The daily dash from school to soccer practice to dance lessons leaves little time for kids to find some calm on busy days. But there’s an easy way to slow down and refocus—add yoga to your kid’s routine. Whether you want your toddler, tot, tween, or teen to find balance, physical activity, mindfulness, or a combination of all three, there’s a local NJ yoga studio that can help.

There’s no arguing with 2,000-plus years’ worth of evidence: The benefits of yoga are many. Research shows that kids who practice yoga boost their concentration and self-esteem, increase their flexibility, strength and coordination, and develop a foundation for dealing with stress in healthy ways.

If you’re ready to give yoga a try with your kids, scroll down for a list of our favorite studios with yoga classes for kids. For more kids classes, check out our Guide to Classes and Enrichment Programs for NJ Kids. 

The Montclair Art Museum is a great place to introduce kids to the visual arts. My 6-year-old daughter and I moved to Montclair last year, and when a Sunday afternoon opened up on our calendar recently, we finally got a chance to visit. Even my very active daughter, whose idea of culture is cheese (as in Chuck E.), was eager to go inside the big building she sees on our frequent trips to the Whole Foods right across the street.

To be honest, art museums plus kids doesn't always equal a successful day of art appreciation. For me, it's more about exposing my daughter to art and culture, even in small (or local) doses. That being said, the Montclair Art Museum absolutely did not disappoint! Plus, a visit to MAM makes a great post-brunch stop during a family-friendly day in Montclair.

Read on for our day—well, 90 minutes—at this awesome Northern NJ museum.

All children can benefit from outdoor play in a park or playground, and lucky for us, there's a new accessible playground in Bloomfield, NJ, designed with the needs of kids with physical and developmental disabilities in mind. 

Watsessing Park's all-access playground opened at the end of July after a seven-month, $4 million renovation. This new addition to the 69-acre Essex County park, located at the intersection of Bloomfield Avenue and Conger Street, boasts inclusive features such as wheelchair-friendly surfacing and ramps, a seated merry-go-round, special swings, and much, much more—all in delicious, candy-colored hues.

Already fans of Watsessing Park's splash playground, my 6-year-old and I spent a perfect summer afternoon at this updated play space where all kids can play together and have fun. Read on for the scoop.