If you went to the One Family Music Festival last year, you have a pretty good idea of how rockin’ the Boston Kids Really Rock music and arts festival will be.  Conceived of and organized by the very same visionary, Karen Kalafatas of Karen K and the Jitterbugs, the festival will feature many of the same wonderful Boston bands and community-building activities for families. What you may not know is that Boston Kids Really Rock is going all out with Dan Zanes as headliner and special guest Father Goose. The festival's focus is on sharing messages of kindness, creativity and community spirit with Boston kids. Mommy Poppins Boston will announce the winners of our Boston Kids Who Really Rock contest at the festival, too. We're excited to celebrate local kids and tell the inspiring stories of how they are making a difference in their communities. 

If that’s not enough to convince you, keep reading for the top five reasons to make some time in your schedule and take the kids to the Lawn on D this Sunday for a glorious day of community, music, arts and family fun. 

One of the great things about raising kids in Fairfield County is proximity to New York City and the wealth of cultural activities on offer there in a variety of price ranges (check out this post for suggestions on the Best 5 Off-Broadway Shows for NYC Kids). But as fall heats up with back to school activities and weekend soccer games or football jamborees, sometimes it's nice to be able to stick close to home and explore the local theater options--lucky for us there are quite a few!

Due to expected rain on Saturday, some outdoor events may be canceled or rescheduled. Before you head out, check the event's official website for updates. Fall fun abounds this weekend at a slew of seasonal fetes like the annual Harvest Festival on Randall's Island, Wave Hill's Honey Weekend and the kickoff of the Bronx Zoo's month-long Halloween celebration, Boo at the Zoo.

There's lots of cool kids' culture, too. Symphony Space starts its new season of family performances; the Bronx Museum of the Arts hosts an interactive family day; the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre revives Hansel and Gretel's Halloween Adventure, and you can even catch a special preview of the soon-to-open kids' flick Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

These are just a few of the great things going on this weekend. All of our best bets are below. You can find additional options in our Event Calendar and our Fall Fun Guide. And if you like to plan ahead, check out our brand-new October Go List, which highlights the absolute best things to do with kids in NYC all month long.

This edition of our biweekly news post includes all upbeat info—no closures, no bummers! Find out about a bunch of brand-new FREE enrichment programs for kids, a couple of worthy crowdfunding campaigns, a big Brooklyn maker space coming to Manhattan and how your kids can try to snag a trip to Hollywood for the premiere of Disney's Big Hero 6.

Now that my boys are getting older, I’m looking more seriously at summer day camps as not only a way to keep them occupied when school is out, but also as a place where they can explore their interests, try new things and, of course, have fun with friends. After reading about our sponsor Gate Hill Day Camp and its variety of programs, I'm sad they're not in my area (I'm on Long Island). Because whether your children want to spend their summer improving their athletic skills, learning to cook, or exploring the arts and sciences, there is something for most kids ages 3-15.

It’s officially October, the season of Halloween, pumpkins and all that is autumn! New Jersey has no shortage of pumpkin activities this weekend so check out one of the many fall events like the annual Great Pumpkin Festival at Heaven Hill Farm, the Pumpkin Train Festival at Whippany Railway Museum or the Holmdel Harvest Festival at Bayonet Farm. For some nighttime fun, sign up for a cozy Harvest Moon Hayride at Alstede Farms. And if you’ve got little animal lovers in the family, head to Community Day at Woodlands Wildlife Refuge – a special once a year event where the sanctuary opens its doors to the public. And remember, you can check out the full list of weekend activities in our Event Calendar.

Things that go bump, bump, bump in the night… It’s the season for shivering and quivering; howling and frowling (that's not a real word, but it should be). Take your love-to-be-scared tweens and teens and hayride through the darkness full of wicked witches and the undead. And if you make it out alive, take a deep breath and take on the haunted houses and spooky trails in these five great New Jersey haunts.

Halloween is a time of year when we search for new and fun things to do with our NJ kids. There are plenty of spooky events, but why not try something unique this year? Sling a pumpkin with the family, settle in for some classic ghostly tales ! If you are in the mood for something different this Halloween, we’ve got you covered. Check out our list of “off the beaten path” Halloween events for NJ kids and families.