Todoroki in Evanston is a stylish Japanese restaurant and sushi bar offering a wide selection of fresh sushi, sashimi, and sizzling hibachi-grilled dishes. With both traditional and contemporary menu options, it’s a great spot for everything from a casual lunch to a lively dinner experience. The sleek interior and interactive hibachi tables make it especially fun and engaging for families and groups.

Inspiration Kitchens is a socially-driven restaurant in Chicago that serves delicious, contemporary comfort food while providing job training and support to individuals facing homelessness and poverty. The menu features fresh, seasonal dishes made from locally sourced ingredients, all served in a warm, welcoming space. Dining here not only offers a great meal but also supports a powerful mission of empowerment and community uplift.

This lush, natural area has a number of kid friendly recreation areas that make it a pleasant place to spend the day. Generally quiet and free from crowds, its shaded, paved bike paths are perfect for new bikers.

Pelham Bay Park has five miles of designated cycling trails that guide visitors from Orchard Beach to all of the park's main attractions, including one of the city's top rated playgrounds. The wide array of activities available at this park and smooth, flat, kid-friendly paths make it a great biking destination for larger families and younger bikers.

This former marshland is often called "The Gateway to the Bronx River" and is the site where the Bronx River opens up into the East River. The park is noteworthy in particular for being subject to restoration efforts to bring back the native salt marsh. Bikers enjoying its flat, paved paths will be treated to sweeping views of the river and a chance to glimpse native birds and wildlife in a unique ecological setting.

The wide array of free public events, festivals and learning opportunities hosted on this NYC gem make Randall's Island a great destination for families. A walk or bike ride down the eight miles of meandering, car-free paths takes visitors by an urban farm, numerous public gardens, and waterfront natural areas.

The 3.35 mile paved loop inside Prospect Park is home to a number of cycling events and bicycle meet-ups throughout the year. Bike rentals are available seasonally from the LeFrak Center inside the park. Families visiting the park for a bike ride will have quick access to the full wealth of Prospect Park's attractions, including the carousel, splash pad and zoo (as well as beautiful scenery).

No list of bike trails in NYC is complete without Central Park. The main 6.1 mile loop of paved roadway circling the inside of the park takes families within a stones throw of all of the park's main attractions, including the carousel, Belvedere's Castle, the Metropolitan Museum and more. The main path is wide and flat, making it easy to ride as a group without obstructing faster bikers.

This route spans the length of the park from Battery Place to W. 59th Street. A connection to Riverside Park, just to the north, lets bikers extend their trip to include the entire east side of Manhattan. Rentals are available inside the park at 44th St., as well as at a number of locations nearby. Like Prospect Park, this is a busier route. Riders should be prepared to ride single file and avoid obstacles. Attention to the rules pays off with views of the Hudson and quick access to all of the Lower East Side.

This waterfront trail gives bikers a prime view of some of New York's most popular attractions, including the Statue of Liberty, new World Trade Tower, Fort Wadsworth, and Coney Island. The southernmost tip of the trail is the best place to catch a sunset view of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. The wide, flat paved path and cultural attractions along the way make this a fun way to round out a beach day or trip to the Aquarium.

For a unique day trip, families can pair a (free!) ride on the Staten Island ferry with a trip to Silver Lake Park. Those who ride the ferry must navigate a 2 mile inclined route to the park, where the flat loop around the reservoir is 1.3 miles. The ride can be broken up by visiting some of the shops and cafes along Victory Blvd. Once at the park, families can enjoy learning about the park's 150 year history or visit one of the many playgrounds. Kids might be interested to learn that the reservoir currently serves as the endpoint of the Catskill water supply system for NYC!

Kids eat free every day at Frasca from 4pm to 6pm. Frasca is a neighborhood Italian influenced restaurant featuring specialty pizzas, hearty pastas, and an extensive selection of wine. Up to two kids can order off the kids menu for each adult meal.

Toucan's Hideaway is an epic West Chicago playground located inside Turtle Splash Water Park. You'll need to pay water park admission to access the playground, but with giant slides, rope bridges, an in-ground bouncer and more, the playground is an awesome destination on its own or as a break from the water park. The water park itself has two water slides, a 12-foot waterfall, zero-depth entry into the pool, splash pad area with bucket drops. Parking is free and there is an on-site cafe.

Simple, inexpensive, and candy-free, pencil toppers come in all different styles and are an easy Halloween treat that kids actually enjoy.

Kids love the satisfying "pop" of these trendy fidgets, and the clip-on design makes them a treat they can carry anywhere.

Bigger and more satisfying than the usual squishies, these double as cute keychains kids can show off at school.

If you're looking for STEM TV shows for kids, this cartoon for preschoolers on PBS introduces computational thinking concepts like sequencing, patterns, and flexibility in a fun, story-driven way.

Rosie's Rules is an animated preschool series about a curious and imaginative Mexican-American girl exploring the world around her. Each episode delves into everyday topics like family, community, and problem-solving, presenting them through engaging stories and catchy songs.

Trotro is a French animated series that follows the everyday adventures of a curious and playful little donkey named Trotro. Through simple, humorous stories, the show teaches preschoolers lessons about friendship, problem-solving, and navigating daily life.

Originally airing from 1990 to 2000, Pingu is a Swiss stop-motion animated series featuring a mischievous penguin communicating in a unique "Penguinese" language.Its universal humor and lack of spoken language contributed to its global popularity, and th series has remained a beloved classic among fans of all ages.