Red Hook: Beyond Fairway and Ikea for Fun, Food Vendors and More

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We've been having a great time hanging out in Red Hook, Brooklyn lately. The neighborhood has become quite the destination what with Ikea, Fairway, a new pier park and beach, lots of yummy food, and, of course, the free Ikea Water Taxi and buses make it even easier to get there.

Whether you are anchoring your trip to Red Hook around a pragmatic trip to Fairway for groceries or Ikea for household goods, or just heading to the neighborhood for fun, there's tons to do that's fun for kids and parents alike. Here are the top spots in Red Hook for family fun:

Things to do with kids in Red Hook, Brooklyn:

Groupon: Daily Deals and Discounts for New York City

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I've been watching this new site Groupon for a little while. It's an interesting idea. It's free to sign up and each morning you get a daily deal emailed to you. If you want to take advantage of the deal, you buy it right there and then and then can print your coupons to use later. The deals are for local NYC businesses and activities and are generally 50% off or even a little bit more. Each deal is only available that day.

New York City Kids Weekend Events for August 7-9: Free Movies, Dragon Boat Festival, Yo-Yos, Music, Dance and More

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While you may be reminiscing about your misspent youth and favorite teen films due to the death of John Hughes, you can enjoy more childhood movie memories like The Wiz and The Muppet Movie as free outdoor movies this weekend. But we recommend you try to get to the Dragon Boat Festival or enjoy the first weekend of Summer Streets too. There's lots more free activities to do this weekend too form street fairs to dance performances and some great nature activities right here in the city. Enjoy!

Also New Jersey Events or Long Island Events for more things to do this weekend.

Weekend Events for Kids on Long Island, August 7-9th: Celebrate LI Lighthouses, Chinese Boat Festival, and Sandcastle Contest

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All of a sudden it seems like Summer is starting to wind down-but wait! This weekend, Long Island offers some of the best ways to get out and enjoy Summer Days, celebrations, and, of course, our beaches! Check out some of our recommendations for things to do with your kids this weekend on the Island-

National Lighthouse Day - Did you know that Friday is National Lighthouse Day? Well, no where can one celebrate lighthouses like we can on Long Island. And at the Fire Island Lighthouse at Robert Moses Beach, there is a special celebration planned. Actress and storyteller Vivian Farrell will present her book  "Robert's Tall Friend: A Story of the Fire Island Lighthouse" to an audience of children an their families at the lighthouse, and afterwards you can enjoy a tour of the famous lighthouse for a reduced rate of just $5. It isn't everyday that you can take your kids to the place they can read about in a book, right? And, depending on what show you catch, there should be plenty of time to play on the beach afterward. 

Fire Island Lighthouse

11am and 3pm

Friday, August 7

East of Field 5 

Robert Moses State Park

  

The Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in New York - Another boat race? Not quite-this weekend long festival is a celebration of culture and ethnic tradition. A regatta of sorts, the festival includes traditional Chinese boat races, but also has plenty of other exciting activities, like Lion dancers, dragon dancing, and king fu performances. And, brought especially for kids, a balloon twister and face painter will be on hand as well. Originated in a cool historical tale, dragon boat races are fun and exciting to watch, and the events surrounding the race make the festival a perfect family outing. Check out the website for an event schedule and more info!

Flushing Meadows State Park

9am-5pm

Saturday, August 8-Sunday August 9

 

Smith Point County Park Sandcastle Contest - The weather for Saturday could be questionable, but with the sunshine back in the forecast for Sunday, you might want to hit the beach. A trip to Fire Island and hitting a cool Sandcastle contest sounds great to us, and might be the perfect way to end the weekend. Smith Point County Park is one of the greatest beaches on Fire Island, and, as a mom, I might think it is because the lifeguards there are some of the best in the country. But it is really beautiful and it offers alot of great amenities as well. This Sunday, they are holding the Annual Sandcastle Building Contest at 9am on the beach. It is really fun and it draws lots of talent and creativity. If you can, stay all day and stop in at The Beach Hut for dinner. There's great grown up food, but the kids will love their basket menu. PS-They sponser the sandcastle contest and depending on your schedule they offer great breakfast as well. 

Smith Point County Park

9am

Sunday, August 9

Shirley, Fire Island

 

 

10 Things To Do With Kids in Montauk, NY

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[UPDATED: September 11, 2012]

If you're heading to the beaches of Long Island, there's a great new site to check out. KidMontauk.com gives parents the inside skinny in everything you need to know to have a blast on and off the beach in Montauk, NY. Heather D'Agostino, the site's founder, offered to fill us in on her Top Ten Things to Do with Kids in Montauk. Thanks, Heather!

Take Our Reader Survey and Bend Us to Your Will

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About a month ago we relaunched this site with lots of new updates, a new look and features (all of which are summarized here). While resting on our laurels has been fun, we're itching to a) find out what people think of all the changes and b) start working on the next set of improvements.

We've put together a really short reader survey to get your input. This is your chance to tell us what you think of the site and how you think it could be better. We're all ears and would love to hear your complaints, brilliant ideas, whims and fetishes...we'll even take praise.

Best of all, if you answer the survey you get entered to win one of the 10 dinner parties for 10 we're giving away thanks to Susie's Supper Club.

The survey will take you less than five minutes. I hope you'll take the time to give us your input. Click here to take the survey. Thanks!

Oh, PS. We added one new feature today. Now on our Area Guides (the Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island, etc tabs) you'll find recommendations and reviews for kid-friendly restaurants in that area thanks to TimeOut Kids. Hope that makes planning your day that much easier.

PPS. That's all there is in this post, don't click on the "read more" which shows up there automatically.

RoboFun: Robot-Making and Computer Camps and Classes for Little Smarties

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Some kids love summer because it means day camp and sports and running around all day. But for other kids, even the thought of that makes them break out into a cold sweat, which in turn makes parents panic about what to do with kids all summer when they are not "typical" camp kids.

I happen to have a boy who is completely disinterested in a regular day camp and I can only imagine the torture (for both of us) that would follow if I signed him up for such a program. Instead we tried RoboFun, which offers after-school classes, summer camps and school break camps that teach kids robotics, animation and video game design.

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