Sure, the Boston Children's Museum is lots of fun. It can also be crowded and hectic, and parking is a challenge. The good news is that there are a handful of other great children's museums in eastern New England – all within a reasonable drive – for those days when you're looking for something a little more relaxed.

Here's a rundown of five kid-centric museums outside of Boston. If you're a member of the Boston Children's Museum, it's worth checking whether your membership offers free entry into any of these other museums. Local libraries may also make free or discounted passes available.

Food festivals are a great way to bring families together. Nothing screams summer more than corn on the cob, watermelon, barbeque, and ice cream. Food with music, entertainment, and games is the perfect formula for a great family afternoon for kids of all ages. We've compiled a list of some awesome food festivals happening this summer. Come hungry and ready for fun!

To say the July launch of Pokémon Go has been a phenomenon would be to vastly understate it. Few mobile games have ever launched to so much anticipation and so many immediate downloads. And, it’s obvious why it would. Pokémon Go takes mobile gaming to a whole new dimension.

The idea of Pokémon Go is to turn your real-life environment into a Pokémon world through augmented reality technology. Players collect Pokémon as they move around, and, through their phones, Pokemon appear right in their real world. The Pokémon, and Poke Stops, are scattered all over the map, so as you travel through life you will find and catch more. When players get to higher levels, they can train and battle their Pokémon as well.

Pokémon Go has already had a huge impact on my kids. Some of it is super good, but there are also some trends that are very concerning. Here’s what parents need to know about what to love and what to fear about Pokémon Go.

Finding the perfect beach read is something of an annual hunt for book nerds and casual readers alike. And passing that literary tradition down to your kids can be a great way to stave off those endless "I'm bored" moments, not to mention keep their brain cells firing over summer vacation.

Luckily, the New York Public Library recently issued its annual Summer Reading Challenge and Contest, urging kids to read at least 20 minutes a day. Along with that came a trove of book recommendations for kids, from baby board books to early readers to teen thrillers and everything in between. There’s even a book list for grown-ups, because, hey, kids learn by watching too, right?

So whether your kids need a little prodding to pick up a book this summer, or if they’re complaining they don’t have anything new to read, check out this sampling of great book suggestions from the one of the country's largest library systems. 

There are endless opportunities for summer fun in Westchester this summer, but that doesn’t mean you have set your wallet on fire in the process. We’ve rounded up 25 different events, activities and ideas for July and August, all of which are kid-friendly and all of which are FREE. 

These ideas are happening seven days a week and you can get even more inspiration from our Event Calendar, which is continuously updated with all of the latest and greatest Westchester and Hudson Valley happenings. Make it even easier on yourself by signing up for our newsletter and following us on Facebook. 

The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum is getting ready to boldly go where no American has gone before! Imported from the Canada Aviation and Space Museum and opening Saturday, July 9, Star Trek: The Starfleet Academy Experience is a 12,000-square-foot, interactive installation where fans of all ages can immerse themselves in the sci-fi franchise's universe by "training" for various on-ship jobs. By completing fun tasks and taking brief quizzes at themed stations, find out whether you're best suited for a career in Communications, Medical, Science, Engineering, Navigation, Tactical, or Command, all while tracking your progress on a high-tech wristband that sends your results to your email.

For Trekkies, missing this exhibit would be "illogical" as Spock loves to say. But will casual viewers and little kids think it's out of this world, too? Find out whether your little space cadets are ready to join up, and tips for making the most of your voyage!

And don't forget to check out the NYC Museum Guide for all the latest kid-friendly exhibits.

Whether you’re looking to give your child a head start on local history studies, or refresh lessons already learned, a visit to the Connecticut Historical Society in Hartford is an informative and enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours immersed in our state's legacy. Because the museum is located only 1 mile from the gorgeous Elizabeth Park (where you can dine at Pond House Cafe), and less than 4 miles from Westmoor Park, an outing to CHS can easily turn into a great day spent in the West Hartford area. 

Pop culture fans in New York City should have a great summer thanks to two interactive exhibits debuting this month: Star Trek: The Starfleet Academy Experience at the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum and the Ghostbusters Experience at Madame Tussauds. We're excited about these, too and highlighted both in our July GoList.   

My 11-year-old son and I went ghost-busting on opening weekend at Madame Tussauds, already big fans of the classic 1984 sci-fi comedy. We're looking forward to the film's reboot with an all-women crew that will hit theaters July 15, and this immersive, movie-themed experience was a great prequel. Walking into the museum's lobby you just know you are in for something fun, with the classic Ghostbusters theme song blaring and staff dressed in replica uniforms. The thrill factor is enhanced as you strap on a proton pack to get ready to blast at ghosts in the Ghostbusters: Dimension hyper-reality, multisensory adventure.