Mud Puddle Toys is a fantastic, colorful toy store brimming with high quality toys, books, games, and other great stuff. It’s the type of store that inspires kids to blow bubbles, jump rope, draw hop scotch, and toss a ball in the backyard. Kids will fondly remember their visit to Mud Puddle and parents will cherish the notion that fun still can be found with a rubber ball. » 1 Pleasant St., Marblehead, 781-631-0814, mudpuddletoys.com.

Reader’s Choice: Mud Puddle Toys, 1 Pleasant St., Marblehead, 781-631-0814, mudpuddletoys.com

Hey, hot mamas! Say goodbye to baggy clothing and say hello to a fashionable line of maternity clothes at Chulamama, which includes halter dresses, mini skirts, jeans, tanks, and hoodies. Don’t fret your expanding belly—use it as an excuse to return for more sassy duds. » 320 Derby St., Salem, 888-424-8526, chulamama.com.

Reader’s Choice: Chulamama, 320 Derby St., Salem, 978-741-4600, chulamama.com

Whether you want to furnish the nursery or graduate your toddler to the big bed, Bellini Baby and Teen Furniture offers one-stop shopping for everything you need. With its great assortment of quality furniture and accessories that grow with your family, you can count on Bellini’s furniture to be both functional and attractive. » 220 South Main St., Route 114, Middleton, 978-777-4200, bellini.com.

Reader’s Choice: Hip Baby Gear, 80 Washington St., Marblehead, 781-631-5556, hipbabygear.com

When Harlow Boutique owner Josephine Christopoulos opened Chocolate Kisses on the heels of debuting her women’s boutique, downtown Danvers became a great shopping destination for fashion-forward moms and their children. This store is the ideal place to outfit the kids for holidays or special occasions like Sunday brunch with the whole family. » 55 Maple St., Danvers, 978-750-3676.

Reader’s Choice: Hip Baby Gear, 80 Washington St., Marblehead, 781-631-5556, hipbabygear.com

Long before text messaging and Twitter, there existed a fabulous little thing called a book. A book was a great place to open your mind to learning and imagining. Barnes & Noble is a magical spot to introduce your children to the joy of reading. With a roster of great events like Storytime and Book Groups, the store has an extensive selection of children’s books, toys, games, and music. » Northshore Mall, 210 Andover St., Peabody, 978-573-3261, bn.com.

Reader’s Choice: Cornerstone Books, 45 Lafayette St., Salem, 978-744-1831, cornerstonebookssalem.com

If Norman Rockwell were to paint a picture of a family eating pizza, he would use Salvatore’s as a setting. Here, your family can enjoy pizza with gusto. Whether you sit indoors in the restored mill building or bring the gang outdoors on the deck to watch the river flow by, you can relax knowing the kids are happy and so is your stomach. » 354 Merrimack St., Lawrence, 978-291-0220, salvatoreslawrence.com.

Reader’s Choice: Chick-fil-A, Northshore Mall, 210 Andover St., Peabody, chick-fil-a.com

Why sit at home on a rainy day and wish you were in a tropical paradise when you can pack the gang in the SUV and head to CoCo Key Water Resort? Winter or summer, the 65,000 square foot water park is always open with tons of water slides and a café for the parents. There are even private cabanas to create your own haven. » 50 Ferncroft Rd., Danvers, 978- 777-2500, cocokeywaterresort.com.

Reader’s Choice: Peabody Essex Museum, 150 Essex St., Salem, 978-745-9500, pem.org

Time to unplug the iPod and banish the Blackberry to monkey around at the zoo. Creating indelible memories with the clan is easy thanks to the Stone Zoo. Open year-round with changing exhibits, the Stone Zoo has been welcoming families for over a century.  What’s more fun than seeing black bears and gibbons? Life’s too short…go wild! » 149 Pond St., Stoneham, 781-438-5100, zoonewengland.org.

Reader’s Choice: Salem Willows Park, 167 Fort Ave., Salem, 978-745-0251, salemwillowspark.com

Spend an afternoon at Hip Baby Gear and you’ll quickly have the coolest babe on the block. Whether it’s an all-terrain jogger, a high-end high chair, or just a new toy for the tub, there’s plenty to drool over. » 80 Washington St., Marblehead, 781-631-5556, hipbabygear.com.

Reader’s Choice: Hip Baby Gear, 80 Washington St., Marblehead, 781-631-5556, hipbabygear.com

Wrap your baby in an organic baby blanket from Lester Harry’s and let the sweet dreams begin. It’s the perfect shop to get an extraordinary baby gift or dress a future fashionista in designs by some of the best high-end brands from Europe, Japan, and the United States. Searching for that ideal cardigan sweater or two-piece dress for a nice occasion? Look no further than this Marblehead hot spot. » 140 Washington St., Marblehead, 781-631-4343, lesterharrys.com.

Reader’s Choice: Chulamama, 320 Derby St., Salem, 978-741-4600, chulamama.com