Welcome to October, month of harvest festivals! You could just pack up the kids and go town to town "festing" this weekend. There are also other fun events such as the Family Harvest Weekend at Four Sisters Winery, WBGO Kids Jazz Concert in Maplewood, International Steampunk City in Morristown, Italian Festival in Seaside Heights, or the Star Wars Reads day across the state.  Read on for our top picks and remember, you can find a listing of all NJ activities for kids in our Event Calendar.

We love it when we have nothing but good news to share. And that's totally the case for this edition of our biweekly news post. We've got details about auditions for our favorite NYC children's theater troupe, the grand reopening of an American Natural History Museum classic, new play spaces in Brooklyn and beyond, and Staten Island's bid to get on the (tourist) map with a massive Ferris wheel.

Good ol' Linus from Peanuts cartoons said it best: "Happiness is a warm puppy." That is, of course, when he wasn't talking about his beloved blanket! There's just something about a baby blanket that makes moms and babies alike want to curl up, relax, and feel secure. I'll never forget my own blankie, which I affectionately named "Baby cover." A tattered yellow blanket adorned with a blue smiley-face patch, “Baby cover” was my best friend, my comfort, and really hard for me to part with until I was in second grade! Below, you'll meet some New Jersey-based moms and professional quilters who just love creating, and giving, personalized blankets.

OpenHouseNewYork is one of those amazing, (mostly) free, citywide events that we just love. New Yorkers of all ages are invited to explore hundreds of local sites like historic buildings, contemporary architectural marvels, amazing private residences and newly redesigned green spaces and waterways. While OHNY isn't a family event per se, many of the destinations are family-friendly, and some spots host activities specifically aimed at kids. For example, this year's OHNY, which takes place Saturday, October 6 and Sunday, October 7, includes an interactive dance performance at the Elevated Acre and drop-in design workshops at the Center for Architecture.

For the second year in a row, OHNY has teamed up with the Historic House Festival (formerly a separate event), which means 23 additional buildings will also be offering no-cost admission and special programming, like a backstage tour of Central Park's Swedish Cottage Marionette Theater and tours of the historic ship Lilac.

Both events give kids a whole new perspective on this city and its rich history—visiting and seeing and experiencing is a lot more interesting than reading about these places in books. Of course, like many annual NYC events, OHNY and the Historic House Festival are super-popular. While you can drop in to some activities, others require reservations, and they're going fast. So if you see one that interests you, move on it right away!

We're always on the lookout for cool public art installations since they're usually offbeat and always FREE. And the minute we read about Japanese artist Tatzu Nishi's brand-new Discovering Columbus installation—which is, essentially, a modern American living room built around the 13-foot marble statue of Christopher Columbus in Columbus Circle—we knew we had to get it on your radar.

Unlike most public art displays, Discovering Columbus isn't the kind of thing you can just walk up to and look at. Since it's 60 feet in the air, there are many stairs involved. Plus, due to all the (we suspect justified) hype, visitors must download no-cost timed tickets in advance. (We already have ours!)

Some of you have been envisioning this moment since baby girl was in utero.  Some of you cannot believe you just googled the words 'spa party'.   Either way, we've simplified the search for you in Central Connecticut, finding salons and spas that will provide the works for your girly girl and her gaggle of little girlfriends.  There are also several companies that simplify the  process by bringing the glam team to your digs. For even more great party ideas check out our Party Guide.

My kids, like so many others, are obsessed with animals. My son in particular has been campaigning hard for a puppy, but so far, we’ve remained an animal-free household. Of course there's only so long I can put him off. That's why I was thrilled to find out that there are lots of animal care classes for kids, so he can get his cute critter fix, and I can keep my sofa free of fur and scratches.

Taking an animal care class is a lot more hands-on than visiting a petting zoo. Children find out how much work goes into looking after them and what a big responsibility they are. They also learn respect and compassion for all creatures. So next time your child asks for a four-legged pal, consider signing them up for one of these animal care classes for kids instead (hey at least you'll find out if they're ready to clean up poop).