Many NYC kids are looking at another abbreviated week of classes with the just opened public schools closed on Wednesday and Thursday for Yom Kippur and Eid al-Adha, respectively. We've added extra options for cool kid weekday activities on those days for families not observing the holidays. And don't forget, we told you last week about the great upcoming fall theater, local festivals and pumpkin patches and a newly opened Environmental Educational Center in Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Our best bets for Monday, September 21-Friday, September 25 include the grand opening of the Children's Museum of Manhattan's interactive, NYC-themed installation, FREE collaborative lantern-making workshops, kite flying and a sneak peek at Maker Faire. Of course, you can find lots of other ideas in our jam-packed Event Calendar.

Litchfield County is a beautiful place to live and play especially this time of year. The rural setting makes for a very pretty picture indeed. In many areas, that same rural setting might not be the most conducive for trick or treating if the next house is a mile away! We have to get creative and go where the candy is so we've rounded up a few options for you. For more Halloween fun and ideas check out our CT Halloween and Fall Fun Guide which includes places to trick or treat in other areas as well. Be sure to sign up for our weekly newsletter so that you can keep up with all of the fun events happening across Connecticut. 

Whether your child got a taste of theater in summer camp and is hungry for more, you have a kid who acts like all the world's a stage, or your little one is a bit shy, there's a theater class ready to feed creativity, channel theatrics into performance skills, and foster self-confidence. From preschool to high school, Boston kids have class options galore for exploring the theater, honing their craft and showing how much they've learned in a culminating performance – with dramatic flair, of course. 

Westchester is full of new places to see and explore. We recently told you about new fall classes for kids; now we're turning our attention to other new developments around town! There are new eateries, relocated establishments, provisions for special-needs kids and a new source for Halloween costumes. Plus, this month local bibliophiles honor Banned Books Week. Read on to learn about all this and more!

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Well shiver me timbers, ahoy there buccaneers, fly the jolly roger, and any other piratical cliché you can think of: September 19 is a national holiday called Talk Like a Pirate Day, and no, we arrrgh not making that up. How could we? This peculiar celebration of all things pirate has grown in popularity each year, until we've finally decided that it merits a post of its own. So hold onto your eye patches, because we know 6 great ways to celebrate Talk Like a Pirate Day in LA!

September is National Baby Safety Month. If you've recently had a baby you're probably pretty overwhelmed. Between diaper changes, feedings and sleep schedules, it's hard for new parents to find time to think about all of the safety hazards in their home. Once babies start crawling and climbing, however, it's amazing how quickly they can get into trouble. If you don't have the time (or the energy) to wrestle with baby gates and cabinet locks, it might be time to call in a professional. New Jersey families can turn to one of several great baby proofing companies, all members of the International Association For Child Safety (IAFCS), that will make sure that when baby starts moving, he will be safe. 

Calling all the little literary lovers: Brooklyn Heights is the place to be this weekend as the Brooklyn Book Festival debuts its very first Children's Day, an all-day, FREE reading festival with top children's book authors and illustrators. The outdoor event kicks off on Saturday, September 19, in downtown Brooklyn the day before the adult version of the lit fest takes place.

Expect two stages of non-stop storytimes, a fast-paced illustration face-off, music and workshops, and with readings from pop-up books to Mad Libs and chapter books, there's something here for the toddlers on up to the teens. No wonder this event made our September GoList and Weekend Event picks!

As a native Florida gal, experiencing the changing seasons is still something that’s exciting for our family, even 3 years after our big move. Winter is full of snow (and more snow) of course, spring is beautiful with gorgeous flowers and summer is a great excuse to be outdoors with the kids, no matter what state you live in! But something about autumn is special – maybe it’s the multi-hued leaves that carpet our backyard, the cute little grins I capture on camera as our little ones romp through pumpkin patches or the fact that it’s just a good excuse to wear cozy sweaters and eat apple pie!

No matter the reason, my family likes to take in the fall season in a big way. Weekends in September through November are the perfect opportunity to take a break from the busy day to day and embrace the cooler temps before it gets frigid. New Jersey offers an array of autumn activities for every age and interest – take a look at our top ten favorites: