A hard core mountaineer I am not. Nope…I’m more of a leisurely loper, quick to stop for snacks, water breaks, and bathrooms. But that being said, I do love getting out on a trail, and I love getting my kids out there as well, in hopes that they will grow up to be better mountaineers than their mother…

To that end, we will be hitting several manageable hiking trails in and around Fairfield County this summer and fall. Hiking Tip: best to wear long pants tucked into socks or tick spray and to bring water and a snack for when it's time to take a rest. Here’s our list of family friendly trails – hope to see you out there! If you'd like to spread your wings a bit further afield, check out these family friendly hikes in the Hartford area.

When kids say they want to play something with their parents, they usually mean they want to beat them at something. But when it comes to sports, there are few activities where a parent can honestly be bested by a person half their size and strength without resorting to throwing the game.

The exception: table tennis, better known as Ping-Pong. Forget size and strength; Ping-Pong is all about focus, aim and perseverance—qualities your kids have probably mastered in front of the Wii or Xbox. Here are our favorite kid-friendly New York City Ping-Pong spots where your little ones can whip you fair and square using a tiny paddle and ball.

(In photo:  Jake Sokoloff as The Mad Hatter and Jenna Kavaler as Alice
Photo Credit:  Peter Lanscombe, Theatre Three)

Children develop a personal connection to the characters they meet in fairy tales and story books.  They sympathize with Cinderella and Snow White in their plights with their wicked stepmothers, they relate to a child who can’t say no to just one more cupcake and they revel in the thought of a little boy who can fly. This summer children will be dazzled to see the beloved characters they’ve connected with in books come to life on stages across Long Island. We’ve rounded up some summer stage adaptations of popular children’s stories sure to entertain and likely to inspire even a reluctant reader to reread the story after the final bow.

I'm talking at the Apple Store in SoHo today about the best family travel apps. It's a free event and if you are in the area I hope you'll drop in and check it out. I've got a ton of information to share on apps that will help you save money as well as help solve some of the toughest problems of family vacations.

The event is at 11am today, Saturday, July 14th at the SoHo Apple Store (103 Prince Street), which is re-opening for the first time after a huge renovation, so you'll get to be one of the first people to see the new store as well.

Next week I'll be posting a Best Family Travel Apps Series all week long. So check the site for those too.The topics in the series will be on the best apps for saving money on hotel and flight bookings, road trips, finding the best places to eat and things to do, navigating your destination and more.  

As we approach the halfway point of summer, you moms and dads have probably been to the beach, downed a good amount of ice cream, been doused at some water parks, and cooked enough hot dogs and hamburgers to feed an army. How about a change of pace for your grill? Take the kids to catch some dinner! With New Jersey’s miles of coastline, a day out on a fishing boat sounds like a welcome change of pace. Good luck! Catch some for us!

If your child is a budding Picasso or simply loves crafts, an art class or camp might be an excellent way for her/him to spend time this summer.  Long Island has many options to explore with several art camps beginning this week or next.  Many programs have rolling admissions, or welcome walk-ins, so for those of you who prefer a less structured art experience, there are classes for you as well.

If your musical child is into jazz they won't want to miss the Litchfield Jazz Camp this summer. Nestled in the Litchfield Hills on the beautiful Kent School campus, the Litchfield Jazz Camp is one of the most highly regarded jazz summer programs in the nation. Its music director, saxophonist, composer and educator Don Braden, is a major figure on the jazz scene. Braden has played with jazz greats Wynton Marsalis, Freddie Hubbard, and Betty Carter and composed for Bill Cosby’s projects. He has headed the program for 15 years. Camp faculty includes renowned performers.