Baby

If this is your first Mother’s Day as a mom, congratulations! One of the best gifts you can receive as a new mom is a group that gives you support and a sense of community. We’ve rounded up several of these groups – read on to find one that might work for you.

Easter Sunday is April 8, and it’s time for kids in Boston to break out the Easter baskets for Easter egg hunting season! We’ve rounded up some options for Easter egg hunts that take place in diverse locations - in parks, on farms, at a carousel and even on a US Navy cruiser. And if we’ve missed any, please let us know by either sending us an email or commenting below.

And for the latest Easter Bunny sightings, please read our roundup of Where to Find the Easter Bunny in the Boston area.

It’s not often that first-run movies and crying, sleeping, or just-waking babies are mentioned in the same sentence. But at several local cinemas, it’s a regularly scheduled event. These theaters offer baby-friendly matinees - special programs that give moms, dads, grandparents, and caretakers the chance to see a new, top-rated film – crying babies welcome!

A comfortable and early daytime setting and a baby-friendly environment where parents can park their strollers and socialize with other parents with infants are common among these theaters. Lights are kept brighter and the volume lower, and no “shush”ing required.

So sit back, relax, and enjoy the show - with your baby.

Sheri and Eli Gurock, intrepid proprietors of Magic Beans, keep planting more seeds and making their toy store business grow. It started in 2004, with a single store in Coolidge Corner. Eight years and 5 stores later, their latest beanstalk has sprung up in The Shops at Prudential Center.

The new Magic Beans store in the Prudential Center quietly opened for business in November and made a splash in January with a grand-opening Kazoo Flash Mob – Skip to My Lou through the Pru with kazoos – led by the incomparable children’s songstress, Vanessa Trien. It was quite a celebration, complete with a visit from Elmo and giveaways galore. For those of us who missed it, we can have our own micro celebrations by taking our little ones to the new store to check out the selection of gear, gadgets, gifts and games.

Boston offers incredible art experiences for kids, from world-class museums to undiscovered gems. You can find everything from interactive exhibits where the youngest set can learn and explore to sophisticated showings from the hottest artists on the scene. Please be sure to check the museum websites for special hours and closing dates before heading out.