakfasts and brunches with the Easter Bunny you can choose from around town. So hop on over to one of Houston's many fun-filled egg hunts this spring.