Even if your kids haven’t seen Night at the Museum or read The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, the appeal of staying overnight in a museum or zoo seems to be universal. These favorite destinations, within an hour’s drive from Boston, make the fantasy a reality. For a night your child will be talking about for a long time, read on and start planning your family or group slumber party among science exhibits, with nocturnal animals, on a battleship, or in a baseball stadium. 

The U.S. Open is just days away.  School is about to start.  Tennis, anyone?  As affluent as Fairfield County is, It's no shock there are several tennis centers here.  Whether you have a youngster who wants to start, or are a parent who'd like to pick up the game again, there are lessons, leagues and tournaments available.  For parents of young children, there seasonal leagues operating during the school year -- some even offer free child care for preschoolers, and waive membership fees.  Court fees are split among dozens, so it can break down to $150 or so a month to have consistent play -- a far cry from the thousands it can cost for a club membership.  Point being, shop around to make sure you're getting precisely what you want.

We all need to take a moment now and again for a deep stretch and some relaxed breathing--and kids are no different. Yoga is a great activity for children and teens because they can get in better touch with their bodies through breathing, balance and destressing. Yoga also teaches them about being healthy and taking care of themselves (a lesson we all can benefit from, right?)

Here are 5 studios that offer yoga classes for children. And for more kid-friendly activities on the East End, check out our Hamptons and North Fork Family Guide.

Dining out should be a enjoyable, bonding experience for the family. However, kids and restaurants don’t always mix. Waiting for food or sitting still at the table can be a challenge for little ones. When crayons just don’t cut it, bring the gang to one of these family-friendly favorites on their scheduled “kid’s night”. From magicians to characters to balloon animals, the following restaurants offer fun entertainment and events for kids during the week. Also, check out restaurants that offer Kids Eat Free specials.

Summer is winding down, but there is still time to play and still plenty to do. This week, enjoy crafts, concerts, and cinema for all ages. Native Angelenos may not realize it, but we are living in a brand new city. Los Angeles now has public transportation! A train trip with the little ones is always fun, but it’s also great to send teenagers on a grand rail adventure of their own. Better yet, park at one of the stations Friday night, and the whole family can head Downtown, where there are many cool things to do this week.

Summer is quickly coming to a close, but you still have time for a few last flings. How about hitting a fun-filled county fair or country festival? There are lots of fantastic annual fests at this time of year, like the Dutchess County Fair, the Columbia County Fair and the New York State Fair, many a short drive (or train or bus ride) from New York City and Westchester. There are even three county fairs right in NYC!

These fairs let kids get face time with farm animals like chickens, goats, pigs and cows; hop on cool carnival rides; groove to live music; and enjoy other entertainment and activities. They're good old-fashioned fun for the whole family, and the perfect way to say goodbye to the season. Here are 10 county fairs and festivals near or in New York City.

As hard as it may be for some of us to believe, Back to School is just around the corner. Part of getting ready for the new school year (in addition to shopping), is trying to decide what extracurricular classes you kids will take this year. If your kids are anything like mine, they've got a mile-long list of classes they simply MUST take. After narrowing the list down to a workable number, there's still the question of  where to take classes. That's where we come in. We've designed a Westchester Kids Classes Guide, filled with reviews and roundups of different classes throughout the county, to help you find just what you and your kids are looking for. We've also launched a brand new Class Directory where you can browse programs by location, category and age range.

There's no denying it--comic book heroes are all the rage right now thanks to such hits as The Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy. If your child doesn't want to just watch their favorite caped crusader on the big screen (or dress up like them for Halloween), you might want to take a trip down to your local comic book store. Not only are many stocked with comics about a variety of characters (hey, it's reading!), they they also sell toys, trading cards and other collectibles. While comics, on average, are $2.99-$3.99 (double or special issues can a bit more pricey), most comic books shops have knowledgeable employees to point you in the right direction or make recommendations.

Whether your kid is an avid fan or a casual reader, Long Island has several stores that can cater to this fantasy-laden past time. Let those in the know help lead your little one into a new realm of reading. Check out these top shops for items, events, etc. that might interest your lil' Iron Man or wee Wonder Woman. And for more kid-friendly things to do, check out our Long Island Calendar.