Free and Fun Things to this Weekend for NYC Kids: NYBG Holiday Train Show, AMNH Beyond Space, BCM IckyFest Nov 19-20

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Here we are at the last sane weekend before the holiday season officially begins. We adore the holidays of course, but we also love to savor NYC at this time of year, when it still belongs to us and not the tourists.

Even though Thanksgiving marks the start of the season, you can enjoy a bit of early holiday fun this weekend. The New York Botanical Garden unveils its annual train show on Saturday and a handful of department stores have put up their holiday windows. (Look for our slide show of all of the big ones soon.)

Of course there's lots of non-holiday fun too, including the Children's Museum of Manhattan's fabulous new installation Eat Sleep Play and the American Museum of Natural History's new Beyond Planet Earth exhibit, which opens on Saturday. Also this weekend, Music for Aardvarks rocks the preschool set, the Brooklyn Children's Museum's annual Icky Fest and live stand-up comedy for kids by kids.

And that's just a few of the great things going on this weekend. Read on for all of our picks and remember, you can find additional options in our Event Calendar.

Their Rhythm Is Gonna Get You: Untapped! Dances Into the New Victory Theater

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I'm definitely not a big dance fan. You'll never see me at the ballet (unless my tutu-clad daughter is performing) or at a modern-dance show. But tap? That's the one kind of dancing I really get.

As a child I was obsessed with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly movies, and then in college I discovered more offbeat tapping like Stomp, Tap Dogs and Savion Glover. Untapped!, which is currently playing at the New Victory Theater, is definitely one of the most exhilarating tap shows I've ever seen—and judging from how many kids I spied dancing and clapping in the aisles (including my own six-year-old), I wasn't the only one moving to their rhythms.

Muppet Mania: 8 Ways to Get Your Muppet On in NYC

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Even if you lead a media-challenged life (and if you did, you wouldn't be on this website), you probably know that the new Muppets movie is coming out next week. I can't remember the last time I was so psyched about seeing a film—and not just because I happen to like dressing up as Miss Piggy (yes, that's me in the pic). The Muppets is one of the few family flicks coming out this holiday season that I'm as excited to see as my daughter. (Alvin and the Chipmunks 3... not so much.)

Ever since they came to international fame on Sesame Street, New York City has been the unofficial home of the Muppets. Not only does the iconic PBS series film here in Queens at Astoria Kaufman Studios, its urban set was clearly inspired by the Big Apple, so it's not surprising that we love celebrating the Muppets in this town.

Here are eight fun ways families can get their Muppet on in NYC, besides going to the new movie.

Must-See New Kids' Museum: DiMenna Children's History Museum at the New York Historical Society

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After three years of extensive renovations, the revamped New York Historical Society reopened to the public last week. There are a lot of new additions at this Upper West Side institution: The landmarked building now has a fantastic grand hall that beautifully juxtaposes the past and present; life-size statues of President Abraham Lincoln and abolitionist Frederick Douglass greet visitors at the two entrances; the iconic ceiling from Keith Haring's Pop Shop is on display and there's a new eatery, Caffe Storico.

But the new attraction we're most excited about is the DiMenna Children's History Museum, an interactive, 4,500-square-foot mini-museum that invites kids to explore American history through the eyes of iconic NYC children. No boring memorization of names and dates here; a slew of hands-on activities really engage young visitors. I was impressed with how the stations balance having fun with serious learning. It's a truly groundbreaking achievement, especially since it's one of the few children's history museums in the U.S., and the only one in NYC!

One important thing to note: The DiMenna Children's History Museum is not a typical children's museum. While many of the offerings at CMOM and the Brooklyn Children's Museum skew young, the NY Historical Society's kids' space is best enjoyed by mature elementary, middle and high schoolers. So if you're looking for an Upper West Side spot where your toddler can run amok, this isn't it.

2011 Thanksgiving Events in Connecticut (Hartford County)

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Thanksgiving Day is just around the corner and as you prepare for the grand feast with your family there are also many events to help celebrate. With a list of craft events, physical activities and ways to give back in Hartford County you’ll be able to find something to keep the kids busy during the holiday break. Many of the events are free so while you're still entertaining your child you can save some cash for the upcoming holiday shopping season!

Indoor Play Spaces on the Upper West Side: 23 Fun Inside Spots for NYC Kids

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So far this month as part of our focus on the Upper West Side, we've rounded up cool things to do and awesome toy stores. Now we're rounding up indoor places to play on the UWS.

While the UWS is bookended by Riverside Park and Central Park, their playgrounds clear out when it's cold or rainy. But there are plenty of inside neighborhood spots where kids can run around and have fun. We're not just talking about the usual pay-to-play places like CMOM or AMNH, or members-only play spaces like NY Kids Club; there are also lots of unusual destinations, many of which are free. Here are our top 23 UWS spots where kids can play (or at least hang out a bit) indoors.

Little Lions: Best Kids' Books for Thanksgiving from The New York Public Library

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In October we launched Little Lions, a series of monthly posts featuring kids' book recommendations by New York Public Library (NYPL) librarians. For November, the theme seemed obvious: books for families to share over the Thanksgiving holiday.

Kristy Raffensberger, a children's librarian at the Webster Library on the Upper East Side, has compiled a lovely list of titles that capture the essence of the holiday, even if none of them are about Thanksgiving itself. All of these stories feature characters who are grateful, generous, helpful or selfless (or some combination thereof). Regardless of whether you celebrate with mashed potatoes, parades, Native American history or football, these books will help you give thanks for all you have.

GIVEAWAY! Tickets to "The Nutcracker" at South Orange Performing Arts Center

Submitted by Shari Simpson on

The holiday season without a performance of "The Nutcracker" would be very sad indeed--you might as well forget the tree and the decorations and tell your kids the real deal about you-know-who. That's why we'd like to make sure that two of our readers' families get a chance to see this very special show at one of our favorite venues--South Orange Performing Arts Center. Read on to find out how to enter to win one of two family 4-packs of tickets!

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