Cookeez Makery is one of the hottest new toys of 2024!
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Make memories to last a lifetime at the all-inclusive Beaches Turks and Caicos.
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Test your family's knowledge with this fun list of Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader questions.
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Printable word search puzzles are a great way to keep little brains engaged.
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Would you rather drink hot chocolate or chocolate milk? Photo by the author
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The Saguaro in Palm Springs, California, beckons families with its pool and more.
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All you need for Crazy Hair Day are some cupcake baking cups! Photo by the author
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Join Dairy Queen's Blizzard Fan Club and enjoy a free birthday Blizzard! Photo courtesy of Sunny Daze and Dairy Queen
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Timber Ridge Lodge in Geneva, Wisconsin features both an indoor water park and outdoor pools.
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A water park, beach activities, and more await at Coconut Bay's all-inclusive resort in St. Lucia.
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Kids love these jokes that require audience participation. Photo by Jay Wood via Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
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Go ahead. Hand them the iPad; these websites for kids are fun and at least a little educational. Photo courtesy of Bigstock
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Belize is the perfect tropical vacation destination for families.
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Toys make perfect first birthday gifts for budding toddlers! But which ones? We've got you covered.
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Get a sunscreen they won't mind slathering on! Babyganics Mineral Sunscreen Lotion image courtesy of the company
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Skip the candy and the plastic that ends up in a landfill with these creative goody bag and party favor ideas. Photo courtesy of Hannah Rodrigo/Unsplash
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Being a dad is one of the two best jobs on earth. Photo courtesy of the City of Fort Collins, Colorado
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Kids can play these daily word games alone or with a friend. Photo by Sara Marentette
7 Games Like Wordle for Kids: Daily Word Games Online
Sea otters really don't want to get lost! Photo courtesy Joe Robertson/CC BY 2.0
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These questions to ask grandparents help kids get to know their favorite people a little better.
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It's time to plan the ultimate Bluey birthday party!
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Adorable? Yes. Useful? No way. Babies don't need shoes.
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Starface's star-shaped pimple patches make kids look and feel awesome while dealing with pimples.
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Kudos diapers use four times more plant-based materials than competing brands. Photo courtesy of Shark Tank Products
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It's up to kids to save our planet, with a little guidance from us. Photo by Ron Lach from Pexels
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There are so many fun ways to reuse your Imperfect Foods boxes. Photo courtesy of Imperfect Foods
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Grab your list and head out for a scavenger hunt with the kids!
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Now we can send you articles about things to do in your neighborhood that match your interests!
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Walking, talking, grabbing, holding, smiling, laughing... it's all coming. But when? Photo by Tatiana Syrikova, via Pexels
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One top tip is getting kids involved from the planning stage, and they'll want to help cook! Photo by Brooke Lark, via Pexels
Family Dinner Secrets from Savvy Parents: Weekly Menu Planners and Meal Planning Made Easy
Just one kid composting can save 400 pounds of food waste a year. So yes, one kid can make a difference! Photo by Maureen Wilkey
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When kids are bored, bored, bored, it's handy to have a whole list of fun things to do. Photo by Mommy Poppins
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There's nothing like a delicious cup of hot chocolate on a cold day. Photo courtesy of Cotton Bro Studios
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Disney turns 100 and there will be celebrations from coast to coast. Photo courtesy of Disneyland
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How about a birthday celebration at a local park for free! Photo by Antonius Ferret vis Pexels
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It's easier than you'd think to turn a simple paper lunch bag into a festive piñata!
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Learn some random fun facts that will leave your kids laughing. Photo by Sara Marentette
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Trader Joe's how do I love thee? Let me count the ways: for being inexpensive, gourmet and friendly.
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Snuggle up with one of these beloved bedtime stories for kids. Photo courtesy of Bigstock
41 Best Bedtime Stories for Kids, Including Free Bedtime Stories Online
Screen time doesn't have to be a solo activity with these fun, free online games for kids to play with friends.
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Take a spin around the lazy river at Mandalay Bay.
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Las Vegas, Nevada: 50 Awesome Things To Do in Vegas with Kids
SingleCare offers major savings on more than 10,000 prescription drugs through its free app.
This App Offers Up to 80% Off the Whole Family’s Prescription Meds–Here’s My SingleCare Review
The outdoors are a natural playground for curious kids.
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Remember getting your first Cabbage Patch Kid? Photo by Charlotte B
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Are you brave enough for some of these spooky ghost stories?
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A perfectly packed lunchbox helps kick the school blues. Photo courtesy of www.YumboxLunch.com
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Revel in the dirty hands! Outdoor activities help kids sleep better and jumpstarts their imaginations.
30 Outdoor Activities in Nature for Kids for Hands-on Outdoor Learning
Rent a gorgeous backyard pool like this for your family for an hour or a day. Photo courtesy of Swimply
Resort Passes and Daily Pool Rentals Near You: Family Resort Daycations for Everyone
Alphabet Soup. Photo courtesy of foodwithfeeling
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Gather 'round the campfire and sing some fun songs. Photo courtesy of the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation
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These funny jokes for kids will have them laughing in no time!
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Things like having a children's museum with a view like this make it easy to leave your heart in San Francisco. Photo courtesy of the Bay Area Discovery Museum
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Kids can give parents tickets if they forget to turn off the water to soap hands or brush teeth!
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A zip line and more await at Portland's Eagle's Nest Treehouse. Photo courtesy of julian@hipcamp
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Did you know a pillow fight is a great way to get proprioceptive input? Photo by Mommy Poppins
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Find a bare patch of soil to place your seed bomb. Spread them far and wide! Photo by the author
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The Outdoor Play Plaza at Greensboro Children's Museum in North Carolina.
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Enjoy stunning views of the Thames River.
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How does your garden grow? Photo by Filip Urban, Unsplash
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Taco Tuesday makes meal planning easy and dinner kid-pleasing.
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Enjoy the clear turquoise waters of Turks and Caicos.
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Watch as kids become entranced by a live show. Photo by Alexis Buatti Ramos, courtesy of the New Victory Theater
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Our guide to living a more earth-friendly life.
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Plan the perfect at-home kids' birthday party with these ideas and tips. Photo by Kampus Production via Pexels
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A water park, beach activities, and more await at Coconut Bay's all-inclusive resort in St. Lucia.
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We found plenty of things to do in Paris to fill our days and nights!
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Children are natural advocates for the planet and our actions truly can make a difference.
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Abracadabra! These videos teach kids how to do magic at home! Photo by Amina Filkins/Pexels
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Try wrapping your tongue around a few of these tantalizing twisters! Photo courtesy of Saeed Karimi via Unsplash
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Create colorful storm clouds out of shaving cream and food coloring.
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Science experiments and STEM activities for kids entrance children with their
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The outdoors are a natural playground for curious kids.
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girl making apple pie courtesy of canva
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Need a kids' music playlist that will get you dancing, eating, and even learning state capitals? We found a playlist for every occasion.
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Have a Post-it party! Easy but fun games for toddlers can be made with household items.
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The Muppet Show never goes out of style. Photo courtesy of Disney Enterprise, Inc.
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The Light We Feel Inside encourages children to look to Black female changemakers of the past as guides for their biggest feelings.
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Photo courtesy of Language Workshop for Children
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Milo Imagines the World, by Matt de la Peña was one of our favorite books of the year.
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Long car rides don't have to be boring!
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Mexican Instant Pot Quinoa warms on a chilly night.
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For Grandparents' Day or any day, the best gift is more time with grandkids! Photo courtesy of Canva
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Ride the San Diego Zoo Skyfari. Photo courtesy of Christina Simmons, for the San Diego Zoo.
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Walk the rocks at Fort Williams for views of Portland Head Light and the waves.
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With Bestow, get a personalized term life insurance quote—no medical exam required—in as little as five minutes.
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Cypress Springs Water Park at Gaylord Palms Resort has the perfect lazy river for families to enjoy together. Photo courtesy of the resort
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Keep babies occupied with highchair activities at their own baby activity center.
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Climb to the highest point in Tennessee at Clingmans Dome in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
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SeaWorld Orlando theme park, zoo and aquarium offers exciting rides and roller coasters, up-close animal encounters. Photo by the author
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Dessert charcutterie boards, like this S'mores Board, delight kids and parents alike.
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Build trains, cars, houses, and creatures with cardboard boxes!
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A water park, beach activities, and more await at Coconut Bay's all-inclusive resort in St. Lucia.
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Suncatcher_Liz Baill @creativishmom
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The Skydeck at Willis Tower has spectacular views spanning four states.
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This Week: NY County Fairs, Labor Day Weekend Family Getaways, Free NYC After School, End-of-Summer Fun

8/21/14 - By Raven Snook

Even though it's still a week away, Labor Day weekend seems to be on everyone's mind. So we started a special Labor Day section in our Summer Fun Guide featuring family getaway ideas, including destinations that don't require a car, plus last-minute travel deals on more far-flung excursions like Niagara Falls, Portland, Maine and even Orlando.

Our regional sites are good places to look for offbeat day trip inspiration. Just this week, Connecticut posted about the nature-filled town of Monroe, New Jersey shared a list of the top 25 things to do with preschoolers in the state, Westchester rounded up county fairs in upstate New York and Long Island has a super-detailed Hamptons and North Fork Family Guide.

If you're looking at a NYC staycation, our Summer Guide is packed with last-chance seasonal fun like water playgrounds, pools and beaches (that's my daughter at the Rockaway installation in Fort Tilden above, a must-see if you're heading to the shore over there).

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

We continued our series of posts on Coney Island & Brighton Beach with a roundup of our favorite family restaurants in the adjacent neighborhoods.

In search of some good, old-fashioned country fun? Try hitting one of these ride-and-animal-filled county fairs, including three right here in NYC!

We wrapped up our awesome SUMMER OF PLAY with a slide show of playful family pics, plus tips on how to throw the ultimate end-of-summer bash.

A nature center, mini-golf, kid-friendly hiking trails and an Adventure Course with a zip line—there are lots of things to discover in Queens' 635-acre Alley Pond Park.

Our biweekly news post includes info on TADA! Youth Theater auditions, how to apply to the NYC Parks Department's FREE after-school program, and the release of the ELA and Math Assessment questions and scores.

We organized our Labor Day getaways post by theme, so find out where you can get wet, meet the animals or experience an adrenaline rush.

This week's WeeWork project is an adorable nature wand craft.

Best bets for the weekend include the FREE Arthur Ashe Kids' Day in Queens, the final FringeJr performances at the 14th Street Y and the Volkswagen Traffic Jam on Governors Island.