Kids, teens, and adults all love laser tag. A little bit tag, a little bit hide and seek, laser tag is great fun for a mixed-age group. Video games fans can get up off the sofa and jump right inside the game, with an adrenaline rush practically guaranteed. Players wear special vests and use laser guns; the vests light up when hit (so no arguments!), and no protective gear is required—you cannot feel the laser, and it is eye-safe as well.

Some SoCal multi-activity family fun centers (of the type, for example, that might have glow-in-the-dark mini-golf) offer small versions of a laser tag game; if you've played at one of these, it's time to ramp up your game at one of the major laser tag arenas below! A dedicated laser tag center is two to four times larger than the games at family fun centers, and usually offers multiple levels. There are also fewer extra activities to pull at your wallet. Arenas are dark (the better to see the lasers) and may have other effects such as fog and sounds or music—not to mention blacklights. If you are feeling competitive, don’t wear white.

Laser tag is a great activity for a birthday party, too. In case none of the arenas are convenient to you, we've also found some mobile laser tag companies who bring the guns and vests, barricades, and inflatables to you. Indoor or outdoor, daytime or nighttime, going to battle with your kids is just good, wholesome fun.

Swale is back, or rather it will be this spring. NYC's first and only floating food forest and garden barge is set to return April 29 when it will set up near Pier 6 in Brooklyn Bridge Park.

We visited Swale with the kids in Brooklyn last year when it first arrived and had a blast. It's one more example of New Yorkers getting creative about where they can squeeze in a little more green space.

How do we love New Jersey? Help us count the ways! We know that New Jersey is one of the best places to raise kids, but even the best has its best. So we're counting on you, our Mommy Poppins readers and the most savvy parents we know, to help us pick New Jersey's BESTIES.

How do we love Westchester and the Hudson Valley? Help us count the ways! We know that Westchester is the best place to raise kids, but even the best has its best. So we're counting on you, our Mommy Poppins readers and the most savvy parents we know, to help us pick Westchester's BESTIES. The best play spaces? Westchester's got 'em.

For your mini Misty Copelands or junior JTs, summer is the perfect opportunity for your kids to practice their routines or learn a new style of dance. From jetés to jazz hands, there is something for everyone on this curated list of dance camps happening this summer in Houston.

And for more summer and vacation camp ideas, check out our comprehensive camp guide and full directory of camp listings.

Living in Connecticut, with kids, chances are you've taken a train ride or two. Whether you rode on Percy at Essex Steam Train and Riverboat's Day Out With Thomas or the Naugatuck Railroad's Northern Lights Limited, there are plenty of incredibly sweet themed and scenic railroad experiences across the state.

But, have you ever hopped on a Metro North train on a Tuesday? Chances are, while you may have made the rounds of the seasonal train excursions, you might not have considered the trains running through Fairfield County every hour on the hour. In off-peak hours, you might spend an average of $7 or less on a round trip ticket between Milford and Greenwich. And your kids will LOVE the impromtu ride on the shiny silver choo-choo. We've rounded up some kid-friendly stops off Metro North to turn an everyday train ride into a full-fledged adventure for your preschooler. And make sure to check out the new Hartford line and our suggestions on where to visit at each stop.

It can be a daunting task to saddle up for the annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, but as Houstonians it's basically our civic duty to go at least once a year. Before heading out, there are some key details you should know, like ticket and parking basics, and it's definitely worth reading over what FREE activities are offered for the kiddos. But there's no better advice and tips than what you'll get from fellow mamas.

Read on for 10 tips and tricks from Houston moms who have braved the crowds, pushed the umbrella strollers through those crowds, and dropped more cash than they'd like to admit on fried Oreos. (And moms, if you have tips of your own you'd like to share - drop us a line at houstoneditor@mommypoppins.com.)

It’s official. Kalahari Resorts and Conventions in the Pocono Mountains is now home to the country’s largest indoor water park.

In early March the African-themed resort completed a more-than-100,000-square-foot addition to its existing indoor water park, bringing the total to 220,000 square feet, more than double its largest competitor in the Poconos vacation region, and besting the record-holder, its own Kalahari resort in Sandusky, Ohio.

The news arrives just before school kids head off for spring break, making it likely welcome news for families looking for a quick water-themed getaway, or even a day trip as Kalahari allows day-pass entry to its water park.