As Veterans Day approaches, you may be thinking about ways to teach kids about the importance of the day. There are many ways that they can pay tribute to America’s veterans, such as making cards and distributing them to relatives who are veterans or veterans at nursing homes and VA medical centers, or putting together care packages (a good use for excess Halloween candy!) for veterans stationed overseas. In addition, there are several events and memorial celebrations in the Hartford area beginning the weekend of November 8-9, and on the actual day, November 11. Use your discretion, as some of these activities may be more suitable for older children.

With a shift towards GMO-free, fresh and organic foods, consumers want to know where their products come from and if/how they are processed. Thanksgiving dinner is no exception! Luckily, there are several farms on Long Island where you can visit and select your Thanksgiving bird first-hand. This way, you know you're getting the freshest turkey possible. And for more holiday planning tips and fun, be sure to check out our Long Island Holiday Guide.

We made it through Halloween and already turkeys and trees are replacing pumpkins and skeletons all over town. Time always seems to speed up at this time of year as we head into the frenzy of the holiday season. But it's important to slow down and make time for what's important: hanging out with our families and giving thanks for what we have.

Celebrating Thanksgiving was a major theme across our sites this week. In NYC, we shared important viewing tips for Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade as well as the Balloon Inflation the night before, and we rounded up kid-friendly Thanksgiving volunteering opportunities so families can give back to their communities. (Speaking of, we're still collecting donations for our Mommy Poppins virtual food drive to benefit Feeding America.) Meanwhile, Westchester has the scoop on where to buy organic, pasture-raised turkeys, New Jersey has expert advice on prepping your Thanksgiving meal, and we've got roundups of family-friendly restaurants serving Thanksgiving dinner in NJ and Connecticut.

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

Don't let the chilly weather keep you from enjoying the weekend. Bundle up and head out or stay warm and toasty indoors - whichever you prefer, Mommy Poppins Long Island has the ultimate family-friendly activity guide for the weekend. 

Don't see your event listed here? Add it to our events calendar. And if you don't receive this post in your inbox, subscribe to our newsletter.

This Veteran's Day weekend is full of great activities for the family to enjoy. Learn more about where food comes and see model trains in action with the Farm to Table by Train at the Wenham Museum. The International Kids' Film Festival highlights children's films from around the world and provides workshops for kids to learn more about film making.

In music this weekend, Laurie Berkner comes to the Shubert Theatre, Karen K and the Jitterbugs have their annual bug-out at the Regent Theatre and SteveSongs entertains at Temple Beth Shalom Children's Center. 

Add some magic to the day off on Tuesday with the Amazing Max Magic Show at the Leventhal-Sidman JCC. If you are looking for all-day options for your kids on Veteran's Day, Guard Up and Empow Studios have mini-camps running all day.  Veterans get in free at both Zoo New England locations for Veteran's Day.

Also on Mommy Poppins this week:

• In her first post for Mommy Poppins Boston, Michelle shares resources for teaching children to be kind.
• Interested in seeing Disney's Hero 6? Check out our Parent Review and find out what kids are saying.
• Ski season is just around the corner. Find out where to take the kids for local skiing and ski lessons.
• Take a look at the November GO List, a handy guide to our picks for the top things to do in Boston with kids this month. 
• After you've made most of your kids' Halloween candy disappear, try this neat trick for re-purposing the candy wrappers. 

Finally, I'd like to let you all know that this is my last week as the events editor for Mommy Poppins Boston. I've started graduate school in Library Science and Children's Literature this fall, which does not leave me with much down time. You'll still see me around as a contributing writer though, and our new events editor Kip is sure to do a fantastic job. 

Have fun this weekend, and as always, be sure to check out the full events calendar!

Three common themes dominate the Westchester events we’re highlighting this weekend: entertainment, classes and FREE.

For entertainment, there’s Family Concert: Washboard Slim and the Bluelights, featuring an eclectic array of musical styles (FREE); Spider-Man Double Feature—a staggering four hours of the beloved superhero (FREE); and Gone with the Wind—shown on the big screen, the way it’s supposed to be seen.

Opportunities to learn include Make and Bake Thanksgiving Treats, where kids can make their own apple treats (FREE); Being Prepared for Emergencies, which can help you feel confident in the face of an emergency; Special Needs Expo, where you can learn about numerous service providers in our area (FREE); and Kids' Classes: Learn to Sew, Knit or Crochet, which allows kids to sew their own creation in a single session.

But that’s not all! There are a lot of other options in our Event Calendar all week long, and if you check out our November Go List, you can plan ahead for more great happenings coming up! 

Well done, parents. We made it through the season's first challenge (and hopefully got rewarded with our share of the Snickersy, Kit Katty goodness). Now is a good time to take a moment to reflect, and what better time than Veterans' Day, as we honor those who have served our country. Unlike most holidays, this one isn't all about the kids, but Veterans' Day is a school holiday, and we've got the scoop to help you commemorate the holiday with your kids.

Soon enough, we'll be feeling winter's first chill and stuffing stockings with figgy pudding (that's a tradition somewhere, isn't it?), but luckily none of that's started yet. I mean, it's barely November.  It's not like you can already go ice skating at outdoor rinks across LA (gasp!). No one's putting up any Christmas trees (zoinks!) or inviting you to come see Santa (ho ho ...seriously?).

But. But. We haven't even done Thanksgiving yet! (At least this year T-Day doesn't coincide with Hanukkah .. but Christmas Eve does!)

Keep reading for our favorite picks for the weekend. (99.9% yuletide free!)

Pre-Thanksgiving travel is like the calm before the hectic holiday travel storm.  If you can manage to get away just before or just after Turkey Day, you won’t find big crowds and you will find deals.  East Coast residents can enjoy discounts at rustic Shenandoah National Park, off-the-grid Maine Huts &Trails, the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, urban-cool New Haven and Woodloch Resort in the Poconos. Out west, consider a trip to Los Angeles, Death Valley or Phoenix. There are warm weather deals in Florida and at Atlantis in the Bahamas.
True travel mavens are gearing up for Cyber Monday, the Monday after Thanksgiving, when the Internet is flooded with hotel and airline bargains.  These deals are usually announced at the very last minute, so you won’t get much advance notice. In recent years, hotel chains like Starwood, Sheraton, Embassy Suites and Marriott have offered consumers deep one-day-only discounts. All-inclusive family resorts like Beaches and Club Med have also offered bargains, so keep these chains in mind if you’re looking to score a Cyber Monday vacation deal.