Mommy Poppins

3-Day Itinerary in Hot Springs, VA: The Perfect Winter Getaway with Kids at the Omni Homestead Resort

Stephanie Shipman — 02/13/2026

Hot Springs, Virginia is less than a four-hour drive west of DC proper, but it feels like a world away. Home to what it is named for—a natural warm spring that even families can enjoy—it's a great place to escape to in the winter.

In Hot Springs, families can explore nature preserves and overlooks, take in a concert at the local music center, and enjoy plenty of snow sports like skiing, tubing, and snowboarding. Spring and summer are also popular times to visit, but there is something for everyone to enjoy in the town in the winter.

Read ahead for the perfect winter weekend itinerary in Hot Springs, VA. Then check out our DC Winter Day Trips Guide for more winter family fun.

Hot Springs, Virginia is less than a four-hour drive west of DC proper, but it feels like a world away. Home to what it is named for—a natural Warm Spring that even families can enjoy—it's a great place to escape to in the winter.

Read ahead for the perfect winter weekend itinerary in Hot Springs, VA. Then check out our DC Winter Day Trips Guide for more winter family fun.

Shake Off the Summer Cobwebs: 22 Fun, Homework-Free Ways to Prep NYC Kids for School

Yuliya Geikhman — 09/01/2026

Sneak a little learning into these last few days of summer vacation with these parent-tested tips for fun, educational outings.

Summer is ending, and with school just around the corner, making that leap from summer fun—like playgrounds and splash pads—to the classroom chair isn't always easy. It's time to shake off those summer cobwebs but with a little end-of-summer fun along the way. These 22 fun things to do around NYC are guaranteed to get kids brains back in gear, but don't sacrifice the fun to do it. Think everything from at-home crafts to cool FREE drop-in classes, hands-on museums, and history-filled tours. All are fun NYC destinations for kids that hardly feel like school, even as they get the wheels turning.

So, read on to get started on these fun, homework-free back-to-school activities. After all, the final countdown to the first day of school just hit single digits...Find all of our resources for NYC school kids in our Back-to-School Guide for Families and enjoy ekeing out what's left of summertime's magic.

Best Educational End-of-Summer Activities in NYC, At-a-Glance:

Best Back-to-School Activity for Toddlers: Visit a children's museum
Best Back-to-School Activity for STEM Enthusiasts: Visit a robotics shop or maker space
Best Active Back-to-School Activity: Take a guided walking tour
Best Cultural Back-to-School Activity: Visit a historic house
Best Back-to-School Activity for Nature Lovers: Alley Pond Park

San Francisco Bay Area City & Neighborhood Guides for Families

Meghan Rose — 08/31/2026

Explore the San Francisco Bay Area with kids, from Oakland and Marin to San Jose, Napa, Sonoma, and Santa Cruz, with local guides to the best family things to do.

The San Francisco Bay Area covers a lot of ground, and every corner offers a different kind of family adventure. Whether you're exploring Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, finding kid-friendly gems in Oakland and the East Bay, heading north to Sausalito, Marin, Napa, and Sonoma, or venturing south to San Mateo, San Jose, and Santa Cruz, our local guides help you find the places Bay Area families actually love.

From San Francisco to Silicon Valley and the East Bay to Wine Country and Santa Cruz, you'll find local bucket lists, family itineraries, hidden gems, playgrounds, restaurants, and the best things to do with babies, toddlers, big kids, and teens—all curated by local parents.

Washington DC City & Neighborhood Guides for Families

Meghan Rose — 08/31/2026

Explore Washington, DC with kids, from Downtown and Capitol Hill to NoVa, Prince George's County, and Baltimore, with local guides to the best family things to do.

The DC area stretches far beyond the National Mall, with family adventures in every direction. Whether you're exploring the museums and monuments of Downtown DC and Capitol Hill, finding kid-friendly favorites across Northern Virginia, heading into Montgomery or Prince George's County for parks and hidden gems, or making a day trip to Baltimore, our local guides help you find the places DC-area families actually love.

From Capitol Hill to NoVa and Montgomery County to Baltimore, you'll find local bucket lists, family itineraries, hidden gems, playgrounds, restaurants, and the best things to do with babies, toddlers, big kids, and teens—all curated by local parents.

Philadelphia City & Neighborhood Guides for Families

Meghan Rose — 08/31/2026

Explore Philadelphia with kids, from Philly and Bucks County to Montgomery, Chester, Delco, and Delaware, with local guides to the best family things to do.

Philadelphia family fun stretches well beyond the city limits, with each surrounding county offering something different for kids. Whether you're exploring museums, historic sites, neighborhoods, and playgrounds in Philadelphia, visiting farms and charming towns in Bucks County, finding family favorites in Montgomery and Chester counties, or heading to Delco for parks, attractions, and easy day trips, our local guides help you find the places Philly-area families actually love.

From Center City to the Main Line and Bucks County to Delaware, you'll find local bucket lists, family itineraries, hidden gems, playgrounds, restaurants, and the best things to do with babies, toddlers, big kids, and teens—all curated by local parents.

Atlanta City & Neighborhood Guides for Families

Meghan Rose — 08/31/2026

Explore Atlanta with kids by neighborhood, from Buckhead and Decatur to Intown and OTP, with local guides to family attractions, activities, and hidden gems.

Atlanta is a city of neighborhoods—and for families, where you are can completely change what there is to do. Whether you're exploring museums and parks in Intown Atlanta, finding kid-friendly restaurants in Buckhead or Brookhaven, spending the day in Decatur or Druid Hills, or heading OTP for nature centers, playgrounds, festivals, and family attractions, our local guides help you find the places Atlanta families actually love.

From Buckhead to Decatur and East OTP to West OTP, you'll find neighborhood bucket lists, family itineraries, hidden gems, playgrounds, restaurants, and the best things to do with babies, toddlers, big kids, and teens—all curated by local parents.

Connecticut City & County Guides for Families

Meghan Rose — 08/31/2026

Explore Connecticut with kids by county and city, from Fairfield and New Haven to Hartford, Litchfield, and Eastern CT, with local guides to the best family things to do.

Connecticut isn't the biggest state, but it sure has a lot of personality! Whether you're spending the day at the beaches and museums of Fairfield County, exploring New Haven, finding family fun around Hartford, heading to Litchfield County for farms and fall foliage, or discovering the shoreline and small towns of Eastern Connecticut, our local guides help you find the places families who actually live here love.

From Greenwich to Mystic and everywhere in between, you'll find county and city bucket lists, family itineraries, hidden gems, playgrounds, restaurants, and the best things to do with babies, toddlers, big kids, and teens—all curated by local parents.

Here's the NYC Public School Calendar for 2026-2027

Jody Mercier — 08/31/2026

The NYC DOE just released its 2026-2027 school year calendar. Here are all the days kids will be out of school next year.

If you've got a child in public school, you live by the public school calendar. Many local NYC preschools follow the public school schedule, too. The New York City Department of Education's calendar for the 2026-2027 school year is below, and you'll want to bookmark it now for reference—and to help with planning family vacations and school break camp coverage.

Once again, there will be no snow days. Plan on logging your NYC kiddos on for a day of remote learning whenever buildings are closed for snow or other emergencies.

2026-2027 NYC Public School Calendar, At-a-Glance

First day of school: Thursday, September 10, 2026
Last day of school: Monday, June 28, 2027
Holiday break: Thursday, December 24, 2026-Friday, January 1, 2027
Spring break: Thursday, April 22-Friday, April 30, 2027

Looking for the 2025-2026 school year calendar? We've got all the important dates right here.

September Holidays for Kids: A Kid-Friendly Celebration for Every Day

Meghan Rose — 08/31/2026

From Talk Like a Pirate Day to Grandparents' Day, there are more fun things to celebrate in September than just Labor Day!

September means summer is in the rearview, and thoughts turn to school, apple picking, colorful leaves, and more fall fun.

One of my favorite ways to pick something new and fun to do on any given day is to celebrate a holiday! There are national days and holidays just about every day of the year, and it can be fun to take inspiration from them to plan an outing, craft, activity, treat, or game in honor of a silly holiday. Sure, September has Labor Day, but September is also home to National Play-Doh Day (below we've got an easy recipe to make your own), Talk Like a Pirate Day, and so much more.

Check this list, and you’ll find the perfect thing to do with your kids each and every day. And if you're planning a fall getaway, check our travel guides to our favorite gorgeous fall family destinations in our travel guides to New England, the Poconos, and Maine.

Corn Mazes in Connecticut: Fall Fun for Families

Clementina Verge — 08/30/2026

Locals are spoiled with lots (and lots!) of corn mazes in Connecticut to explore; almost every town is close to one. For Nutmeg families, it's an autumn tradition. Many locations boast not just interesting fields of carved corn, but food, animals, ice cream, games, and play areas. As always read through the most updated information on how challenging the maze is and how you should dress. Many offer easier alternative corn mazes for the little (or less patient) kiddos.

For more fall events and seasonal family activities, see our picks for the best apple picking in Connecticut, or explore the best fall festivals in Connecticut 2026 and add more family fun to your calendar.