Pumpkin Patches in the Fairfield Area

Brandee Gilmore's picture Submitted by Brandee Gilmore on

New England's beautiful fall foliage is here again, and that means pumpkins on the porch, in our pies and muffins, and even in our coffee. Picking a pumpkin is a fall ritual for many, and the perfect excuse to get outside on a crisp afternoon. Fairfield County has more than a few great spots to pick out your soon-to-be jack-o'-lantern, and most places offer activities like corn mazes and hayrides as well as mouth-watering cider donuts and other goodies. Check out our Fall Fun Guide for lots of other great information on seasonal fun.

10 Pumpkin Picking Spots Around Boston

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Signs of Halloween are cropping up everywhere, and it’s time to start thinking about finding your perfect pumpkin. While local farm stands and even grocery stores typically have some handsome specimens, it can be a lot more fun to pick your own straight from the fields they were grown on. A couple of the spots here even allow you to pull your picks straight from the vine, which can be a special experience akin to cutting down your own Christmas tree. Plus, many of these pumpkin patches offer additional activities for families, like hayrides, bouncy houses, and corn mazes, so you can turn your hunt into a fun fall day excursion.

10 Things to Love About Northern Central Park

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My family has long thought of Central Park as our backyard. And while we've romped across most of its 843 acres, and enjoy an occasional visit to the zoo or our favorite playground on the southern end, we're just as happy to leave that portion of the park to the tourists.

Instead, you'll find us exploring above 100th Street, in the northern reaches of the park, which are just wooded enough to make you forget the urban jungle for a bit. A recently-announced $150 million dollar renovation project will update the aging pool and skating rink at Central Park's Harlem Meer, while creating new trails and restoring the landscape—but there's no reason to wait until that project's estimated 2024 completion date to enjoy this beautiful parkland.

From a babbling stream, to renovated playgrounds, rolling meadows, perfectly manicured gardens, and the wild of the North Woods, here are 10 things to love about Central Park's northern edge.

Where To Go Pumpkin Picking in Westchester and the Hudson Valley

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We've rounded up our favorite places to go pumpkin picking in Westchester and the Hudson Valley. Sure, you can buy your pumpkins from the supermarket or your local nursery, but if you're looking for a more authentic experience, head to one of these nearby farms, many of which offer fall fun activities like hayrides, corn mazes, petting zoos, and more.

Looking for more fall activities? Consult our Fall Fun Guide and follow us on Facebook. 

Where To Go Pumpkin Picking with New Jersey Kids

Submitted by Laurie Rein on

This year, skip the grocery store pumpkins and go pumpkin picking at a family-friendly New Jersey farm, where you're sure to run into more fall fun, including barnyard animals, hay and corn mazes, and even the season's other favorite fruit: apples. 

Red on for more than a dozen spots that are perfect for pumpkin picking with kids.

Closer to the New York border? Check out these Westchester and Hudson Valley pumpkin patches. If you're in South Jersey or headed for a Bucks County getaway this fall, our Philadelphia site has the scoop on Pennsylvania pumpkin patches.

Top Pumpkin Patches and Farms for Long Island Kids

Submitted by Lisa Mancuso on

The leaves soon will turn colors and there’s a crispness in the air, which can only mean one thing: It’s time to go pumpkin picking! 

Happily, no matter where you live on Long Island there are plenty of pumpkin patches and farms brimming with pumpkins perfect for picking this fall. All of these venues offer other family-friendly activities such as corn mazes and hayrides, so make a day of it. Pick-your-own farms  can get messy, so make sure kids are dressed appropriately. Look at individual websites for hours and costs since some activities are free while other attractions have added fees.

If you’re heading to one of the farms on the East End, why not stop at a kid-friendly winery or a pick-your-own apple farm? And, for more seasonal fun, check out our list of the best fall fairs and festivals.

Happy autumn (and early Halloween)!

Halloween Festivals and Theme Park Haunts LA Kids Can't Do Without

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I have a mama friend who refers to this time of year with all the Halloween Festivals and Theme Park Haunts as the High Holidays, and she ain't talking Yom Kippur. She's also not wrong; there really is no higher holiday on the kid calendar than Halloween. And Southland families can enjoy a long slow build to All Hallows' Eve with more spooky celebrations, haunted happenings, and evil events per capita than any other urban area. Little ghouls and goblins have their pick of pumpkin patches, haunted houses, corn mazes, and ghost trains—but wait; there's more! SoCal theme parks get all creepy at this time of year, too, and the annual festivals below scream Halloween like nobody's business.

9 Easy Fall Family Hikes in NYC

Submitted by Louise Finnell on

It finally feels like fall in New York City, which means my family is headed to the hiking trail. At least once a quarter, usually coinciding with the change of seasons, someone in the family decides it's time to escape to the woods for a little urban relief. And really, there's no need to head upstate or to the 'burbs to get that outdoors fix.  

Did you know that our fair city is home to over 300 miles of hiking trails through 10,000 acres of unencumbered Mother Nature? We have sampled enough parks around NYC to confidently share this list of trails that vary in length, scenery, and difficulty (including those just right for little legs), and that reward hikers with views of water, bridges, and yes, that gorgeous fall foliage. Whatever borough you call home, my boy, who helped to compile this list, and I hope you will have a blast lacing up and hitting the trails. Note: He is too young to share mommy's byline. 

12 Online Tutoring Services to Help Kids Get Ahead in School

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Online tutoring services for kids and teens are readily available at the click of a mouse, making these sites the perfect, in-a-pinch solution for hectic family life.

Perhaps it's 9:30pm on a Thursday, and your 10-year-old has been struggling for over an hour with a particularly tough math question. Maybe math was never your thing. His anxiety is building, yours is through the roof, and you have no idea where to turn...

Kids can get help with core school subjects, specialized classes and subjects, SAT tutoring, and yes, online math tutors, usually instantly, through online tutoring sites. Most offer tutoring chat via text, video, and audio, connecting tutor with student for help or extra practice with just about anything, from chemistry to languages, such as an online Spanish tutor. Some services even run 24/7. So whether your first grader needs help with reading or your high school student wants to pull up that AP calculus grade, consider checking out one of these 12 online tutoring platforms.

Things To Do in LA this Weekend with Kids: Museum Day, Sing-a-long Sound of Music, and Dino Fest

Submitted by Toby B on

I'm sorry, but do you EVER clean up? Look around you—this place is a mess! Well, this weekend we are putting our foot down. You are getting yourself to the coastline (or possibly an inland waterway) to do your part, pitch in, and clean up. The Coastal Cleanup is a simple way for the whole family to participate in making the world a better place. (This week the beach; next week their rooms.)

I'm not saying there's any reason you have to clean up now in particular, though it might have something to do with the parade of pumpkins making their way toward every doorstep near you, in preparation for October (fest). Hey, did we mention the spiders? Yeah, you're probably gonna wanna clean.

If you do a good job, then rewards await you. You can delve into dinosaurs and race with rubber duckies; you can solve a problem like Maria and the puzzle of getting into museums for free. We appreciate you (we're not the only ones), and we want the best for you. Such as... the cleanest picks for this weekend's events.

Keep reading to find them.

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