Tips on Fun Things to Do, Lifestyle, Leisure, Parenting & more (2024)

Adventures & Sports Charlemont, MA

Berkshire East Canopy Tours are three thrilling family attractions located at the Berkshire East Mountain Resort in Massachusetts. Outdoor enthusiasts can choose between three different zip line tours that include

Education Resources

In most schools these days, parents are required to supply snack for their children. This mid-morning boost can get boring for kids after a while. We have some healthy ideas for this week. If

Jokes for Kids

Share these hilarious school jokes with your teachers and friends. These are great for the lunchroom, recess, travelling on field trips and anytime there is free time to share. These jokes are sure to put a smile

Jokes for Kids

Lighten the schoolwork load with some lighthearted and silly school themed jokes. There is nothing like some laughter and positive interaction to start the school day off right. Send your kids off to school with

Theater & Performance Portland, OR

Think of all the things that you were told not to do in school and finally do it here! The McMenamins chain has converted this old elementary school building into a hotel, movie theater, and a dining establishment

Adventures & Sports Santa Cruz, CA

Growing out of the lifelong obsession of its owner Ed Guzman, Santa Cruz's Club Ed Santa Cruz Surf School gives surfing lessons unlike any other. Lessons here are not just about riding waves, they also teach you

Theater & Performance Reading, MA

Creative Arts is a small, non-profit community school for theatre, music and art for all ages. Classes and events are held Inside the 1st Congregational Church. Theatre classes and workshops range from

Parks & Nature East Haddam, CT

Prepare to be amazed at the breathtaking views and the intricate details of this 24 room mansion of Gillette Castle on the stunning state park grounds. This medieval castle was designed and built by William Hooker

Zoos & Aquariums East Haddam, CT

Ray of Light Farm is a hidden treasure. The farm is a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating abandoned, abused, and neglected animals. This farm is free to visit, although they welcome

Adventures & Sports East Stroudsburg, PA

Let your kids experience the outdoors and swing on trees, walk through obstacles, and see the world from 40 feet above. Pocono Tree Ventures offer a fun-filled family adventure in the outdoors. Experience rope

Amusem*nts

Water Wizz is one of the major water amusem*nt parks in Massachusetts. It is chock full of fun rides and attractions for a range of ages. The park also offers it services to groups at a discounted rate; reservations

Adventures & Sports East Point, GA

The Dick Lane Velodrome is the place to go for any cycling nut in Atlanta. With a mix of professional and amateur races, many of which are free to attend this is where you will find top athletes taking part in

Farms & Orchards East Troy, WI

Spend a day learning about farm animals at Green Meadows Petting Farm. Families who have enjoyed hands-on activities such as petting the animals and fruit-picking are giving the farm great reviews. Guests are

Museums & Science East Windsor, CT

Hop on a trolley and take a trip back in time on the 3 mile track at the Connecticut Trolley Museum in East Windsor, CT. Your friendly conductor will be your guide as he/she narrates your historical journey. All

Amusem*nts Columbus, OH

Magic Mountain Fun Centers have two separate locations in Columbus, Ohio; the Polaris Center and the East Center. Both offer fun activities for children and families. Karts, mini golf, laser tag, an arcade and

Landmarks & History East Meredith, NY

Hanford Mills Museum is a historic museum that features a sawmill, a water wheel and vintage machines, the museum is located in East Meredith, New York. Hanford Mill is one of the few last surviving mills of the

Activities Resources

I found this article on Babycenter.com and I thought that I would share it since it's so cute. The article list eight different ways that the family can make the holidays special for the kids. My favorite one

Nutrition & Diets

Since I'm not as active as I used to be, I find that the holiday season presents the bigggest challenge to not gaining weight. With all of the parties and get togethers where everyone pulls out alll the stops

Stardust Gym, located in East Bridgewater, Ma, is a gym for children offering birthday parties, gymnastics classes, toddler programs, open gym time and vacation camps. The gym includes a 20' rock wall, a trapeze

Meal Planning

Before you head to the grocery store get out every recipe of any item you will be making in the next week and make sure you have all you need. Need brown sugar – check the panty – those seldom used

Restaurants

Looking for a family restaurant on the Manhattan's upper east side? How about a big frozen drink to take the edge off dining out with the kids? New York's Dallas BBQ restaurant on Third Avenue by 73 Street

Activities Resources

Please, take the time to CHECK THIS OUT ! This website is an amazing source of year-round savings! From craft, party and teaching supplies to any holiday related item for the whole family, this is the place to shop

Parks & Nature

Looking for a safe and friendly playground in a beautiful setting? When my son was younger I spent many hours at the playground in Carl Schultz Park, located on Manhattan's upper east side. The playgroundis

Arts & Crafts

I’ve been enjoying my daily newsletters from the Better Homes and Gardens 100 Days of Holidays, where they send slide shows with tons of ideas for holiday recipes, crafts, costumes, scrapbooking, gifts, and

Family Finance

The holidays are a very stressful time for a lot of people. Parents worry that they won't have enough presents for their kids and the kids want everything that is advertised on television. The holidays

Family Finance

Give yourself a reason. According to a recent poll, approximately 65 percent of us spend the majority of our free time doing things we don't want to do. For the holidays, take a step back and consider how

Home & Garden

A new idea for holiday cards or other occasions - hand made cards that grow into flowers when you plant them! Cute designs, and an environmentally friendly way to send someone a note card! A box of 4 cards is around

Gift Ideas

Instead of fighting for a parking space and battling the shopping crowds this holiday season, why not stay home and create delicious holiday gifts in the kitchen with your kids instead? This hot cocoa recipe will

Family Finance

Want to know when your state's sales tax holiday is? Check out this website - it lists all of the state sales tax holidays. If you want even more tips onhow to do your shopping sales tax free, check

Fun Quirky Stuff

You, your family and even your pets cantake part in thiswhimsical, onlineholiday card. The site allows you to download up to five picturesthat are used as the faces of elves that dance

Activities Resources

Here's a great way to get your children more involved in family traditions, whether it be national holidays,religious holy days, or culture-specific celebrations. Challenge your kids to research the origin

Marriage & Relationships

If you have been dealilng with infidelity in your relationship, then you how difficult the holidays can become. The holidays are typically linked ot happiness and good times, good memories and fun.&nbsp

Parenting

Not sure what go get your friend or loved one for Christmas? Do you need a last minute Birthday present? Gifts.com has hundreds of gift ideas. You can search by an occasions, recipient, price, etc. I found there

Parenting

Want to help your kids have perfect manners for the holidays? Check out a few of these books to help them be perfectly polite. Emily's Magic Words: Please, Thank You & More: a book for toddlers from

Recipes

I think food gifts are great for the holidays. Who doesn’t appreciate a treat? Here are some recipes for items that will make a great gift for a teacher or friend. Also, good resource for packaging homemade

Home & Garden

MySimon is a site that allows you to comparison shop on every item from computers to handbags....I love this site especially for the holidays. You can check out which companies offer the best prices as well as check

Parenting

The School Family site is great. I'm trying to find some strategies to get us ready for schoolthis year and this site has it all! The site offers way more than I expected and intend to reference

Schools

Experience the Atrium School, an innovative education for Pre-Kindergarten through 6th Grade. Open Houses November 5: 9-10:30 AM November 7: 1:00-3:00 PM December 3: 9-10:30 AM December 5: 1:00-3:00

Education Resources

It’s never too early to prepare for back-to-school! momAgenda’s back-to-school checklist helps get all your ducklings in a row for a less frantic first day of school. This free printable provides a handy

Schools

Information and tips by grade level about what your child will be learning in school, social development milestones, and more. What to expect, get ready for kindergarten, social changes by grade. Click on an

Education Resources

This awesome website called Kid-Friendly Search is divided into school subjects including math, language arts, reference, and others. Each category has several websites. Each website has several activities, games

Home & Garden

Back to school for most parents could either be a joyous occasion or it might possibly be anoverwhelming experience. Take it from a mother of four, if there is not some form of organization present

Arts & Crafts

Looking to find out how to teach your child the letter A? or how about how to make holiday crafts? This is the only site you will ever need. I have made alphabet books, puppets, worksheets to

PTOs/Fundraising

KIDS KONSERVE Continues to Make a Difference. THE FACTS - The average school aged child generates an estimated 67 pounds of lunchtime trash per school year. 25 million children carry lunch to school daily

Home & Garden

If you have a child just starting kindergarten, or even if you have one already in elementary school, check out this adorable school memories scrapbook: School Years: A Family Keepsake of School Memories. This

Health & Safety

The holidays are a fascinating time for your baby with all of the new decorations set-up in the house and people coming and going. Busy babies and toddlers love to explore — especially around the holidays.&nbsp

Parenting

Newsweek recently featured a ZERO TO THREE school readiness tool as one of their top picks. "Learning Happens" is described as an interactive tool"designed to help parents and caregivers encourage

Home Schooling

Guard Up! Family Swordsmanship offers special Home School classes for ages 6-10 and 11-15 at their facility near the Burlington Mall. The sessions run during the school year and allow for additional membership

After School Programs

Does your child sit behind a computer after school? Unplug them andlet them LIVE the adventure! Here’s how it works: We pick up your childor teenfrom their school in our “Hero

Parenting

In a perfect world, there would be a crossing guard and crosswalk on every busy street in the neighborhood. We would dress our children in bright orange vests as we waved goodbye to them at the door, and send them

Parenting

This is a very interesting article that I found on MSN. The article aims to answer whether school uniforms make better students. My son is in a private school and has to wear a uniform everyday to school. This has

Gift Ideas

Here’s a great list of 71 ways to give for the holidays without opening your wallet. The authors ask tweeters and bloggers to give suggestions, and some of the suggestions include ideas like cleaning

PTOs/Fundraising

Does your school need resources but lack the funds to get them? If you are a public school teacher, consider requesting a donation through a great organization called DonorsChoose. At their website, you can learn

Arts & Crafts

You Can Make It Too! Easy Decoration! While out shopping the other day there were already Halloween & Thanksgiving decorations out. I need to ease into the season a little more slowly - after

Family Finance

I LOVE Discount School Supply for its vast array of materials for kids. Many friends of mine, some homeschoolers, enjoy purchasing from this company on a weekly basis. I've been searching for some

Meal Planning

This webpage has a few different articles with more school lunch ideas and discussions. I don't know about you, but I can never have enough good ideas for healthy lunches and snacks, and how to make/package

Home & Garden

Want to go green, save money, and teach your kids to be environmentally responsible? Packing a school lunch is the perfect opportunity for you to teach your child about being green. It's easy!&nbsp

Arts & Crafts

Do your kids bring more stuff home from school than you know what to do with? I'm pretty sure that in my house we throw away more from my kids book bags than anywhere else. It's especially hard

Family Movies

11 Spooky Halloween Movies on DVD and VHS for School Age Children - Here is a list of 11 spooky Halloween DVDs for school age children five to seven. Look for these spooky DVDs for kids five to seven at your local

Parenting

Are you a school teacher, a cub scout or girl scout leader and looking for ideas to take kids for a field trip? Field Trip Factory is a great place to find out where local business allow children groups to

Theater & Performance

Get the kids ready! A new stage musical based on the Disney hit High School Musical is coming to the Kodak Theatre in December. A perfect christmas gift for your little fan! Tickets went on sale last weekend

Meal Planning

Do you want to makechildren's lunches for preschool or elementary school a little more fun!! Save leftover valentine's from Valentine's Day, and on special occasions, such as birthday, first

Music & CDs

The Suzuki School of Newton is a non-profit, out-of-school instrumental music program offering lessons in Suzuki violin, viola, cello, piano, guitar, flute, harp, music theory, chamber music, and orchestra in addition

Parenting

I am a Single Mother by Choice, having used an anonymous sperm donor to conceive my child. He's now in second grade, and I have found this tip to be handy in our situation. Invariably,a classmakew

Schools

My daughter just started kindergarten at the "big kid" school which goes from K-5th grade.Not only is she at the larger elementary school but she is taking the school bus to and from school (yeah

Marriage & Relationships

The Cambridge School of Culinary Arts in MA is offering “Couples Classes” on Saturdays. Both partners can learn cooking techniques and new recipes, and then enjoy a sit-down meal at the end. Read the

Schools

Did you know that Channel 5's website has an alert service so you can be notified when your school is closed? You can get the alerts sent to your email or cell phone. Fox 25 has the same service as well&nbsp

Education Resources

North Shore Montessori School is an excellent preschool and Kindergarten in my area. Margaret Henry is the founder and Director of the school and she just shines (and so do the kids under her care!). Both

Parenting

I felt like I outgrew Parenting Magazine once my daughter started school; it seemed as though the emphasis was on babies and preschoolers. Now I found out that Parenting is publishing a new magazine, called

Education Resources

If you have a middle school age child that has begun acting out or showing signs of stress, this site can be a great help. Many middle school age children find that making the transition from elementary

Activities Resources

My daughter recently came home asking for our family to play 'Four Square' one of my absolute favorite childhood games...but I had forgotten the rules. I found this great article on all the rules

Education Resources

With Back to School around the corner, you still have time to add one more item to the list and complete even after school begins. This site touches on where to register your school for obtaining an Organic Gardening

Schools

From the website: As a school for young children, Beginnings offers a unique program and curriculum - one that provides an important pathway for guiding children from 3 months to 8 years in all areas of growth

Kids & Technology

For the first time ever, QVC and Dell are giving one lucky winner the chance to appear on television and take home a brand new Dell laptop. Simply enter theDell Back-To-School Casting Call.Visithttp:/

Nutrition & Diets

Here are some snack choices that you can feel good about for your kids when they arrive home with hungry bellies. Yogurt Parfait– Layer vanilla yogurt, berries and/or bananas and granola in a

Parks & Nature

EMC Park Excellent playground/park locatedoff of Route 85 in Hopkinton, near the Hopkinton High School/Middle School. Two separate playgrounds, including a gated toddler/preschool playground and a larger

Martial Arts Classes

My children are students at the Independent Karate School, which is headquartered in Nashua, NH, but which also offers classes in Merrimack. Karate schools are a dime a dozen-but not like this one.&nbsp

Education Resources

If you have middle school or high school kids who need to go online for homework,and you live in Illinois, try InfoinaBox.com . It's an online library of 300 reference books, good ones from major publishers

Teachers

It is lovely to start the new school year with an inexpensive gift for the new teacher. I found the coolest thing on ebay: personalized stickers for teachers to put on student papers. There are dozens of different

Nutrition & Diets

My kids are big enough that there's not always an adult home with them after school, and we always find out later that they took advantage of that fact when choosing their snacks. Since school begins soon

Toys & Games

My 7 year old received Granny Apples for her birthday and it is fun & exciting. You need to be able to do quick math in your head to win - it is great practice during the summer! A description of the game from

Parenting

I've been looking for an easy to use keepsake album for both of my daughers. I found these beautiful albums that fit the bill. aimeej makes great "back to school" keepsake albums and scrapbooks...pe

Activities Resources

Missy Barker teaches music classes for young children of all ages. My daughter, Selah, took a Kindermusik Village class with her when Selah was five months old. At first, I felt nervous, thinking she might be too

Education Resources

Do some summer reading of your own! Here are a few books that can help you be an active participant in your child's education. Search your local library catalog for them, or find them in at the bookstore for

Martial Arts Classes

Rocky DiRico is truly a master, not only at Karate, but also at reaching and teaching children of all ages. He manages to keep a class of students from toddler through teenager motivated, and interested in

Childcare

1-2-3 Little Me! in Newburyport is an arts & crafts studio for young children ages 1-6 years. It is the perfect place for your child to paint, squish and make a mess. You may stay or this studio offers

Education Resources

"Winnie" from The Wonder Years has written a book called "Math Doesn't Suck" specifically for pre-teen and teen girls, showing them that math isn't just for boys. Her examples are about

Martial Arts Classes

Professor Tim Barchard is a 6th Degree Black Belt and owner of Professional Martial Arts Academy in Derry, NH has been in business since 1994. There are many martial arts schools in the Derry area but only

Education Resources

If you have a child that struggles with math or simply enjoys math and needs to keep up with their skills, make it fun. My 4th grader loves math and she recommends the Sumdog website. In her words:

Activities Resources

Create a reading library right in your own home! When your children are on holiday break, or off for the summer, fill your home with classic texts, books by new authors and educational books. Hopefully, with so

Cooking Classes

Create-a-cook is a cooking school just for kids. It has terrific classes and workshops where kids actually prepare and cook meals. My four-year-old and I have been taking classes since last year, and we both enjoy

Home & Garden

I thought this was a great idea – reusable bags for sandwiches and snacks that are lined with nylon and can be wiped clean. Even better, they can also be machine washed and dried. It’s a

Printable Activities

I put these in my daughter's lunch box one day at school and she came home raving about them! I even sneak them in her camp lunch box to surprise her. Lunch box jokes & notes are a great surprise

Birthday Parties

Looking for a terrific spot to host your next birthday party? The Danforth Museum School of Art offersa one and one half hour art workshop and a private half hour birthday celebration. You won't have to worry

Childcare

Winter School Break Adventures are a great option for parents who need to work and want their kids to "unplug". Held atan indoor facility in Burlington, MA near the Burlington Mall, thisevent

Family Movies

Looking to introduce your preschool child to the wonderful world of the big screen? SONY Wonder Technology Lab offers free Saturday afternoon movie screening suitable for ages 2 though 6. As the theater can only

Arts & Crafts

Arthur and his friends may be smart and sophisticated, but they still like to have fun! Join them for some Halloween trickery! Find free Halloween coloring pages of Arthur and his freinds. Arthur is a show about

Gift Ideas

Looking for some gifts forgirls in elementary school? Try these creative arts and crafts kits and give them a thinking gift! Illustory : Author your own book! Squiggles: A Really Giant Drawing

Activities Resources

Did you know that Stop & Shop will provide tours for children's groups? Here is some more information from the website on the tours: On the tour children will learn about the five food groups as

Childcare

It's just a matter of time before we receive that first memo home from the school nurse re: headlice in your son/daughter's class. Avoid it now simply by adding a few drops of Tea Tree oil to your regular

Toys & Games

Are you getting ready to head off on a road trip or family vacation with the kids? Since my son is only 2 years old, I decided to seek out Tracyn Thayer, kid travel toy expert and the owner of Kids Travel Happy

Home & Garden

We saw this segment yesterday on a SF Bay Area TV show called View From The Bay, and later found it online on ABC's website - and had to share it! Michelle, the mom in the segment, talks about making healthy

Performing Arts Classes

Star Dance School is a leading Ballroom Dance Studio for Kids and Teens in Boston MA area, located in Newton MA. The studioprovides Latin and Ballroom, Competitive and SocialDancingInstruction

Parenting

I had to commission a photographer for a schoolwideyearbook to commemorate my schools' 10yearanniversary. This was a big deal as this book was presented to the outgoing Head of School

Parks & Nature Marietta, GA

East Cobb Park in Marietta, Georgia is a community park that has many amenities, the park has a professional design and it was conceived by Friends of the East Cobb Park supported by the Cobb County Government

Travel Destinations

So, we were invited to the Cape to check out the John Carver Inn and Edaville, USA. and scheduled a weekend together just the four of us. Family time is hard to come by these days. Even though, I am

Parenting

How long is your child's wish list for the holidays? Will that shiny new present under the tree really make him happy? What does it really take to make kids happy? The answers may surprise you.&nbsp

Arts & Crafts

Take some time out of your busy schedule to create one of a kind Thanksgiving decorations. There is tons of crafts and decoration ideas such as tin can turkey, turkey toothpicj holder, etc. Also you will find free

Recipes

Not sure what to make for dinner? Is it your turn to host the Christmas dinner this year? Do you have a picky eater at home? If you have answered yes to any of my questions, it sounds like you need the help of

Printable Activities

Family Fun’s website has printable templates for all the holidays. We trace them onto construction paper for window decorations or garlands. Check out the Halloween templates for pumpkins, ghosts, black

Festive & Gourmet

To make a quick and easy dessert that is a little special first make a 13x9 pan of brownies as directed. Add about a quarter to a half teaspoon of mint flavoring as desired. Use a bit less if you have

Parenting

We know how stressed we can become with the holidays, but can it affect kids as well? It most certainly can. In this article, you will find 5 tips to help your kids handle holiday stress...and you might

Arts & Crafts

For years I've dabbled on and off in origami. This website has some great simple origami projects, especially for the holidays. The dollar bill Thanksgiving Origami Turkey is easy to make and will make a nice table

Education Resources

GreatSchools helps parents choose the best school by providing comprehensive profiles for more than 120,000 schools nationwide. Other parent-friendly features include exclusive ratings, parent reviews, powerful

Schools

Often high school students have only a short amount of time to get from one class to another. When they go to their locker they may grab the right textbook and wrong notebook. To fix this problem Match

Education Resources

Slate set out to rate backpacks appropriate for a 5- to 8-year-old. They excluded character backpacks and those with wheels or messenger-style. The two with the highest grades (A-) were the LL Bean Junior Original

Parenting

This is a wonderful website for both parents and older kids. Parents can learn by reading the different topics what their child is feeling or going through. The kids can understand better what is going on with them.The

Home Schooling

I found this website by accident. My 9 y/o son has been struggling with regrouping in multi - step multiplication and I wanted to find a website with printable worksheets. I wanted to find something that was free

Education Resources

There are many sites I have used in the eight years of teaching computer to Kindergarten - 5th grade, but this remains one of my favorites. This French site offers no directions. It is purely and exploration site

Recipes

Here are 13 fun and easy co*cktails you can make to toast the new year. They call for either champagne or sparkling water, so there are non-alcoholic options, and use different fruit juices like pineapple, orange