Free & Fun Things to Do This Weekend for NYC Kids: Hong Kong Dragon Boat Fest, Jam on Dumbo, Summer Streets August 4-5

It's the first weekend of August and while some New Yorkers are leaving the city for far-flung destinations, we're planning a fun-filled staycation for the rest of the summer. This weekend brings FREE annual favorites like the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in Queens' Flushing Meadows Corona Park and the first installment of Manhattan's car-free Summer Streets.

There are also some fabulous FREE kids' concerts like Rolie Polie Guacamole in Bryant Park and Jam on Dumbo's Family Music Festival. Plus your family can go all retro with a disco and roller-skating party at the Brooklyn Lyceum in Park Slope.

All of our best bets for the weekend are below. You can find additional options in our Event Calendar and our Summer Fun Guide, which is jam-packed with info on the best NYC beaches, pools, water playgrounds and other ways to cool off.

Whooping Cough Cases Up in NYC

Whooping cough, or pertussis, is on the rise all over the U.S., even in New York City. (Guess that explains why NY1 has seemingly played that whooping cough PSA on a loop for the last month.) Incidents in NYC have gone up 300 percent and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that this may be the worst season for it in half a century.

Mostly Free & Fun Things To Do With NJ Kids This Weekend August 4-5: State Fair, Honey Harvest,Wizard of Oz, & More!

Well, hello August - we meet again! Not sure how you got here so quickly, but we're ready for all the fun (and back to school shopping) you bring. This weekend there's the NJ State Fair, a Summer Social at the Grounds for Sculpture, Wizard of Oz Sing-a-long, as well as a Honey Harvest at Howell Living Historic Farm to get you in the late summer (GULP!) spirit.  Read on for all our top picks and remember, you can find a listing of all NJ activities for kids in our Event Calendar.

Rye Playland Amusement Park in Westchester

There really is no place quite like Rye Playland Amusement Park in Westchester. So close to New York City, Playland is more than an amusement park—there's also a beach on the Long Island Sound, a pool, a lake with pedal boats, a boardwalk, mini-golf, an indoor skating rink, daily entertainment and more. All those amenities just add an extra layer of fun to a day spent riding roller coasters, the log flume, the Ferris wheel, Super Flight, plus all the kiddie rides in Kiddieland.

Taking a Day Trip to the Delaware Water Gap in Pennsylvania

In this household, summer months are very predictable year after year.  June is filled with enthusiasm, excitement, sibling fun and happiness.  July brings less enthusiasm, lots of excitement, little sleep, and less sibling love.  By August we are downright sleep deprived, sunburnt, and ready to throw our siblings under the nearest train.

NYC Boat Cruises: Best Boat Trips in New York Harbor

We're always looking for ways to experience New York City's vast and lovely waterfront, from kayaking and rowing to hopping on the Staten Island or East River Ferries to going on touristy boat rides. But nothing beats cruising through New York Harbor.

With breathtaking views of the city, tours of New York Harbor aren't just for visitors. Whether you choose an adrenaline-pumping speedboat, relaxing sailboat or even a sightseeing cruise (hey, natives are allowed on them, too), New York Harbor rides offer local families a chance to fall in love with our city all over again.

Archery for NYC Kids: Where to Make Like Katniss or Brave's Merida

My 13-year-old raced through The Hunger Games books, my almost nine-year-old is working his way through C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia and my five-year-old is obsessed with Pixar's summer blockbuster Brave. What do all three of these things have in common? Archery!

Archery is the hot sport of this summer (it's in the Olympics, too!). So if your kids have a yen to pick up a bow and arrow and make like Katniss, Susan or Merida, we know exactly where they should turn.

Best Kids' Classes in Williamsburg: Places to Play and Learn Indoors

We finish up our month-long focus on Williamsburg with a look at our favorite play spaces and kids' classes in the area.

As families have multiplied in the neighborhood, so have kid-friendly restaurants, children's shops, and play and learning spots for tots, from artsy indoor gyms like Klub4Kidz to a wide variety of dance, music, sports and arts programs. And this being funky Williamsburg, there are also more offbeat offerings like circus arts, textile crafts and music classes taught by real kindie rock stars.

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