No trip to the Rhinebeck area is complete without a visit to the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, a museum and performance arena celebrating aviation from a century ago. My family has been three times and will surely go again. The static exhibits, period enhancements and airborne theatrics offer an entertaining experience and provide amusement suitable for all ages.

Read on for a first-hand review, and be sure to consult our guides to nearby Hyde Park and Poughkeepsie to round out a great family visit to Dutchess County!

Labor Day weekend ushers in the return of one of our favorite fall festivals, CORNucopia. The annual festival at Philipsburg Manor in the picturesque Sleepy Hollow is filled with all manner of old-fashioned fun set in the 18th century. Not sure about the fun factor at an event devoted to corn? You’ll be a-maize-d!

This year's festival will be held Saturday, September 2,  through Monday, September 4, 2017. My family and I attended last year and can't wait to return. Expect corny—and quality—fun, from music to corn-shucking contests.

Read on to learn from my family's visit and the inside scoop! Be sure to check our our Event Calendar for more ideas, and follow us on Facebook.

Summer is here, as is the burning desire to cool down with an ice-cold frozen treat. We previously rounded up some of our favorite ice cream parlors in Westchester, and now we're turning to frozen yogurt. But what adults crave in a frozen-yogurt shop isn’t necessarily what kids want (gummy worms on top of cabernet-pomegranate twist?).

Choosing where to go for fro-yo is fraught with numerous options—partly because there are often new shops opening and others closing (Eastchester lost Nuts About Yogurt, while Pure Bliss recently closed in Pelham and Larchmont). Sure, there are many national chains to choose from, but our interest lies more in the local operations. To help guide our readers, my family made the ultimate sacrifice in visiting a bunch of fro-yo shops in Lower Westchester—strictly for our readers’ benefit, of course. A few calories later, we’ve whittled these down to a choice few and have offered the inside scoop.

Read on for the skinny on fro-yo! Be sure to sign up for our newsletters and follow us on Facebook to stay in the know about all things kid-related in Westchester.

Hyde Park in Dutchess County—not to be confused with New Hyde Park on Long Island—may be best known as the former home of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, but it boasts many other attractions that make it a fun family day-trip spot.

In addition to FDR, the Vanderbilts also planted roots and left behind a magnificent estate for public viewing. The Culinary Institute of America has a campus in Hyde Park, offering not only instruction but several student-run restaurants. And with its proximity to the Hudson River and other neighboring towns like Rhinebeck and Poughkeepsie, there’s a ton to do.

Read on for our top picks and cost-saving tips for visiting Hyde Park with families, based on first-hand experience! Looking for more family fun? Consult our Event Calendar and follow us on Facebook.

One of the best reasons to live in Westchester is the close proximity to Manhattan, with an abundance of high culture just a short car or train ride away. What if some of that culture were to relocate to Westchester? The Caramoor Jazz Festival brings high-caliber music right to our backyard in Katonah.

Though Caramoor is no slouch in the world of fine music, its alliance with Jazz at Lincoln Center lends extra clout. Now an annual event—this year's festival takes place on Saturday, July 15, 2017—it remains under the artistic direction of Wynton Marsalis and features some 20 performances on multiple “stages.” Some of these are just a shady spot under a tree, inches from the audience and lending an intimacy not enjoyed in a large concert hall. 

Read on for our first-hand experience in attending this event with kids. Looking for more things to do with kids? Check out our Event Calendar and follow us on Facebook.

Though castles and palaces are typically found abroad, Westchester and the Hudson Valley boast their fair share of grand estates that are open to the public and worth touring. Not coincidentally, many of these are peppered along the Hudson River, affording the original homeowners glorious views, river access and, eventually, nearby train transportation to Manhattan. It’s no wonder that tours of the homes of America’s aristocracy made Mommy Poppins’ list of 100 things to do in New York with kids.

Previously, we gave you a broad overview of a half-dozen of these stately local mansions, all but one of which I've brought my kids to without hesitation. The one I had shied away from was Kykuit, former home of the Rockefeller family, owing to the comparatively pricey admission and longer tour duration. I recently took my tweens, however, and I’m pleased to encourage other families to plan a visit. Though our particular tour guide unfortunately made no effort to tailor his narrative to the younger set, my kids happily gawked at the grandeur they wished was theirs.

Looking for more day-trip inspiration? Consult our Event Calendar and follow us on Facebook.

Because a public library’s mission is to serve the varying interests of its community, it’s fitting that many offer bilingual programming for children, especially in towns with diverse communities. Bilingual programming for Westchester families, however, is often attended not only by native speakers but also by those wishing to expose their children to a second language from an early age. One local mom we know strategically hired a Spanish-speaking nanny for her toddler and brought him to Spanish story time to increase this exposure.

Beyond the 30 to 60 minutes of weekly immersion, these programs can also provide a cultural hub—an opportunity for families to connect with others from their heritage and socialize both within and outside of the library setting. And since most are intended for young learners accompanied by a caregiver, you're sure to pick up some new phrases yourself!

We’ve explored the bilingual programs offered by Westchester libraries to round up some highlights. Though Spanish-language programs are the most abundant, a variety of languages are in focus—and one in particular offers a smattering of more than 20 languages, from Dutch to Urdu and Ashanti! One note: Although we confirmed with the libraries that these are ongoing programs, be sure to check before you go because dates can change.

Nothing says spring in the suburbs like a team of rubber ducks bobbing and bumping down a river. The annual YMCA Healthy Kids Day and Rotary Duck Derby, a four-hour affair at Sleepy Hollow’s Patriot Park, is a family favorite of ours. The event typically draws more than 1,500 people, all of whom come to enjoy the live music, vendors, crafts, entertainment and, of course, hordes of rubber ducks. 

This year’s event will be held on Saturday, April 29, 2017, 11am - 3pm, and we have what you need to know. Looking for more spring family fun? Check out our Event Calendar and follow us on Facebook.