Thanks to an inevitable Halloween sugar rush, your kids are going to have a lot of energy to burn off this weekend. Luckily, there are lots of great things to do, including two FREE Day of the Dead festivals, Diwali celebrations at the Asia Society and the Rubin Museum, and even some better-late-than-never Halloween fun, like the New York Hall of Science's big Dead or Alive dance party.

There's also some great kids' culture on tap including cool concerts from Dog on Fleas at Symphony Space and the Rockdoves at the central branch of the Brooklyn Public Library, plus the opening weekend of the annual Canstruction exhibition.

All of our best bets for the weekend are below. As always, you can find additional options in our Event Calendar. And if you're looking to plan our your entire month, check out the brand-new edition of our NYC Go List, which highlights the absolute best things to do with kids throughout November.

With the hoopla of Halloween almost behind us, it’s time to enjoy some carefree late autumn weekends and (hopefully) get in some quality family time before the hectic rush of the holidays. For some educational fun, check out Gridiron Glory at Liberty Science Center or take in a Stars & Meteors show at Holmdel Park. If you’re ready to get in the Thanksgiving spirit, make a festive Thanksgiving plate at Thompson Park or take part in their Paper Turkey Target Hunt! And remember, you can find a full list of weekend activities in our Event Calendar.

With so many sponsored events by towns, organizations and shopping centers, I'm starting to wonder if neighborhood trick-or-treating is dying out. If you live in an area where you are unsure if going door-to-door is safe, or the people on your street don't celebrate, there are still many options. 

You'll want to read our guides on Best Places to Trick or Treat in Litchfield County and Southeastern CT. We also provide Halloween Happenings and Parades in Fairfield County and the CT Halloween and Fall Fun Guide.

Once the candy is gone, it is time to think about the next big holiday. Check out our early guide to Turkey Trots and Thanksgiving Day Races. As always, our events calendar is constantly updated with the latest happenings, and here are some suggestions for the first weekend of November.

Because of Hurricane Sandy slamming into the East Coast last October, Halloween 2012 was a literal washout for lots of NYC kids, and worse, a devastating blow to many local families, communities and businesses. So we expect that everyone will want to party all the harder this year. My son is definitely ready to!

There are certainly plenty of ways to celebrate Halloween this Thursday, including kid-friendly parades, ghoulish gatherings, not-so-spooky haunted houses and, of course, neighborhoods that are well known for doling out lots of candy. And here's the best treat of all: Almost all of our Halloween evening picks are FREE or inexpensive. So grab your little ghosts and goblins (or in my case, Steve from Minecraft) and hit the streets for some fearsome fun. The only trick will be figuring out how to fit it all in!

We've got lots of museum news to share, including details about a new temporary location for the Sandy-ravaged New York City Police Museum. Plus, the sad closure of a beloved Washington Heights program; new high-end kids' stores (in case you were afraid there wouldn't be enough places to spend your money this holiday season); a new blog to help parents guide their teens through those prickly years; and training your tot to be a pinball wizard... or a teeny, tiny Terminator.

Broadway babies aren’t born; they’re made—and trained by theater professionals in acting, singing, and dancing. If your child knows the Annie soundtrack by heart, help her exercise her musical theater chops at any of the following Long Island theater companies, many of which boast instructors hailing from the Great White Way themselves. (And find for more great enrichment classes for kids in our Long Island Classes Guide!)

Most little kids don't need an excuse to dress up. In fact, it's tough to get some of them to dress down. (I've been through that "But mommy, I need to wear my princess dress to school!" battle too, trust me.)

While it's great to put on fancy clothes just for the fun of it, sometimes it's nice to find a special outing to go with them. A few months ago, we shared our ideas for an exciting day out for wannabe pirates. Today, we've got royal suggestions for aspiring princesses and princes in NYC. We covered some of these experiences in our previous princess post but that was a number of years ago and royals need to keep up on all the latest fashions. One thing that hasn't changed much since then? The high prices for some of these destinations. But we've got a few FREE recommendations, too, to make sure your princess doesn't turn into a pauper overnight. So before you pass on those old Halloween costumes, here are five great ways to play princess with NYC kids. You can find more inspiration for themed outings in our Party Guide.

Though many of the Spooky Corn Mazes and Haunted Houses are now closed, the big day is still yet to come. By the time trick-or-treating happens this week, most kids have had the chance to show off their costume at a Halloween Party or in a school parade. But that doesn't take away from the excitement of going house-to-house or attending one of the celebrations listed below. There are also quite a few safe venues for trick-or-treating throughout Long Island.