Walking tours are a great way for families, both native and tourists, to explore NYC. Whether you tour a neighborhood or borough you don't know well or one you've known forever, you are bound to learn something new while having plenty of fun. In a city as chock-full of life as New York, tour options are available for seemingly every sort of interest. You can take eating tours, check out movie and TV locations, explore nature, get a deeper understanding of Big Apple history and even learn which local wild plants are safe to eat.  

My son and I are big fans of walking tours, particularly ghost tours. We loved the spooky history tour we took in Montreal, and the Colonial-themed ghost tour of Williamsburg, Virginia. But until last summer, we hadn't tried a walking tour in NYC. We fixed that by tramping around the West Village with a Ghost Tour of NYC guide and fellow Mommy Poppins contributor Raven and her daughter. We had a blast and so did our almost-tween kids: We learned which Greenwich Village apartment buildings may be haunted and by what; gleaned some interesting historical tidbits; unearthed the macabre history of Washington Square Park; and discovered you don't have to be a tourist to enjoy a good walking tour.

Looking for more ways to see the city? Check out our Visitors' Guide, which includes reviews of all the city's best sights, places to eat, and stay.

With screen time, lessons, daycare, and school it doesn’t seem like there’s much time to explore nature and discover new places, but tell kids that there’s a special house built in a tree for them to discover, and watch their curiosity take over. Tyler Arboretum, Longwood Gardens, Morris Arboretum, and Treehouse World are perfect for kids of all ages because there's plenty of places to explore. Parents who have dreamed of building a tree house in the backyard will find plenty of inspiration, too.

I will not lie. When I heard a permanent cereal bar opened earlier this month near Times Square, I thought it would just be a trap for tourists. But after visiting, I found Kellogg's NYC to be an adorable cafe appealing to many diverse visitors (even us proud New Yorkers) with a fondness for breakfast; it will take you right back to your mother’s kitchen, filling everyone’s bowl with a whole lot more than just Rice Krispies.

We ran into Rob Nieporent, general manager of Kellogg's NYC, who told us that the inspiration behind the cafe was not merely to enhance Kellogg's bottom line or reinvent a tried-and-true brand name. Instead, Nieporent explained that the masterminds behind the restaurant wanted consumers to think about cereal in a new light. Beyond a staple breakfast food, the cereal bar demonstrates how the Kellogg's cereals we grew up with pair with a number of other ingredients, including blueberry jam, mint, and lemon zest. After trying three scrumptious concoctions inspired by pastry chef Christina Tosi (the founder behind the cereal-studded Momofuku Milk Bar), they sure had us convinced. 

UPDATE: This cafe moved to Union Square on December 7, 2017. The new address is 31 E. 17th Street, New York, NY.

Many Nutmeggers plan their family vacations for August, but it's actually a fabulous time for a staycation with so many outdoor movies, concerts, and festivals that you can have a brand new adventure almost every day--from evening movies in Mill River Park to lunchtime concerts on Sherman Green.

We've collected some of our favorite events in Fairfield County this August. All events are family friendly, but some movies and concerts may be more appealing to kids than others. Most of these events are free, but some--especially those on the beach--charge for parking if you do not have a resident sticker. In the event of rain, check individual websites for information regarding rescheduling or changes in venue. We have listed many more great events happening this August across our state in our August GoList.

Have fun!

Finding appropriate recreation programs for your special needs child can be extremely challenging. Far in the future are the days when my children will understand which direction to run the bases, why the referee’s blowing that darn whistle and why kids are wearing different-colored uniforms.  And the days when my children will understand, accept and implement the idea of taking turns and sharing a ball with 20 other children without having a complete meltdown seem even farther away.  Don’t get me wrong, I am all for the “least restrictive environment” when it comes to educating our children.  But how can most special needs children be held accountable to the strict rules and regulations of a rigid sports program without becoming agitated with the whole process? Well, with the increase in available special needs recreation programs throughout New Jersey – programs that are appropriate for my children - I can finally be a “Sports Mom”!

 Overlooking West Point, Constitution Island and the Hudson River, Boscobel House and Gardens is a wonderful place to step back in time and take a break from our modern rush-around world. Originally built in Montrose, N.Y., and moved to its current location in Garrison in the 1950s, Boscobel House dates back to the early 1800s.

Throughout the year Boscobel hosts a variety of family-friendly events, in addition to the tours, picnicking, hiking and sight seeing opportunities that are available April through December. We have what you need to know about visiting these immaculately restored grounds, which reflect the grandeur of when it was home to one of Westchester’s wealthiest women. 

Outsiders might see New York City as just a "concrete jungle," but New Yorkers know its nearly 2,000 parks offer some of our best urban-living perks. For families, the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation runs a ton of free kid activities and programs, helping us get the most out of our parks year-round. Of course, you have to know when and how to score these freebies!

At Mommy Poppins we've tried out a number of these programs and now we're sharing a few of our favorites with you, including all the details on what's coming up this fall and when to register, from kid swim lessons and archery to the balance beam act you see in the photo above. The catch? Availability is limited and participants are selected through a lottery. Read on for details on how to claim your spot.

Cincinnati, Ohio hits the highbrow and lowbrow sweet spot for families. It may be referred to as the Queen City, but there are no regal airs in this utterly unpretentious town.

Proud of its working-class roots, Cincinnati forges into the 21st century with plenty of innovations. Its compact core makes it ideal for walking and an eagerly anticipated new streetcar route opens in September, connecting its diverse outlying neighborhoods with the vibrant downtown. Nature lovers can bask in Cincinnati's leafy parks just minutes from the city center. Pro sports are a big deal, with baseball’s Reds and football’s Bengals leading the charge, but families with an interest in history and the arts have also come to the right place.

To help families get the most out a visit to Ohio's Queen City, we've pulled together a carefully curated list of things to see and experience with kids. For more stateside family vacation ideas, be sure to check out our United States Family Travel Guide.