Submitted by Ally Noel on
Whether you call them hand pies, toaster pastries, Pop Tarts—or just plain ol' delicious!—these treats sweeten up any family morning. Frozen pie crust simplifies this homemade Pop-Tart-style pastry recipe. It's easy to follow and comes together faster than you might realize. Kids can fill these, and top them, with their preferred flavors, from jam to chocolate and sprinkles.
Submitted by Ally Noel on
Friday night is pizza night in my house, and although we love picking up the phone and having our favorite pie delivered, cooking with kids is special—and there is nothing quite like pulling a homemade pizza (on homemade pizza dough) fresh out of the oven. DIY Pizza Night has quickly become one of our most beloved screen-free family fun nights.
It all starts with a great pizza dough recipe, and I'm sharing my family's favorite easy pizza dough recipe. Plus our favorite pizza recipes, tricks, and hints for how to bring your next homemade pizza night to the next level. And pssst, save room for dessert.
Submitted by Ally Noel on
We’re going to say a sweet (and sticky) farewell to February this weekend. Maple syrup is flowing in Stamford at Maple Sugar Festival Weekends, and in Farmington at Maple Day. Or, families can spend their evenings in nature while taking in the Snow Moon at the Audubon in Fairfield and the Roaring Brook Nature Center. Read on more ideas for making the most of this weekend and the month ahead!
Looking for even more fun? There’s still time to squeeze in that ski lesson, glide down the slopes at one of these snow tubing parks, or try snowshoeing or cross country skiing. Looking to snuggle in and enjoy some at-home fun? There's a Wonderful World of Wizards program, Science Through the Alphabet class for preschoolers, and more on our Poppins@Home pages.
Check out what's open indoors for Connecticut kids right now and our Connecticut events calendar for daily updates on happenings at favorite spots, and more local and virtual opportunities for family fun.
Submitted by Ally Noel on
Once upon a time, in our pre-COVID lives, there was something special about heading to the local movie theater, grabbing movie snacks, and crowding into a theater to watch a new movie. Well, a visit to a crowded theater isn't happening right now, but a Netflix Party is actually a pretty great substitute. Hosting a Netflix Party is the next best thing to going to the theater, and you can host a watch party (on any platform, not just Netflix) with friends living across the street or family living across the country—or even on the other side of the world!
Here are some helpful tips on how to get started hosting your very own Netflix watch party. Make sure you check out our 50 Best Kids’ Movies for Family Movie Night to pick a flick you all can agree on.
Submitted by Ally Noel on
As your child begins to notice the first signs of a wiggly tooth, you may start asking yourself a lot of questions about how to be the Tooth Fairy. What does the Tooth Fairy pay these days? Does she leave something besides money? Does the Tooth Fairy take the teeth with her?
From tooth fairy letters to tooth fairy pillows to glitter money and more, we've rounded up some truly creative and fun tooth fairy ideas and traditions that provide inspiration for creating a little tooth fairy magic in your own home. Plus, we'll tell you what the average kid seems to be collecting for those pearly whites...
Submitted by Ally Noel on
Believe it or not, we’ve been riding the waves of this pandemic for about a year now. But, we’ve come a long way! Many of our favorite family-friendly indoor and outdoor spots in Connecticut, including museums, zoos, indoor play spaces, and entertainment places (including the Maritime Aquarium's cool new 4D theater), have progressively reopened with enhanced safety protocols, so kids can enjoy a special outing while staying safe.
Read on to see which of our favorite Connecticut winter day trip spots are open for family fun right now, and be sure to contact each business directly in case policies have changed. Most spots require advanced ticketing and mask wearing and enforce hand sanitizing and washing and capacity restrictions; but kids have gotten used to these measures and will just be excited for to bust out of their own four walls to see some cool art, visit animals, and jump and swing around.
Submitted by Ally Noel on
One food we know families can't live without—pandemic or otherwise—is pizza. Lucky for us, Connecticut doesn't just have passable pizza—it's famous for it! Next time the family has a hankering, consider venturing beyond your neighborhood and ordering a pie or two from one of Connecticut's best pizza places for families, from standard-bearers Frank Pepe and Roseland to relative newbies like Swyft and yPizzeria Marzano. Whether dining in or takeout, we can promise the pizza will be delicious, and you will be helping a small business through trying times for the restaurant industry.
Look to our Connecticut restaurant guide for more kid-friendly brunch, lunch, or dinner outings, including igloo restaurants and heated patios that are operating outdoors through the wintertime.
Submitted by Ally Noel on
Nothing cures cabin fever quite like a little creative release, but the dried-up clay and construction paper laying around most of our houses can get a little old (literally). So we have searched the entire Nutmeg State to find our favorite places to get our craft on! With pottery painting, glass fusing, canvas painting, and more, these craft studios in Connecticut offer a mix of drop-in times, reservation slots, and even takeout options that allow you to bring a fresh kit of crafting materials home.
If you're planning an impromptu crafternoon or playdate at home, there's plenty of creative inspiration to be found in our list of 100 crafts for kids.
