Dumbo Kids Neighborhood Guide

Due to Hurricane Sandy, most parades on Wednesday, October 31 have been canceled, even the huge annual Village Halloween Parade. A few are still going on, but some we can't confirm. If in doubt, assume it has been canceled!

Everybody loves a parade, which means we're all absolutely smitten with Halloween parades. While we think every family should take the kids to the big Greenwich Village Halloween Parade at least once, it can be pretty scary. It's always insanely crowded and loud, and many of the costumes are risqué, gory or in poor taste (which we happen to love, but we realize not every parent feels that way).

If you're ready to watch it, the parade starts at 7pm on October 31 and winds its way up Sixth Avenue from Spring Street to 16th Street. (Plan to arrive much earlier though if you want to snag a good viewing spot.) But if your family isn't up for the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade just yet, there are plenty of smaller, kid-friendly NYC neighborhood parades, and many are part of larger fun-filled Halloween festivals. We've rounded up 19 of these community-driven Halloween processions for families to watch or march in, and most of them are FREE. If you don't live in a great trick-or-treating area, these parades are also a wonderful way to hunt for candy in another community. And check out our Halloween Fun Guide for even more seasonal fun.

With the awesome annual Brooklyn Book Festival coming up this Sunday, we figured it would be a great time to highlight some of our favorite independent New York City bookstores that cater to kids. Because as much as we love Barnes & Noble, the ubiquitous chain doesn't enchant or inspire in quite the same way as a small homey bookshop, packed to the rafters with eclectic titles and staffed with book lovers who know regulars' names and tastes.

Although there are only a handful of dedicated children's bookshops in NYC (Books of Wonder and Bank Street Bookstore, we're looking at you!), there are a number of non-chain bookstores that have impressive kids' sections. Plus these unique lit havens often host events for kids—not just storytimes, but author readings, writing workshops and other interactive activities for burgeoning bookworms. So what are you waiting for? Get reading!

It's only been three months since we last rounded up NYC public art displays kids will love. But we've come across so many cool new ones this summer, we couldn't wait any longer to share.

These engaging installations in parks, plazas and other public spaces are a great way to expose your kids to world-class art without setting foot in a museum. Plus, they're all FREE (well, to be totally accurate, one requires a MetroCard swipe). Bonus: The five public art displays in Manhattan are all on the 6 subway line, which makes for a fun East Side art trek. (We saw them all in one afternoon.)