With a 3-year-old and 7-year-old daughter, princesses long ago took over my home. We've got dress-up clothes, dolls, movies, sing-along-microphones, and multiple tiaras, but never have my girls felt quite as regal as they did on a recent stay at the Lotte New York Palace where we were treated to a truly magical experience as royal guests with the luxury hotel's Palace Princess Package.

Located in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, the Lotte New York Palace offers a perfect destination for a staycation (as we enjoyed) to celebrate a birthday perhaps or as a treat for out-of-towners looking to make their visit to NYC extra special for a certain princess. 

NYC parents have gained a new option for scoring that elusive date-night and last-minute backup sitter. Hello Sitter, an app founded by a local mom, launched this summer with more than 200 sitters serving Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn, including the neighborhoods from Park Slope to Williamsburg.

Finding child care always presents a challenge to parents.  Finding it on short notice? As they say, fuggedaboutit. But that’s exactly the challenge that Lauren Mansell, founder and CEO of Hello Sitter, wanted to address when she set about creating the new service. Not only that, as a mom to a preschooler she knows it can be stressful to trust your kids with a stranger, so every sitter on the app is fully vetted.

Looking for an adventurous day close to home? Look no further than South Windsor in Hartford County, where Nomads Adventure Quest awaits, featuring energy-burning and giggle-inducing attractions. Whether your child likes to climb, bounce, jump, or play games, this amazing indoor play space has it all. Nomads prides itself as New England’s largest indoor family entertainment facility and features 65,000 square feet packed with fun. A huge bonus: there is no entrance fee, so you pay only for activities that interest your child. For more family fun ideas check out or guide.

For those of us who remember dashing into the video arcade with our permed hair and stirrup pants to see who had the high score on Frogger, there are two pieces of good news: First, all those vintage games are cool again, and secondly, they're right around the corner in New Jersey—and we don't mean down the Shore on the boardwalk.

The Morristown Game Vault opened earlier this year with Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Q-Bert, and 85 other classics, and it's quickly becoming the hot spot for both nostalgic parents and their hip kids. My family recently spent a happy afternoon pinballing, joysticking, and button-pressing at this wonderful new family fun zone. Read on for the highlights.

Working out is hard. It's ten times harder if you've got kids climbing all over you, or whining for snacks and screen time, or just plain crying. Let's be honest, we could all use a little time for ourselves anyway. For your health, and your sanity, check out one of these great gyms in the city that offer childcare. Drop your kids off for a morning of fun and play, while you sweat it out.

My family has been having a great summer and making use of several ideas from our Ultimate Summer Play List along the way; it's hard to believe we're already more than halfway through the season. We've cooled off with water games, revisited classic backyard games from our childhoods, and turned childhood stories into family games. Of course, most plans we make involve asking someone to put down an electronic device (and give the poor, hounded Pokemon a rest). Wouldn't it be great if we could put those phones and tablets to more enriching use? Maybe even use them for some family playtime?

Ask and ye shall receive: check out these five ideas for exercising minds and thumbs together.

Let me be clear about one thing: I am no sailor. I could get seasick on a surfboard. So achieving one of the biggest no-brainer Southern California bucket list items - going on a whale watch cruise - was a daunting prospect for me and one that I had postponed repeatedly, shamelessly telling myself that I was concerned that my son might get seasick. But when I heard recently that rare blue whales were being spotted daily off the coast of Long Beach, right in the middle of summer vacation, it seemed time to face my water demons; and I am so glad I did.

If you’re looking for a fun extra-curricular activity for your budding artist there are many after school art class options in the Hartford County area. The arts are essential in stimulating creativity and developing innovative thinkers whether it’s through artistic expression of music or creating beautiful painted masterpieces. Check out one of these great programs in Hartford County to help inspire your little artist. For more fun ideas check out our After School Classes Guide.