All kids can be affected by sensory processing issues, where certain situations and feelings just become overwhelming. Exposing kids to a variety of sensory activities in a calm, playful manner can alleviate some of these problems.

In that spirit, we've put together this list of 99 sensory activities for toddlers and babies up through big kids; in fact, they're even helpful for adults. My kids' school's occupational therapist once gave a seminar to parents on sensory balance and activities for maintaining a sensory-savvy schedule. I now realize my engine tends to run too low and I need to work harder at energizing myself throughout the day. I have incorporated some of these activities to keep my own energy up.

For more tips and sensory activities for kids of all ages, see our posts on Sensory Bin Ideas for Busy Toddlers, DIY Sensory Activities for Babies, and Sensory Savvy Snacks for Kids.

The environment is one of the most critical issues facing our children’s futures. Our new Earth Kids Guide and newsletter will provide meaningful and fun activities to engage children and families with sustainability.

When I started Mommy Poppins in 2007, my vision was to organize information about the most interesting, especially free and affordable, cultural activities and destinations for families to create greater access to things that were not at that time always easy to find out about. I wanted to promote a vision of parenting that was about enriching the lives of families with culture and amazing experiences, rather than products and unachievable (for most people) luxuries.  

15 years later, as our world seems to be wobbling on its axis, my concerns as a parent are so different. The climate crisis is front and center because without a healthy planet, what else matters? But how do we change course on this road we seem to be so far down already?

Summer camp can be especially stressful for your family's finances—even more so during the pandemic—while we want our children to have a fun, rewarding, and safe experience, we don't want to dig into our retirement fund to pay for it. New York City families are lucky because free and cheap summer day camps abound all across the five boroughs, where arts and education funding subsidizes some excellent New York City programs so all children can enjoy a fantastic summer camp experience.

Read on for all our picks for FREE and bargain summer camps in NYC. Find more summer camps in New York City, including preschool summer camps, great sleepaway summer camps in the Northeast, and STEM summer day camps in our Summer Camp Guide and Camp Directory, where you can search for summer camps by type, age, and neighborhood.