I remember when my son was first learning to add numbers. He was so proud of himself. His face lit up as he proclaimed proudly, "2 + 2 is 4!" But soon the equations and concepts became more complicated. He was forced to do daily flashcard drills and endless worksheets, and I saw his initial enthusiasm start to fade. That's when I decided to turn math time into playtime with fun and engaging board games.

While there are plenty of math apps he can play alone and hands-on activities at the Museum of Mathematics, board games help him learn new mathematical concepts or master old ones in a supportive and entertaining environment. Family game night is a great bonding experience, too, and it certainly doesn't feel like work. Here are six board games, all under $20 and aimed at a variety of ages, that my family and I often play together. They're so much fun your kids won't even realize they're doing math.

It's nearing the end of summer and half the city tends to empty out as beach goers head down to the Cape and Islands for last minute getaways.  If you are like me and choose staying local over fighting bridge traffic, you can still create your own little beach getaway right here at home.  Castle Island is a 22-acre recreation site located at the tip of the Harbor in South Boston, just 10 minutes away from the Central Artery.   Below are ten things to do there (and ten tips!) to help plan your trip to one of Boston's most popular destinations for tourists and residents alike.

While the New York Yankees and Mets get all the hype, going to a major league baseball game can be a major expense not to mention a major pain with kids. To enjoy the fun of America's favorite spectator sport in a more family-friendly format, in-the-know New Yorkers go to see one of our area's many minor league baseball teams.

The Staten Island Yankees are the Short-Season Single-A affiliate of the New York Yankees and their games are incredibly kid-friendly. I recently attended a Staten Island Yankees game with my extended family and it makes for a great day or evening out, and includes a ferry ride, a fun ballgame with lots of action in the stands, and often fireworks or other special events. We continue our month-long focus on Staten Island with an outing at this popular ballpark.

Pirates is one of those words that elicits completely different reactions from kids and grown-ups. Although everyone pretty much pictures lawless bands of marauders in search of booty, as an adult, I think about awful, ripped-from-the-headlines stories while my son imagines Johnny Depp in eyeliner. Thankfully for children, pirates don't have any scary real-life connotations—they're as make believe as princesses, unicorns and dragons. So indulging your child's pirate fantasies can be fun for the whole family.

There are lots of interactive ways for kids to play pirate in New York City that are much more stimulating than spacing out to yet another episode of Jake and the Never Land Pirates. From swashbuckling festivals to pirate shows and exhibits to sailing the high seas (a.k.a. New York Harbor) on a pirate-themed cruise, here are five ways for kids to get their pirate on in NYC.

Long Island has fantastic art classes for kids, with something for every age and interest. From painting and drawing, to themed classes such as cartooning and jewelry making, the options for artistic expression are endless. Art classes not only encourage creativity, but are great for developing basic skills such as concentration and hand-eye coordination. We rounded up six spots for the budding young artist. For additional class suggestions, see our Classes and Activities Guide for Long Island Kids.

Camping is the ultimate epitome of a summer adventure. Nothing really sums it up more than sleeping in the wilderness, experiencing the great outdoors, roasting S’mores, telling stories around the camp fire. Since it’s a fairly cheap weekend getaway it’s a perfect way to add in a low cost vacation for the family. So pack up the tent and check out one of these local sites in the Central Connecticut area.

Long Island is home to many wonderful outdoor activities for families. From beaches, to parks and farms, there are plenty of ways to keep everyone busy all year long. Long Island's parks are definitely on the top of our list for great outdoor destinations. Check out these three North Shore gems that are perfect for a family day trip. For more trip ideas, visit our Hamptons and North Fork Family Guide.

We had an awesome time at our inaugural Mommy Poppins Family Cruise last Sunday. That's my daughter in the pic, helping to hoist the sails of Manhattan by Sail's Clipper City Tall Ship. (She turned eight that very day so I figured it was time to put her to work.) We put up a photo gallery on our Facebook page of all the fun we had, including face painting, Bill Gordh's sea songs and incredible views of the Statue of Liberty. Our next cruise is coming up on Tuesday, August 20 and it's got a pirate theme! Read our post for all the details and to book tickets.

It's the last full month of summer break so there's no time to waste: NYC's beaches and pools close on Labor Day. If you're in need of childcare those last few weeks before school starts, check out our post about late-August/early-September camps—we keep adding new programs as we hear about them. Or if you're looking for day trip ideas, check out our regional sites for inspiration. Westchester's August Go List includes one of my family's summer favorites: the New York Renaissance Faire in Sterling Forest. Much as we love NYC's free public pools, city kids really get a kick out of taking a dip in natural swimming holes like these ponds and lakes in Connecticut and New Jersey. Or stick close to home and explore the "forgotten borough:" We're highlighting the best things to do in Staten Island throughout the month.

Finally, if you're thinking about taking the kids to one of the big summer family flicks, our Boston site has parent-child reviews of Smurfs 2 and Turbo, so you can get opinions from both sides!

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week: