As adults we often have a great deal of nostalgia and affection for our favorite childhood toys and such strong sentiment has long kept the antique and vintage toy market alive.  Luckily for our kids, our ongoing cultural fascination with old toys has also prompted museum curators, famed collectors, and even toy manufacturers to create public venues right here in NYC, where cool antique and vintage toys can be displayed, admired and celebrated.  Nearly hidden in plain sight, all of them are worthy destinations for you and your kiddos. Keep reading to find out more!

Toto, I don’t think we’re in New York anymore.  For the first time ever the Wizard of Oz has been licensed for a traveling museum exhibit, and Oz has landed at the Children's Museum of Manhattan.  Kids, toddlers and parents can follow the yellow brick road to a land of hands-on activities, games and even a few science lessons based on the classic movie. Read on to find out what is in store for your munchkin.

Fun is in full swing this weekend, there are so many great events going on it is seriously hard to decide what to tell you about first and even harder to choose what to do.  You probably have already read our posts on the super creative Maker Fair, the goings on for kids at the DUMBO Arts Festival and the free museum admission day on Saturday. But, there is still a lot more: The Historic House Festival which includes the Queens County Fair and the Little Red Lighthouse Festival as well as Apple Day on the Lower East Side, Raptor Day at Wave Hill, Estuaries Day in Queens and The Atlantic Antic in Brooklyn.  Whew. It all sounds so fun I wish I could clone my family and do it all! Let’s get to it. Read on and have a great weekend!

Here in NYC we are really lucky to be surrounded by so many old and important buildings. Many of which are managed by the Historic House Trust.  This weekend, the trust is flinging open the doors to twenty three of these noteworthy structures and holding some cool special events, as part of their Historic House Festival. What makes it even cooler is the common denominator to the festival is food, specifically food history and the evolving culinary culture in NYC. So, what does this mean for families?  It means this weekend is the perfect time to drag your kids to a historic home!  There is nothing worse to my son than going on a tour of some boring old building, but this weekend, there are quite a few family friendly and kid specific events at the festival. The Queens County Farm Fair and The Little Red Lighthouse Festival are just two of them.  Why not spend the weekend taking a bite out of history?
 

[UPDATED: September 8, 2012]

Visiting one of New York City’s famous museums is always an enriching experience for families, but it's even more engaging if you go when there's special programming for kids. NYC's art institutions are bursting at the seams with great extras for every age, including classes, art workshops, film screenings, storytime, concerts and more. 

We've rounded up some of our favorite ongoing programs for kids at NYC's museums. There is so much going on, let’s just get right to it!

While regular grocery shopping can be a major chore with children along, checking out ethnic markets with your kids is truly great fun and packs a whollup in entertainment value. It’s always a super sensory experience tantalizing tots and teens alike with new smells (often heavenly), sights, colors and tastes too. From breathtaking beauties on dessert stands to radishes that look like trolls to ookie-gookie innards that belong in Ripley’s refrigerator and give your kiddos a bonus dose of weird anatomy, it’s all there to ogle and enjoy. Plus there is always unusual and frequently funny packaging to spice things up.  And all that tempting new food may expand a puny palate or two.  You can spend as little or as much as you wish and still have a grand ol’ time. Keep reading to find out our top picks for maximum fun at ethnic markets here in NYC!

The quaint streets of Saugerties, New York will be alive with food, music, crafts, entertainment and the pungent aroma of garlic on the weekend of September 25-26, when the annual Hudson Valley Garlic Festival will be scenting the area.  Garlic lovers from near and far will unite to celebrate this venerable bulb’s appeal with demonstrations on crafting and cooking with garlic, as well as lectures on a wide range of garlic-infused topics.  Even if your kid is garlic-adverse, this is a fabulous two day event for families, well worth the 100-mile journey from NYC.

If your kids like music planning this weekend will be easy for you. There are tons of live performances going on around town to choose from: an opera-musical at the Central Park Zoo, kiddie rockers performing in Tribeca, Carroll Gardens and The Bowery, a classical concert in The Bronx and an all day music-fest in Battery Park City.  This weekend also brings out those great annual celebrations the Feast of San Gennaro as well as the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival.  When tired of great music or great eats check out some free arts and crafts programs, story telling, outdoor games or a movie premiere.

Read on to plan the fun and have a great weekend.