Yes, we are in the midst of (another) pandemic winter, but the great news is there are still plenty of fun, socially distanced activities to do around Houston as well as at home this season. Plus, the mild winters in Houston allow for plenty of outdoor fun. From the best winter break events to our favorite rainy day activities to our Winter Activities Guide, we have a long list of fun things to do in Houston this winter.

We are continuing to update our guides and reviews with latest updates or changes to operations due to COVID-19. For options that don't require leaving the house, check out our Stay-at-Home Guide with hundreds of ideas for kids of all ages. 

After the pandemic canceled way too many of our travel plans in 2020, our Mommy Poppins team and their families were eager to get back out there in 2021. And travel we did! We explored some amazing cities that are perfect for family vacations, from Charlotte to Seattle and all the way to Sitka, Alaska. There were also epic zoos to visit, lots of hands-on children's museums to explore, sunny resorts, and Christmas towns that made us light up inside.

Here is our list of the best family vacation spots of 2021, including warm and sunny family vacation ideas for winter or spring break, the Poconos Mountains if you want to get back to nature, and more.

What's better than a free day at a museum? How about a museum that's free every day? A place where you can expose your children to some of the best artwork, science, and history that Los Angeles has to offer without paying admission, ever. Several of this city's most iconic museums offer free admission every day (if you don't count parking, that is). And then of course there are the ones that just offer free admission to kids. So what are you waiting for? Take your whole crew out for some culture and creativity at one of these FREE museums.

To get more free fun at home and in your town delivered to your inbox, sign up for our newsletters—and discover all the free events and activities near you in our Los Angeles Free Things To Do with Kids Guide.

Believe it or not, 2021 wasn’t all pandemic and social distancing. As a testament to the human spirit, there was a ton to celebrate and embrace. From simple pleasures like enjoying nature and a movie night on the couch, to larger adventures such as taking in a Broadway show or heading to an amusement park, 2021 was a bit of an emotional roller coaster (and that might be the understatement of the century). We polled our readers, our staff, and our kids to come up with the things that kept us going this past year.

We've rounded up the best of 2021 for kids and families, including the best movies of 2021, the best books of 2021, and more. Our Best Recipes of 2021 list was too long to include here; be sure to check it out if you haven't yet. Enjoy working your way through this list of favorites, and here's to more "bests" in 2022!

Following a two-year closure, the doors to Smith Playhouse are finally open and welcoming kids back for three floors of never-ending fun. The century-old iconic play destination has received extensive upgrades thanks to a multimillion-dollar investment, and Mommy Poppins recently had the chance to preview all of the cool new features, along with improvements to existing favorites that Philly families have come to know and love.

We sure spent a lot of time in the kitchen this year! All you have to do is scroll through our Instagram to see photos of TikTok pasta, homemade Pop-Tarts, or easy-to-make dinner recipes for kids. Below you’ll find our most popular recipes of 2021. From healthy recipes for kids (like savory teriyaki chicken) to kid-friendly recipes for young chefs (like chocolate mug cakes)—and everything in between—we’ve cooked and devoured it all.

We’ve got more kid-friendly recipes and treats, like these yummy Hot Chocolate Bombs, in our Guide to Easy Recipes for Kids. Looking for more favorites from 2021? We've got a great list of the Best Things in 2021 for Kids and Families.

Down with Omicron; we've picked ten fun and inspiring things to get excited about as we head into 2022.

Just as my kids were finishing up their last days of school before the holiday, the Omicron spike hit. Each day, I watched their spirits dip further as our Nutcracker tickets became useless, our family's traditional Christmas Eve restaurant closed, and family and friends decided it was safest to postpone getting together. When I sat down to write about the things I'm loving for January, I was stumped. Then, as I began to pile through my inbox, our Facebook pages, and the event calendars, I realized there’s actually a lot to look forward to in 2022.

Because this is what Mommy Poppins is about: treasuring the time we have with our kids and inspiring families to have amazing and enriching experiences together. Sometimes that might just be watching a great movie, snuggled up on the couch. And it turns out there are a couple of new ones this month—read on. Or it might be baking with kids; at the top of my list is a dessert that Maureen, our Chicago Events Editor, passed around to our team. My daughter also shared a couple of tips she’s picked up in her school’s yoga class, for how we can all head into 2022 with grace, peace, and joy. I hope you find inspiration in our picks below, and that we all head into the New Year safe, healthy, happy, and together.