Long Island Parent Talk

Looking for things to do with the kids this weekend? From a groundhog scavenger hunt and wild weather activities to duck adventures and more, there's much to do on Long Island. Here are my top five picks for fun, family-friendly activities this weekend:

1. For Groundhog Day: In Search of Sweetbriar Sam at Sweetbriar Nature Center (62 Eckernkamp Dr., Smithtown). On Saturday from 1-2:30 p.m.,...

Need weekend plans or something to do with the kids during the week? There are a ton of free children's events at local libraries, but we also found free and cheap ($5 or less) things to do elsewhere this month. Whether you have one, two, three or more kids in tow, here's a roundup of fun, budget-friendly events in February.

Free

Nature Tales at Seatuck Environmental Association (550...

In my ongoing quest to find tasty, kid-friendly food appropriate for the whole family, this week I chose a delicious pepperoni appetizer, perfect for the Super Bowl. I found the recipe in "The Picky Palate Cookbook: 133 Recipes for Even Your Pickiest Eaters" (Wiley Hardcover, $24.99). 

Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Quick Bread

Ingredients -1 cup all-purpose flour -1 1/2 teaspoons...

I suppose it was destined to happen: the iPotty.

CTA Digital is launching a plastic potty for toddlers with an attachment where parents can perch an iPad, so junior can play while toilet training. I guess if Mom or Dad can read magazines on the throne, it stands to reason that the next generation might want to be able to peruse more modern technology while they go about their business.

“Potty...

The beloved, literal-minded housekeeper Amelia Bedelia is celebrating her golden anniversary Tuesday.

Amelia Bedelia first paved her way onto bookshelves in 1963, and she's still entertaining children of all ages as she tries to do everything right, yet nothing ever goes according to plan, whether she's dressing the chicken in overalls or dusting the furniture with dusting powder -- literally.

There...

It's not too late for your kids to get the sillies out! There are still tickets available for the Yo Gabba Gabba! Live: Get the Sillies Out! 2013 tour coming to The Paramount in Huntington this week.

The "sillies" are crazy little creatures that live inside of us and need to be shaken out. Kids and adults alike can "jump, shake and shimmy them out"  -- along with DJ...

Take a look inside Gym 4 Kidz in Valley Stream and you'll notice pint-size treadmills, mini-stationary bikes and kid-friendly elliptical machines. You may think it's just a gym for little ones, but this Long Island newcomer also helps kids get fit and eat healthfully while encouraging them to embrace their self-esteem.

Gym 4 Kidz (62 Rockaway Ave.) isn't a typical gym. Here, a certified...

You’re in the supermarket, and your child wants to buy a pack of gum. You say no, and the inevitable happens: He throws a tantrum.

Most parents would get caught up in managing the outburst. Jonice Webb, a Boston-area psychologist, recommends trying to understand the cause. “If you can feel empathy for your child and respond to your child’s emotion, you’ll get much farther than if you’re just...

Cast your vote on which Monopoly game piece should be locked in jail forever!

Hasbro has launched a contest to see which of the pieces in the iconic family board game is least loved and should be jettisoned from the game board. You can help wave goodbye to the car, thimble, boot, Scottie dog, battleship, hat, iron or wheelbarrow.

Voting is a bit counterintuitive – you choose which piece...

Ah-Choo!

While the first line of defense many doctors recommend to avoid catching — and spreading — the flu virus is getting the flu vaccine, there are other measures children and parents can take to stay healthy at a time when a public health emergency has been declared in New York in response to the severe flu season.

Dr. Casey B. Rosen-Carole, medical director of Kingston Pediatric...