How do we love Boston? Help us count the ways! We know that Boston is the best place to raise kids, but even the best has its best. So we're counting on you, our Mommy Poppins readers and the most savvy parents we know, to help us pick Boston's BESTIES. The best play spaces? Boston's got 'em. Family restaurants? We've got those, too.

Fall is upon us, which means we are busy checking off all the fun apple and pumpkin-filled events we can cram in before the weather officially gets too cold to be outdoors. Topping off every list is the ultimate in fall fun—a hayride! Whether through a spooky field, in costume, or just for the fun of it, hayrides, and other harvest fun are a tradition from childhood we get to relive with our own littles. Just remember to wear denim, as all that dry hay can get itchy!

There are many levels of pumpkin carving. There's picking up a pumpkin at the grocery store and stabbing a crooked smile onto it. There's downloading a stencil and spending an afternoon with a $5 carving kit creating Jack Skellington. And then there's taking 5,000 fresh pumpkins per week and turning them into multi-gourd masterpieces never before conceived out of fruit. That last thing? That's Rise of the Jack O'Lanterns.

Halloween enthusiasts on Long Island have long enjoyed this gloriously over the top pumpkin extravaganza, but it is still relatively new to Los Angeles area families, and completely new this season to our readers in New Jersey and Boston. That's a whole lot more families getting to experience the glowing, walk-through exhibit, that brings out the Halloween spirit in visitors of all ages. Read on to find out all about this amazing spectacle and get a Mommy Poppins promo code!

Come October, millions of tourists from all over the United States and abroad flock to New England to catch a glimpse of the glorious colors of our fall foliage, to 'leaf-peep'. Nowhere in the world can you see such breathtakingly colored canopies as in our region. We have our sweet Indian summers and the diversity of our flora to thank for it. Yankee Magazine named Kent, CT one of the Best Foliage Towns in New England for five years running. Check out our day trip post to Kent to get the low down on what to do while visiting and soaking in the beauty of nature. For even more ideas in your inbox, sign up for our weekly newsletter.  Check out our Halloween and Fall Fun Guide for lots of other great info!

It’s hard to make the time to get back into shape after baby arrives, and maybe even more so once that bundle of joy begins to crawl and walk. Try one of these gyms that offer babysitting, or if you're not quite ready to leave baby, check out a Mommy & me fitness classes. Moms bring their babies, some snacks or toys, water bottles, and enjoy time with the baby while stretching, strengthening and nurturing their bodies. 

Footgolf, you ask? Yes, footgolf! It is, indeed, a thing—a new thing, less than ten years old, and a fun thing played outside on golf courses that welcome families and mixed-age groups. As you might guess by the name, footgolf combines the sports of soccer and golf. And while your younger kids might find mini golf (let alone real golf) to be an exercise in frustration, footgolf is played with a standard size soccer ball, and any kid who has enjoyed AYSO soccer will likely enjoy shooting for the 21-inch footgolf hole. Footgolf also allows excellent skill building—and would make for a great end-of-season soccer team party!

With the crisp fall season nipping at summer's heels, embrace it by enjoying a fall foodie favorite: sweet and delicious, farm-fresh roasted corn. It's a universal food enjoyed by every generation. Often slow roasted in its husk and then dipped in mouth-watering butter, this tasty treat can be found at various spots across Long Island.

And for more seasonal fun, check out our Long Island Halloween Guide.

The wants and needs of toddlers versus teens couldn’t be more different. One is begging for toy cars while the other is eyeing up the keys to your SUV. When it comes to spending quality family time together, everyone can agree that day trips must be fun for siblings of all ages. Luckily, New Jersey has several destinations on the docket that will have your whole family cheering for more.