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.

It’s that time of the year again: “best of” season! This year, there's a special extra pleasure we take in looking back and highlighting fun things to do with kids that have opened this past year, instead of closed. We searched our archives, our memories, your Facebook recommendations, and more to compile this list of the best kid-friendly openings, renovations, and exhibitions in Connecticut in 2021. From an amazing renovation at the Discovery Museum to a great new shop in Mystic—there have actually been lots of cool new things to do with kids this year.

As 2021 comes to a close and it’s time to start making New Years’ resolutions, it’s also a perfect time to look back and mark all of the new things that made the past year special. There have been delicious additions to Boston's culinary scene, including ice cream and donuts. Museums have had new exhibits and reopenings welcoming kids back to these important discovery spaces. And the joyful sounds of Symphony Hall are back with the Boston Pops holiday show. Our picks for best openings in 2021 brought a little magic to a challenging year.

Check our Boston holiday guide for terrific seasonal activities to close out the year. 

It’s that time of the year again: “best of” season! Well, we’re not immune here at Mommy Poppins, and it’s such a delight to highlight fun things to do with kids that have opened this past year, instead of closed. We searched our archives, our memories, your Facebook recommendations, and more to compile this list of the best kid-friendly openings in Los Angeles in 2021. From a massive and amazing new museum to cool places for kids to play or do art—and of course all the new things at our local amusement parks, there have actually been quite a lot of new things to do this year.

Without further ado, here is our list of the 21 best kid-friendly destinations that opened in 2021 in Los Angeles. Wonder what 2022 will bring…

In 2021, Houston saw some exciting openings for new activities, restaurants, and things to do for kids all over the city. Whether your kids love entertainment centers, art, nature, science, or just a great donut, we have the list of the 10 best new kid-friendly things and places that opened or upgraded in 2021 in Houston.

As 2021 draws to a close, we're looking back on the year that was in NYC. There were highs that let us touch the sky, and lows that left us reeling, regrouping, and reevaluating. But in between it all, we managed to get out and enjoy a revitalized, rebounding city that packed plenty of kid-friendly fun. With that in mind, here are 15 highlights that make up our annual best kid-friendly openings in NYC.

As we prepare to count down to the end of another extraordinary year, we’re looking back at all the wonderful new kid-friendly attractions that opened in New Jersey in 2021, as well as few delayed openings from 2020. We added a few new indoor play spaces, a new water park, and a museum dedicated to an iconic anti-slavery activist.

If you didn’t get enough shopping during the holiday season, swing by the new Toys R Us flagship at American Dream. While you’re there, don’t forget to check out Sea Life Aquarium and Legoland Discovery Center. Speaking of Legoland, the much-anticipated theme park finally opened its doors this year just over the border in New York. We've also added outposts of popular chains, including The Gravity Vault, and what’s old is new again, as the State Theatre New Jersey reopened its doors after extensive renovations.

Whether you want to play all day or shop till you drop, you’ll find plenty of options on our list. Read on for the 14 coolest, brightest, and best new openings in New Jersey for kids.