Halloween is a holiday that everyone from toddlers to grandparents can enjoy, and there's no shortage of parades, events, and parties in the Boston area. But while there are plenty of sweet Halloween activities for preschoolers as well as terrifying haunted theme parks for 'tweens and teens, it can be hard to find Halloween activities that can feel suitably exciting (but not terrifying) for the elementary-school set. Here are local activities that will thrill kids ages 6 to 12 without scaring the pants off of them. Happy haunting! 

Not only is Newark home to several popular venues and attractions—namely the Prudential Center, New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), and the Newark Museum—but the restaurants in this part of the city are particularly family-friendly. With the impending arrival of hockey season and a host of upcoming performances, including Disney on Ice and Sesame Street Live!, we’ve rounded up the best kid-friendly Newark restaurants where everyone can find their fill.

We've also included a few extras you can’t miss while you’re in town, including two Ironbound gems and the best diner in NJ. So the next time you're in Newark for a concert or show, check out one of these spots to lunch, brunch, or dine with your crew. 

Art museums and kids aren't always a natural pairing. But here in Boston, cultural institutions like the Museum of Fine Arts and the Institute of Contemporary Art go out of their way to be welcoming to children, providing them with special guides at the door and recurring educational programs. But our family's favorite is one that remains relatively under the radar, tucked away as it is in the farmland of Lincoln: The deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, which reopened on October 6 after a month-long closure as new exhibits were installed. Here are some tips for making a perfect day of it–and helping children appreciate the art and nature that surrounds them.

For little kids, Halloween is usually more about the treats than the tricks. The excitement is in getting dressed up for a costume parade, making decorations, and hitting the trick-or-treat trail with a pillowcase or pumpkin bucket in hand.

For fun, not-so-scary Halloween happenings in and around Boston this month, read on. While big brothers and sisters may want to be spooked (or even scared silly), these activities are for kids and families who just want the Halloween festivities to be sweet.

At less than 70 square miles, Aruba might be a small island, but it packs in a lot of kid-friendly activities for a Caribbean family getaway. Snorkel or splash in the bright blue waters of the Caribbean Sea, explore breathtaking natural parklands, dig in to a wide variety of tasty restaurants and food options, support Aruba’s wildlife sanctuaries, or just stake out a spot on the powdery sand beaches to watch the kids build sandcastles. With its mix of beach beauty and easy-access family attractions—and a relatively protected location south of the main Atlantic hurricane corridor—Aruba is a kid-pleasing choice for a sunny school-break vacation. 

Perhaps best of all, Aruba has a well-deserved rep for being one of the friendliest places on Earth, even by popular vacation destination standards. As my awestruck 9-year-old daughter exclaimed, “Everybody is so generous!” (Well, she is from Brooklyn.)

Whether you’ve got an active crew in search of some new adventures, or you’re just looking for a fabulous hotel pool to sink into for a few days, here are the best things to do in Aruba, as well as where to eat and what to see with kids.

Muscoot Farm is a Westchester gem and a great day trip destination, especially now that we're in prime fall fun season. The 777-acre Somers farm offers enough to keep kids having fun without feeling overwhelmed.

In fact, Muscoot Farm is a great farm introduction for younger children, because it allows them to see animals up close without it being as daunting as say, a trip to the zoo might be for that age group. The best part? Admission is FREE.