As a big fan of kids' movies and an even bigger fan of small flightless birds who wear tuxedos, I was very happy that my family was invited by DreamWorks Animation and 20th Century Fox to an event that highlighted both. A morning spent at the Bronx Zoo would have been cool enough, but followed by a private advance screening of the new Penguins of Madagascar movie? That's my kind of family fun. Read on for my review of the film, and some real live penguins as well.

There is a perfect pick your own pumpkin farm for everyone in the Garden State! Whether you’re looking for pumpkin picking adventures for preschoolers, a pick your own pumpkin patch that won't bore your 10 year old, a pumpkin picking group tour, or just a quiet old-fashioned farm without all the gimmicks, you can find it all in New Jersey. And we've narrowed down the search for you.
 

So we're back in school. We're packing lunches, going to PTA meetings. and overseeing homework. And we're probably starting to wrap our minds around figuring out some enrichment classes to fill in the gaps and/or add some sparkle to the process. Open houses and free trial classes make the hunt for great classes a little more do-able, which is why we offer this list of 10 great places that offer chances to try it out for free, either in the coming weeks or - in many cases - all year long. And for more enrichment options, check out our Enrichment Programs, Classes and Activities Guide.

Whether you dread the unstructured days of summer or welcome them, every parent can use a little help in planning, right? That's where the Mommy Poppins New Jersey Kids Summer Activities Guide comes in. Be it the best beaches, the bluest blueberry festivals, or what's incredibly fun and absolutely free, we're here to give you the skinny. And we're adding new stuff every day, so check back often to see what's new in the NJ Kids Summer Activities Guide. Have an awesome summer!

Over the years, I’ve planned and hosted more birthday parties than any sane person should, and have developed a few convictions along the way, such as “Goody bags are my nemesis” and “a good party planner is a gift dropped down from Heaven.” Since it doesn’t look like kids are going to stop having birthdays any time soon, a few tips from the party experts sure can help. Below find seven great tips from some of our fave NJ party planners and venues.

What do you get when you cross an amusement park with an arcade with a sit-down restaurant with laser tag with a concert hall with a "cool in the summer and warm in the winter" indoor space? Well, you get iPlay America, of course. I was recently invited to spend a day with my family at this fun amalgam of kid-friendly activities in Freehold, NJ, so read on for all the info - and then head out and youPlay at iPlay!

"That was the best birthday party EVER." David, age 6. We had the good fortune of choosing KidsU in Paramus for my son Miguel's party last week, and we all pretty much agreed with our buddy David's assessment. Fun, energetic, entertaining, varied and engaging are some of the happy adjectives that can be used for a birthday party at Kids U--oh, and moderately priced. And we like that one a lot. For even more great ideas, check out our NJ Kids' Birthday Party Ideas Guide.

Last fall, we asked our readers to take a short survey and share their thoughts about how to improve our Summer Camp Guide. Overwhelmingly, we heard that you wanted a combination of our editorial recommendations, plus the ability to search listings and find recommendations from other parents.

So we're happy to debut our newly updated Camp Guide and our Camp Directory, now featuring an improved search, parent reviews and star ratings, and other enhancements. Even better: Our overhauled Directory isn't just for camps. We have listings for party places and services, and enriching classes, too.

Read on to find out more or head straight to our Day Camp Guide and Directory to browse the listings and leave reviews for your favorite programs.