So we're back in school. We're packing lunches, going to PTA meetings. and overseeing homework. And we're probably starting to wrap our minds around figuring out some enrichment classes to fill in the gaps and/or add some sparkle to the process. Your child might attend a school with a great onsite, low-cost after-school program, which takes care of half the question already; on the other hand you might be trying to figure out the shortest distance between your house and a place to constructively use those ballet shoes. Open houses and free trial classes make the hunt for great classes a little more do-able, which is why we offer this list of 10 great places that offer chances to try it out for free, either in the coming weeks or - in many cases - all year long.

Nominations for the Boston Kids Who Really Rock contest are now closed. We'll announce the winners onstage at the Boston Kids Really Rock music and arts festival at 5:15 on Sunday, October 5th at the Lawn on D. We hope to see you there!

Do you know a kid who is doing great things for the community? A kid who goes way out of his way to make a difference - organizing food drives, raising funds for a local nonprofit, volunteering with a charity organization, dishing it up at a soup kitchen - in short, a kid who really rocks? NOMINATE THAT KID NOW for our Boston Kids Who Really Rock contest!

Mommy Poppins Boston is proud to partner with the Kids Really Rock music and arts festival to sing the praises of some very special Boston kids who are making a difference in their communities through service. We are searching for young Bostonians who exemplify the spirit of kindness, community, and creativity celebrated by the Kids Really Rock festival - a spin-off from last year's remarkable One Family Music Festival. The awesome kids selected by the editors of Mommy Poppins and dubbed “Boston Kids Who Really Rock" will be featured, along with the charities they are passionate about, in a Mommy Poppins Boston article. Five Finalists and one Grand Prize Winner will also be invited to appear on stage at the Boston Kids Really Rock music festival, where we will make a $500 donation to the Grand Prize winner's 501(c) charity of choice and another $500 donation to the festival's not-for-profit partner, Cradles to Crayons. You know Boston kids ROCK; now prove it! Read on for contest rules and regulations and information on how to nominate a rockin' Boston kid. 

The start of September can feel like a whirlwind of school, classes and adjusting to new schedules, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a little fun. The weather is still warm, so why not take a break and see what Jersey has in store for this weekend? The month is full of great festivals so check out the Asbury Park Oysterfest down the shore, stuff yourself silly with moussaka at St. Demetrios Greek Festival or learn about butterflies at Pyramid Mountain’s Monarch Festival. You can also get muddy with a Pond Study class at Liberty State Park, take your pooch to the canine friendly end-of-season event at Morey’s Pier Water Park or celebrate the High Holidays early with the family as you taste apples and hear the Shofar at Liberty Science Center. And remember, you can check out the full list of weekend activities in our Event Calendar.

With all the press about the mom who got arrested for leaving her nine-year-old child unattended in a park, and the resulting outrage, it’s raised the question across the country: What's an appropriate amount of freedom for kids, and what is not? Growing up in NYC in the '70s, my friends and I played outside and roamed around independently from an early age even though the city, in general, was not as safe as it is now. We learned street smarts and independence that, undoubtedly, spilled over into other areas of our lives.

For many reasons, parenting seems different today. There's a lot more pressure to constantly supervise children, even older kids. It can be hard to imagine that our "babies" will ever be ready to go out into the wide world alone. But with the start of a new school year, the reality is that many children will begin traveling on their own or with a group of friends. With my kids—a teenager who is fully independent and a tween who is just learning to navigate the city on his own—I've modified the '70s-style hands-off approach to include today's more safety consciousness to develop a training course my kids must complete before being allowed out on their own.

Here's how I taught my own kids to be street smart city kids from an early age:

The big news for many NYC families this week is, of course, the first day of school for more than 1 million public school students. But as you ease back into your old routine, we've got some fun news for you, like FREE rides at Coney Island's Luna Park, eye-popping art in unexpected places (you'll need to look up) and nature volunteering opportunities for teens. Plus, we've got the scoop on a handful of notable openings and closing on the NYC family scene, and a few other tidbits.

Halloween is almost here, and my kids don’t have costumes. It’s not unusual for us to wait until a week before Halloween to put something together, but this is cutting it a little close, even for us. I searched the web for the best costumes that are easy to put together quickly and use things we probably already have around the house. I was also inspired to come up with a couple of ideas of my own. Here are 9 last-minute Halloween costumes for kids that can be made in no time and on a dime (OK, maybe a few dollars, max).

If you're also looking for quick and easy Halloween decor ideas or just need a fun mask, check out DIY Halloween 101. 

Because I have never been a big Halloween fan, our house has minimal Halloween decorations.  By minimal, I mean that we currently have 3 small, uncarved pumpkins adorning our front porch.  But this year, my kids have brought on the Halloween pressure.  In fact, they’ve started a “best decorated Halloween house” contest with the kids in the neighborhood.  We are losing.  By a lot.

So clearly I need to step up our décor game with the basics: scarecrows and jack-o-lanters!  Fairfield County offers plenty of design inspiration for those who are not skilled in the pumpkin and scarecrow arts. So roll up those sleeves, its time to get covered in pumpkin slime and scarecrow innards! 

Salem Haunted Happenings is a month-long Halloween celebration of costume parades, haunted houses, ghost stories, candlelit tours, and live music. While many of the activities go for the big scare factor, there are plenty of kid-friendly events to choose from, too.