This weekend, festivals continue to take center stage on Long Island. Head out to Riverhead for the Fall Festival & Craft Show. This annual festival at Hallockville Museum Farm is now in its 33rd year. It's apple picking season and a great way to celebrate nature's bounty is by checking out the Apple Festival at Harbes Farm & Orchard. Tanner Park, which is home to an awesome spray park, is also home to an action-packed Family Festival, which boasts live music, a carnival midway, and a magic show. Get a taste of Italy at Hofstra University's Annual Italian Festival, which is now in its 21st year. Also on tap: The Bayville Waterside Festival, and the Our Lady Of Lourdes Church Italian Feast in West Islip. As always, check our events calendar every day for fun activities for the family.

As summer draws to a close, fall events are in full swing in Boston. There’s a Friday night film at the Frog Pond, South Boston Street Festival on Saturday, and Artful Explorations in Lincoln and Family Farm Day in Ipswich on Sunday. Our best bets for the weekend are below, and be sure to check our Event Calendar for other options.

Also this week, Tara rounds up a few places just a short drive from Boston where your child can celebrate their birthday with friends and family, and I volunteer at the Museum of Science for a day. Our newest contributor, Celeste, shares her experiences at a Family Nurturing Center’s (FNC) free parent-child playgroups. She joins Kristin Quinn, who this week took her daughter to the new carousel on the Rose Kennedy Greenway, and Rachel, who shares some quick weeknight dinners and how to get your child to help out. (By the way, we’re always looking for good writers, so if you are interested in contributing to Mommy Poppins Boston, please contact us!)

The clock is ticking on our Swagapalooza Giveaway, but you still have a chance to snag some awesome back-to-school swag. Act fast for your shot at a Target gift card, KRE-O CityVille Invasion building sets, or a boy's or girl's Schwinn bike.

Enjoy!

So how's the whole back-to-school thing working out for you? Are you totally in the zone, got your rhythm for morning up-and-at-'ems down pat? Neither missing a beat nor heading out the door a moment late? Seriously? Not one moment? Like, who are you and what have you done with the Mommy we knew and loved? Could you at least admit to being a millisecond behind schedule so the rest of us don't feel bad? Please? Fine. Be that way. Bravo for you. (Slow. Clap.) As for the rest of us, maybe we need a little help. Like our Fall Guide. Points us in the right direction for all things autumnal, like apple picking, pumpkin patches, and fun in the sun. (This is Southern California, after all. Fall looks a lot like summer!)

If the calendar totally got away from you, and you suddenly realize, hey, I never got High Holy Day tickets, and even if I did, whoops, no sitter, we can help you there too. What if we told you that you could attend services ... without even leaving your house! (Yeah, that's the kind of magic we do around here.)

The clock is ticking on our Swagapalooza Giveaways, but you still have a chance to snag some awesome back-to-school swag. Act fast for your shot at a Target gift card, KRE-O CityVille Invasion building sets, or a boy's or girl's Schwinn bike.

Keep reading for some of our favorite picks for the weekend…

Just because Labor Day has come and gone doesn’t mean the fun has to end. Whether it’s going on a family bike ride, learning how to be a farmer at Stone Barns, or even traveling a little north for the NY Renaissance Faire and the Bear Mountain Oktoberfest, there is something out there for everyone. So get out there and enjoy the beautiful weather September and our area have to offer.

If you see something that piques your interest, be sure to click through to the listing for full details. And don't forget, our Event Calendar has even more fun happenings this weekend in Westchester. 

Toddlers thrive on structure and routine, but it can be hard to work circle time and play stations into life at home. Family Nurturing Center’s (FNC) free Parent-Child Playgroups in Boston neighborhoods provide an opportunity for stay-at-homers to experience Early Childhood education with their little ones. Children explore new toys and make friends under the guidance of Early Childhood specialists, while parents and caregivers get support for all of the specific challenges of caring for a one-to-five year old.

I have been taking my two-year-old to a Family Nurturing Center Parent-Child Playgroup in Roslindale for a little over a year now. Walking into the community center at Stonybrook Commons, where the group meets, is like walking into a well-funded daycare. The community center playroom has a play kitchen, dress-up clothes for pretend play, puzzles, a variety of different blocks, books, musical instruments, and my son’s all-time favorite: a bin full of cars, trucks and fire engines. 

Looking for a day adventure that will be great fun for the entire family? How about exploring a lighthouse and then continuing on to have some fun at mini golf! A day trip to Saugerties, NY, has something for everyone. With fresh air, fishing, exploring and then some family-friendly game time, it is sure to be a day full of memories and laughter.

Saugerties is about an hour and a half from central Westchester. I have visited several times with my family and there are always new things to explore every time we go! Read on for what to do and where to go in this charming town.

Fall is the best season to spend time outdoors on Long Island. The relatively flat terrain enables young children to participate in a walk through the woods, but watch out for tree roots, which are easy to trip over. There are a variety of ways to make the trip special. Some families enjoy a quiet walk, some enjoy identifying the wildlife and plants, and some just enjoy having an opportunity to bond with each other. Whatever the reason, there are plenty of trails throughout the East End to explore. Pack some bug spray or put some on before heading out. Remember to check for ticks at the end of the outing. It is also a good idea to go to the bathroom ahead of time. Bring along some water, as many of the locations do not have water fountains. After the hike, make a day out of it and check out some apple farms on the East End.

The kids are back in school (that's my boy in the photo, heading out to his first day of third grade!) and we parents are back to the grind. Come Saturday, the whole family is going to be ready for some serious fun. Happily, there are plenty of fabulous FREE activities this weekend like Little Italy's annual Feast of San Gennaro, Brooklyn Bridge Park's Kite Festival, the 92nd Street Y's StreetFest, and the cool and creative Morningside Lights lantern-making workshops.

If you're looking to plan out the rest of your month, check out our September Go List, which highlights the absolute best things to do with kids including our Eco Family Cruise on Manhattan by Sail's Clipper City Tall Ship next Sunday, September 22. Kids can enjoy interactive ecology activities, face painting, nautical skill demos and spectacular New York Harbor views. Advance tickets are a must so get yours today.

All of our best bets for this weekend are below. You can find additional options in our Event Calendar.