Free and Fun Things to Do This Weekend for NYC Kids: Hong Kong Dragon Boats, Fringe Festival and Ferragosto August 13-14

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Welcome to another New York City weekend jam-packed with fantastic and mostly free things to do for families. Cool vintage VW vehicles are riding onto Governors Island, Staten Island's Garibaldi-Meucci Museum throws its annual Ferragosto fest and Brooklyn Bridge Park hosts its first-ever Kite Festival. The New York International Fringe Festival also kicks off this weekend, and while most of the offerings aren't for kids, its FringeJr shows are specifically aimed at families.

My family and I plan to hit the second Saturday of Summer Streets and then head to Flushing Meadows Corona Park for the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival with a quick stop at the New York Hall of Science's Circus! Science Under the Big Top. If we manage to do it all, I suspect we'll spend Sunday sleeping.

And that's just a bit of what's going on. All of our best bets for the weekend are below. You can find additional seasonal fun in our Summer Fun Guide and our Event Calendar.

Destination Playground: Riverbank State Park in Harlem

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When I mentioned to a fellow uptown Manhattan mom that I was planning on writing about Riverbank State Park, she begged me to keep this Harlem gem a secret. Although well known in our area, this elevated 28-acre park is worth traveling to, but right now it’s mostly frequented by locals.

In truth, the playgrounds aren’t all that: There are two small ones with the standard equipment, plus a separate sprinkler area. What makes Riverbank so special are its stunning Hudson River views and amazing facilities, including two pools, a skating rink, tennis and basketball courts, running track, theaters, shady picnic tables, 150-seat restaurant and kid-designed carousel.

Since Riverbank is built on top of the North River Wastewater Treatment Plant, some of the area has a rather bleak industrial look. Even the buildings that house the various attractions aren’t much to gaze at. But don’t let that deter you: There’s so much to do at Riverbank, you can spend the whole day here.

Boston Harbor Islands: Getting There - Ferry Services

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From sailing and canoeing on the Charles River to whale watching and sightseeing cruises in the Harbor, Boston offers plenty of opportunities to get out on the water.

And for those who want to find a piece of the great outdoors within sight of the city skyline, the Boston Harbor Islands offer plenty of choices for families, from easy hikes on Spectacle Island, Peddocks Island, or Worlds End and overnight camping on Bumpkin Island, Grape Island, or Lovells Island to visiting historical landmarks like Fort Warren on Georges Island and tours, performances, demonstrations and kid-friendly activities all spring, summer, and fall.

 

One Great Day in NJ: Free Fossil Digging at Big Brook

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Did you know that New Jersey is home to one of the largest and best areas in the country for late Cretaceous period fossils? And you don’t
even have to be a fancy archaeologist with special permits to search for fossils! So if your kids are like mine and get excited about walking in knee high water in search of 40-million-year-old treasure, just keep on reading…

Notable News: New York Scratch-and-Sniff Style, Fairway Mama Drama, Parent Work Wars

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With the stock market crashing and... well, the stock market crashing (that really is all anyone's talking about this week, right?), we decided to do a links roundup on the lighter side.

We've got info on an addictive new smartphone game, a smelly NYC children's book (yup, we said smelly!) and an Upper East Side mom who was banned from Fairway for life. Yikes! Plus a few other stories that should have you smiling not crying.

Nature for NYC Kids: 20 Places Where Families Can Connect With Nature

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Even though we're raising our families in the urban jungle, there are a multitude of ways to keep New York City kids connected to nature.

We've already written about many great outdoor activities you can do in the five boroughs, like bird-watching, hiking and gardening, and many items on our list of 100 Things to Do in NYC with Kids Before They Grow Up involve communing with Mother Nature.

Now we've rounded up our top 20 places in (or near) New York City where your family can marvel at, learn about and connect with nature. So before you plan your next trip to the country, check out our list. You may not need to rent a car after all.

Emily's Sugar Rush: NYC Kids Can Feed Their Sweet Tooth at this Queens Candy Shop

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Unfortunately, Emily's Sugar Rush closed in October 2014. We're big fans of old-fashioned candy stores piled high with colorful, high-calorie treats. Every time a new one pops up, we drop by to savor the items and the atmosphere.

We were particularly excited to check out Emily's Sugar Rush, a retro sweet spot that opened in Forest Hills, Queens in May. While our neighborhood has several bakeries and a few ice cream shops, drugstore candy was the only option for those of us with a hardcore sweet tooth until Emily's came along.

Owners and longtime Forest Hills residents Ingrid and David Broderick named their corner candy shop after their eight-year-old daughter. All three of them love sugary treats, and they offer plenty of that at Emily's, which is a veritable jar- and barrel-filled candy heaven, sprinkled with plenty of quirky newfangled treats and small gifts to boot.

Back to School Resources for Special Needs Families

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[UPDATED: July 18, 2012]

Preparing your child for back to school should be simple.  Buy them some clothes, let them pick out a cool new backpack, and the best part of all – shop for new school supplies (I loved my Trapper Keeper back in the day). But as a parent of special needs children, feelings of joy and anticipation of successes in the new school year can sometimes be replaced with anxiety.  Have they regressed over the summer? How they will function socially with a new teacher and different classmates?

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