Teeny toddlers, precocious preschoolers, and sassy schoolkids all know that when the leaves start turning to vibrant colors, it's time to dream of Halloween. Nothing is more indulgent than dressing up like your favorite hero, knocking on neighborhood doors, and asking for free sugary treats.

When the hoopla has settled down, many parents are frustrated by the amount of confections overflowing in their pantries, some of which will be thrown out before the winter holidays. Here are some fabulous spots on Long Island to donate leftover Halloween candy. And for more great ways to help the less fortunate, check out our list of places to donate gently used toys and baby gear.

There's nothing like Thanksgiving Day in New York City, and that's thanks in large part to the one and only Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, which celebrates its 92nd anniversary when it steps off at 9am on Thursday, November 22.

We've got the scoop on all the new faces joining the parade lineup in 2018, in addition to our tried-and-true tips on how to catch the balloons coming to life the night before, and where to stake out your prime viewing spot for the main event. Read on to meet the new stars of the show.

As the weather cools and those freezing playground slides become less appealing, we’re all scrambling for indoor activities to keep our little ones entertained. Luckily, the Brooklyn Children’s Museum has added another family-friendly NYC activity to the to-do list.

TapeScape, open now through December 30, 2018, is an explorable structure made from scaffolding and 480 rolls of packing tape. My daughter and I had the pleasure of visiting the museum’s newest exhibit and it’s exactly as promised. We loved climbing through the tens of thousands of feet of clear tape that is intricately woven around a metal frame. There are many tunnels and passageways to explore, which inspired my three year-old's sense of adventure. She even asked if we could replicate the structure in our own kitchen. Uh, no.

If you have a little train lover in your family, chances are you practically live on the Island of Sodor: humming along to the theme of Thomas & Friends™, and amassing more trains, tracks, and stations than you thought humanly possible.  Now Thomas the Train fans are in for a special treat. At Please Touch Museum’s latest exhibit, Thomas and Friends: Explore the Rails!, the entire family can enter their favorite world of make believe, practice STEM skills, and spark their imaginations with Thomas.  Read on to find out what makes this exhibit a must-do for Philly area families with tykes in tow. 

Who doesn’t love a good family dance party for shaking off the rainy day blahs? While you could always ask Alexa to crank up the tunes in your living room, it's even more fun to hit the dance floor with kids at a venue that caters to tail-shakers of all ages. You will be dancing the day or night away with a great family fun vibe. Who can resist that?

Read on for a list of venues in Manhattan and Brooklyn where families can get their groove on.

New Englanders big and small love their doughnuts. And while we’ve got nothing against Dunkin’, we really enjoy visiting local shops, which serve up everything from classic apple cider doughnuts to maple-bacon-flavored beignets. We can hardly think of a more kid-friendly food—especially when sprinkles and frosting are involved—so bring the whole family when you go sample of some of the tastiest treats in the city at a dozen of our favorite doughnut shops.

We do it every year, and happily so. A Christmas tree is a must, and so we head to the local lot and walk through the makeshift aisles of pre-cut trees in search of the perfect one. Or maybe we head a little farther out to cut our own. Once found, the tree is tied to our car and off we go, to wrestle it into a stand, shimmy it through the front door, and hope we remember to water it. After the holidays, we drag the once-vibrant-now-browning tree to the curb and vacuum up the trail of fallen needles.

It is hard to imagine Christmas without a rich smelling conifer, but it is also hard to ignore how unsustainable the system is: the tree is grown a thousand miles away, shipped here, driven to its destination, briefly enjoyed, and then discarded. Thankfully, here in Los Angeles and elsewhere, there is another option - a living Christmas tree.

Tucked between Central Park and Riverside Park, it’s hard to beat the family-friendly awesomeness that is the Upper West Side. The neighborhood boasts tree-lined streets with wide sidewalks, easily-accessible subway lines, more playgrounds than you can count, plus endless cafes, museums, kid-centric hot spots, and many of the best schools in the city. Though the Upper West Side spans over 40 blocks, it has a small community vibe that makes it particularly attractive to families with young children.

To add to the appeal, richly-appointed new boutique-style residences, like our sponsor 222w80, offer a long list of larger building amenities that are perfect for families. With a state-of-the-art fitness center and yoga studio grownups will love, a children’s playspace and arcade-like game room for the younger crowd, and an on-site bowling alley and virtual reality game room the whole crew can enjoy, you’ll think you’ve gone to apartment heaven.

Read on to find out why the Upper West Side has long been—and continues to be—one of the most sought-out neighborhoods by families in New York City.