Although the days are still filled with sunshine, playground and pool time, there’s no denying the fact that the school year is on the horizon. Why not combine some end of summer fun with a little educational twist that will get everybody back in the learning mode? Check out the cool Retro Science Egg Drop at Liberty Science Center, create Paleo Art at Field Station: Dinosaurs or learn about animals and their environments at the Whittemore Wildlife Sanctuary’s Tales & Trails program. And remember, you can find a full list of weekend activities in our Event Calendar.

I remember when my son was first learning to add numbers. He was so proud of himself. His face lit up as he proclaimed proudly, "2 + 2 is 4!" But soon the equations and concepts became more complicated. He was forced to do daily flashcard drills and endless worksheets, and I saw his initial enthusiasm start to fade. That's when I decided to turn math time into playtime with fun and engaging board games.

While there are plenty of math apps he can play alone and hands-on activities at the Museum of Mathematics, board games help him learn new mathematical concepts or master old ones in a supportive and entertaining environment. Family game night is a great bonding experience, too, and it certainly doesn't feel like work. Here are six board games, all under $20 and aimed at a variety of ages, that my family and I often play together. They're so much fun your kids won't even realize they're doing math.

It's nearing the end of summer and half the city tends to empty out as beach goers head down to the Cape and Islands for last minute getaways.  If you are like me and choose staying local over fighting bridge traffic, you can still create your own little beach getaway right here at home.  Castle Island is a 22-acre recreation site located at the tip of the Harbor in South Boston, just 10 minutes away from the Central Artery.   Below are ten things to do there (and ten tips!) to help plan your trip to one of Boston's most popular destinations for tourists and residents alike.

While the New York Yankees and Mets get all the hype, going to a major league baseball game can be a major expense not to mention a major pain with kids. To enjoy the fun of America's favorite spectator sport in a more family-friendly format, in-the-know New Yorkers go to see one of our area's many minor league baseball teams.

The Staten Island Yankees are the Short-Season Single-A affiliate of the New York Yankees and their games are incredibly kid-friendly. I recently attended a Staten Island Yankees game with my extended family and it makes for a great day or evening out, and includes a ferry ride, a fun ballgame with lots of action in the stands, and often fireworks or other special events. We continue our month-long focus on Staten Island with an outing at this popular ballpark.

Pirates is one of those words that elicits completely different reactions from kids and grown-ups. Although everyone pretty much pictures lawless bands of marauders in search of booty, as an adult, I think about awful, ripped-from-the-headlines stories while my son imagines Johnny Depp in eyeliner. Thankfully for children, pirates don't have any scary real-life connotations—they're as make believe as princesses, unicorns and dragons. So indulging your child's pirate fantasies can be fun for the whole family.

There are lots of interactive ways for kids to play pirate in New York City that are much more stimulating than spacing out to yet another episode of Jake and the Never Land Pirates. From swashbuckling festivals to pirate shows and exhibits to sailing the high seas (a.k.a. New York Harbor) on a pirate-themed cruise, here are five ways for kids to get their pirate on in NYC.

Long Island has fantastic art classes for kids, with something for every age and interest. From painting and drawing, to themed classes such as cartooning and jewelry making, the options for artistic expression are endless. Art classes not only encourage creativity, but are great for developing basic skills such as concentration and hand-eye coordination. We rounded up six spots for the budding young artist. For additional class suggestions, see our Classes and Activities Guide for Long Island Kids.