Though school is nearly finished, school news never takes a vacation. Find out about a controversial teaching method that's creeping back into classrooms plus a few other education-related tidbits. We've also got the scoop on how to get a FREE wristband at Fantasy Forest at the Flushing Meadows Carousel this Thursday, and some cool kids' culture news about a change at the Little Orchestra Society and an awesome new album by Dan Zanes. Plus there's a new Apple Seeds play space in town, but it has a catch.

There are plenty of historical places to visit in Connecticut, but Old Wethersfield is one of the oldest and is named "Ye Most Auncient Towne." Sequestered from the modern town of Wethersfield, Old Wethersfield has maintained their small community feel with a bustling Main Street, quaint shoppes and wholesome places for kids to enjoy. The streets of Old Wethersfield are lined with over 300 historical houses with 50 even built before the American Revolution. Here are my top ten things to do in and around Old Wethersfield.

If you're looking for more local history, take a day to visit Harriet Beecher Stowe's home or the Noah Webster house, both of which made legendary impacts on Nutmeg history.

Mommy Poppins isn't exactly the place one would expect wines to be highlighted; but let's face it, aren't the best spent days when children are happy doing something that parents enjoy?  Long Island wineries earned recognition for diversity and the ability to produce high quality wines. While the North Fork is better known for its wineries, the three that reside on the South Fork should not be overlooked.

Our month-long focus on Ridgewood, Queens continues with a look at places to play in the area, both indoors and out. Despite having a suburban feel, with lots of neighborhood townhouses boasting their own backyards, Ridgewood is also home to an impressive number of urban parks and playgrounds, as well as some nice indoor play spots like kiddie gym Kids Fun House and the historic Vander Ende-Onderdonk House. Our roundup includes a attractions in nearby Glendale, too. Here are our top spots to play in and around Ridgewood, Queens.

I live in “horse country,” which just happens to be Central New Jersey. When we moved from the city I knew I wanted my daughter to give riding a try, and as I hoped, she fell in love. At five years old she's still very much in the learning process but riding is her passion, and because I'm a mama who does her research, we've tried and tested many stables in the Central New Jersey area. Whether you want to go for a single pony ride, or plan on purchasing a package of lessons, the farms listed below are wonderful with children. Giddy up!

It grieves me more than I can express to be collecting resources for our community similar to those our Connecticut and Boston editors have had to research all too recently. The children of Santa Monica go back to school today for two days that were scheduled mostly with end-of-year picnics and field trips, but the time will also be spent processing a senseless, violent tragedy - this time in our own community. Whether your children heard the gunfire as they hid under their desks, were on a field trip at the college, knew victims, or just heard frightening rumors, all of them have questions. I hope some of the resources below may be helpful to families processing last Friday's events.