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.

More years ago than I’d like to mention, I attended the University of Connecticut at Storrs. My four years there were full of all of the learning, new experiences, and fun that I imagined as a prospective undergrad. Only after having children, however, did I realize that UConn, in particular its animal barns and horse facilities, could be a great resource for area families as well. This August I decided to take a family trip back to my alma mater and discovered that there is plenty of good, clean, family fun to be had there.

Can you hear that ticking? That's summer break winding down. (Back-to-school ads are in full force, and I've even spied some Halloween merch already!) But you still have time for a few more summer flings both in NYC and beyond. If you're looking for a multi-day family getaway, our Travel site shared insider tips for visiting Hersheypark and Chocolate World with kids. Day trips more your thing? We've got the scoop on five fabulous New Jersey beaches less than an hour by car from Manhattan, the best things to do with kids at the New York Renaissance Faire in Westchester, and five family-friendly bike paths on Long Island's East End. Of course there's no shame in just enjoying a NYC staycation—that's my daughter and her friends in the photo enjoying treats at Coney Island last weekend. And we may go there again this Saturday for its big annual Sand Sculpting Contest.

Before you start planning the final weeks of summer, remember, this is your very last chance to enter our SUMMER OF PLAY CHALLENGE, which ends on Friday. All you need to do is share photos of your family having fun on social media with the hashtags #summerofplay and #playmatters, and you'll be automatically entered to win our grand prize: All the fixings to host the Ultimate Summer of Play Bash, including a $200 gift card for Imagine Toys, a $100 gift card for Big Dot of Happiness for custom party tableware, banners and favors, and delicious organic snacks from Kind, Ella's Kitchen and Earth's Best.

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

Keep the summer going this weekend in Westchester, with an array of fun options ranging from a chess tournament to a Jewish Music Festival and Lego City Weekend. There's truly something for everyone.

The New York Renaissance Faire continues this weekend, so dust off those princess crowns and pirate costumes! Also this weekend--celebrate Native American culture at the Nimham Pow Wow. 

Read on for more details on our top weekend picks--many of which are FREE. Be sure to click through to the event listing for full details. Making plans weeks in advance? Check out our August Go List for our best bets for fun outings happening throughout the month. And remember to check out the myriad of weekday and weekend events we've captured in our event calendar--you'll find there's no shortage of fun things to do this summer in Westchester!