It's the second to last weekend before October 31, you know what that means: There's a ton of Halloween fun for New York City families, like free costume parades, no-cost festivals and more school fairs than we could ever list. There are also big annual Halloween events like the Queens Museum of Art's Boo! Spooktacular, the New York City Police Museum's Halloween Party and Central Park's Parade and Pumpkin Sail at the Harlem Meer.

If you're already feeling Halloween fatigue, there are plenty of other cool things to do this weekend that have nothing to do with ghosts, goblins or ghouls. Families can celebrate Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights at Asia Society, or head to Flushing Town Hall for a day of Colombian culture, art, music and food. The are also a bunch of cool concerts for kids, including the Little Orchestra Society's new season of classical performances, the retro R&B stylings of Shine & the Moonbeam's, Moey's power pop and the Dirty Sock Funtime Band.

And that's just a few of the great things going on this weekend. Read on for all of our picks and remember, you can find additional options in our Event Calendar and our Halloween Fun Guide.

Halloween is one of the most popular holidays of the year and we Americans like to milk it for all its worth. That's why we've done a round up of the spooky fun that is happening all over CT this weekend. For even more fun check out our posts on Halloween Train Rides, Pumpkin Patches and Corn Mazes in CT. For those in Fairfield County there's more events listed here. Events will continue to be added to the calendar so check back often. Some activites are free and others may not be age appropriate for your little ones. Check the listing for more details. Have fun choosing that perfect pumpkin for carving, making your own scarecrow or getting scared to death. You can do it all this weekend! Read more for a break down of events happening Friday through Sunday.

Old time Halloween fun, street fairs and fall festivals all await you and your family this weekend. If you'd prefer to take in some theater, The Little Mermaid and Goodnight Moon are some terrific options. We’ve got these fun events and more including a bat workshop and a workshop on wood. Read on to make your weekend plans. 

It's all Halloween all the time here in New Jersey and the events are flying fast and furious (on brooms, even.) Here are a few more haunted houses, a haunted firehouse, a few haunted towns, a scary aquarium and even a frightening cake contest. I'm terrified. Especially of the baked goods.

As you may already know, Mommy Poppins is growing, so we're looking for some new faces to join our team. We'd love to hear from writers who live in New York City, Westchester, Long Island and New Jersey, who want to help us create the best content for local parents.

We're looking for freelance bloggers to write reviews of local venues and events, as well as well-researched roundups of the top activities, classes and experiences for kids.

Read on for additional info about this opportunity, as well as instructions on how to apply.

I love taking my kids to see live theater, but since they're both under five, there aren't a whole lot of shows that are appropriate for them (or, more to the point, that engage them). But every season, the New Victory Theater presents a few productions that are specifically aimed at preschoolers. That's why I jumped at the chance to see White, a short, low-key show for 2- to 5-year-olds.

Presented in the New Victory's intimate New 42nd Street Studios, the show follows Cotton and Wrinkle, two characters who lovingly care for their all-white world and work hard to keep it completely color-free. The guys sweep the white floors with white brooms, sleep in a white teepee, wear all white clothes and catch white eggs from the sky. But one day, a red egg appears, and suddenly Cotton and Wrinkle realize what they're missing.

When a friend tells you she's pregnant, after all of the usual questions—due date, boy or girl or unknown—you usually ask where she's registered. But as a parent of two I can tell you, sometimes it's best to think outside the box. Buying off the registry is nice but some parents—especially first-time moms and dads—don't realize what they really need until the baby arrives. This is especially true for New York City families, who are usually way too space-challenged to accommodate large or unnecessary items, like one of those humongous stuffed animals that requires its own bedroom.

As someone who's had to freecycle a number of well intentioned but extraneous gifts (see ya, wipe warmer), I've compiled a list of presents that I think NYC parents will be psyched to receive.

I'm a huge fan of the excitement and hoopla found in all the popular museums, kid play places, fairs and events that New Jersey has to offer. But let's face it, sometimes it's nice to take a step back and do something a little obscure, creative or off the beaten path to shake things up a bit. After all, it's all about having fun with our kids while exploring our great state! Here's a sampling of some unique destinations for the next time you are looking to take the road less traveled with your family.