Protecting your little one is probably at the top of every parent's to do list, but between the sleep deprivation and the fact that you seem to be missing the instruction manual to your new bundle of joy, a little guidance goes a really long way. After all, parenthood hurls a lot of tough stuff at you in the first year—sometimes literally—and you don't have the time to desperately search for solutions. You barely even have time to shower.

We have collected some of the most attractive and interesting after school opportunities for children of middle and high school age from various communities across Fairfield County. Below you will find our round up of great YMCA's, art, performing arts and interesting sports options. Selections change throughout the year according to season so please check with each venue. For more classes and enrichment opportunities check out our Classes and Enrichment Guide.

Nestled between two urban downtowns is a gem of a play area known as Newport Green Park. Created in 2012 as part of Jersey City’s revitalization, this peaceful oasis boasts an imaginative playground, the Hudson River’s only man-made beach, and a walkway to Hoboken, all with the Manhattan skyline as a backdrop. This day trip–worthy park is also home to a carousel and splash pad.

Have a train-obsessed kiddo? If riding back and forth on the Metro line isn't enough for your little engine, it's time to explore the train options in Griffith Park—the crown jewel of which is the park’s train-filled Travel Town Museum. The museum itself is free, and rides on the miniature trains costs less than $3 per person, making it a perfect place to visit with toddlers, or host a birthday party full of tank engine fans.

Before you set foot in Kidcity, you'll most likely have already heard about it from moms who have gone or plan to go. Kidcity Children's Museum in Middletown is a one-of-a kind destination designed for little ones ages 7 and under to explore, socialize and probably learn something along the way. Director Jen Alexander, founder and creator behind Kidcity, wants little children to come and navigate their way through the three floors of fun and be free to experience it any way they like to - whether that is skipping from room to room or spending the entire time in one fascinating place.

If biking, hiking, and learning about nature sounds like great fun for your family, plan a trip to Duke Farms. Open to the public since 2012, this 2,740-acre ecological treasure located in Hillsborough offers diverse wildlife, hiking trails, and interesting educational programs. This park is perfect for exploring the outdoors in all seasons. Here are a dozen ways to take it all in at Duke Farms.

Yankee Stadium has a new way of keeping little ones entertained during those notoriously long baseball games: a playground. Say hello to the Sunrun Kids Clubhouse. You’ll find it in the 300 level on the right field side, its entrance beneath a subtle, circular sign. Any ticketed fan can enter, but security appeared solid when we visited—there’s no entering without a child.

Most of its features skew toward kids ages 5 and under, with small slides and climbing features scattered around a baseball diamond-shaped clearing with soft, artificial flooring. For little ones, there’s space to run in the 2,850-square-foot playground space.

The stadium also made an addition for new moms. There's now "a private space for nursing mothers," with "seats and outlets for electric pumps" in the Sunrun Kids Clubhouse. Smart idea to put this next to the play area in case a nursing mom is also watching an older kid or kids.

It may be below freezing for long chunks of the year in Boston, but that doesn’t stop our city from absolutely loving ice cream. And to show just how serious they are about cool treats, northern New Englanders have developed their own term for a thick, creamy ice-cream-based drink—a frappe. Basically, a frappe is just a fancy term for what the rest of the country calls a milkshake (and what Rhode Islanders, no joke, call a cabinet—because, duh, that's where the blender is kept.) Whatever term your household uses, these frozen drinks are huge hit with kids, especially when temperatures rise. The next time a special treat is in order, hit one of these amazing frappe joints, which range from a 19th-century dairy farm to a lactose-free creamery. We can hear the happy slurping already.