Western Queens just gained a new indoor play space for kids with the opening of Sunnyside Plays in, of course, Sunnyside. My family was super excited to have a new indoor playground so close to our neighborhood. In fact, we were amazed when we saw our 7-month-old son start crawling there for the first time. We are already making memories.

The spacious location on 48th Avenue, which just opened this month, is close to Sunnyside Library and Lance Cpl. Thomas A. Noonan Playground. Sunnyside Plays, founded by local parents Ed Kim and Vanessa Quinn, is 1,700 square feet of open, rectangular floor space with 16-foot ceilings. LED track lighting and the studio's vibrant colors give it a refreshing artsy loft feel. Kim and Quinn have art backgrounds and use their knowledge to offer events and classes for kids and adults. 

Whether you have been able to whether the weather to stay in shape this summer or not, the cool crisp air of Fall is almost upon us. And with fall, comes many opportunities to get out and run! Which might be why Fall is one of the best seasons for family-friendly runs. These runs can not only encourage physical health awareness for you and your kids, but help you bond over a shared goal, and possibly learn about a cause or charity that may be a great learning experience for your kids. If you have fun on these runs, keep training for the later festive fall Turkey Trots and Santa Runs!

Life with a new baby can be hectic—between round-the-clock feedings and sleepless nights, it can be hard to fit in a shower. However, after those first few weeks, many new moms want to start exercising again. Several local fitness studios offer mom and baby workout classes so new moms can take care of themselves and keep their babies close at the same time. The classes run the gamut from pilates and barre to running and stroller sessions—mom and baby yoga classes are featured in another post.

Sending the kids back to school is akin to setting those New Year’s resolutions in January. It’s a clean slate and a period (however brief) of good intentions. Make the most of this optimism with these 10 smartphone and tablet apps to help you stay organized, help lend a hand with homework, and even help add some extra learning fun.  

We talked with teachers, principals and other educational experts about their favorite apps, and then we gave them a try to see how they worked. What follows is a list of our front runners, all designed to help you and your family get the school year off on the right foot. The best part? All of these apps are free. 

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School searches can be fraught with stress, but searching for the right fit in Manhattan seems to multiply the tension tenfold...at least! Whether you're searching for a Pre-K program, elementary school, middle school or beyond, finding the right fit for your child is paramount. From public to private to charter, there are so many factors to consider and the landscape is ever- changing.

If you're a Manhattan-based family in the market for a school next year, you've got a great new option: BASIS Independent Schools is set to open its first Manhattan school on the Upper West Side in fall 2017. Serving kids in kindergarten through grade 8, the aim of BASIS Independent is to build well-rounded individuals who are challenged by the schools' accelerated liberal arts and sciences curriculum.

Summer is ending, and with school just around the corner, we can hear the kids' groans (and parents' cheers) already. But making that leap from summer funlike water slides to the classroom chair isn't always easy. All summer we've been sharing great ways to keep the kids engaged with brainy, but fun activities through our Summer Slide Busters guide. From storytime to science experiments, we've collected plenty of activities to keep little ones busy and learning. Need book suggestions for the rest of the summer? The NYPL even shared a host of summer reading book lists for all ages, including grown-ups. 

What else can you do to prepare your kids for school? Well now we're sharing 30 ideas for fun stuff to do around NYC with the rest of the summer that will get the kids' brains back in gear, from cool free drop-in classes to outdoor learning that will hardly feel like school even as they soak up a bit of biology. So read on to get started on one, five, or all of these 30 activity ideas.

Summer may be coming to an end, but that needn’t put a damper on your vacation plans. We have Labor Day weekend still to go, and don't forget that many public schools will be closed for the Jewish holidays and Columbus Day in October, perfect timing for a quick fall getaway.

There are deals for travel to Orlando, Connecticut, Maine, Washington, D.C. and other family-friendly destinations. The Caribbean is a great value in the fall and nonstop flights have your toes in the sand fast. Why, there’s a luxury hotel deal in London that may lure you to journey across the pond. Read on for fall 2016 travel deals, and don't forget to check out our family travel section for more getaway ideas.