The holiday season is upon us, and that means it’s time to start making plans for festive, family-friendly outings. Of course, there’s a list as long as Santa’s of things to do this holiday and Christmas season with LI kids, but we’ve whittled it down to a baker's dozen of the very best for your family to enjoy.

From Thanksgiving runs to Christmas shows and holiday train rides, we’ve got what you need to get your family into the spirit of the season. For more ways to make seasonal memories this holiday season, check out our Holiday Fun Guide and our Event Calendar.

With Halloween firmly in the rear-view mirror, the holiday season is officially upon us, and we're gearing up for one of our favorite turkey day traditions: The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, which has just announced the new additions for the 2019 parade.

Read on for the details and new stars of the show, from soaring giants to gliding floats, and then start plotting your Thanksgiving parade viewing strategies, whether you're planning to watch the balloons come to life on the Wednesday night before the parade, or see the main event, which steps off at 9am on Thursday, November 28.

Ready to get a jump on all of your holiday shopping, but don't want to frequent the same tired stores you always visit? A holiday craft market and fair is the perfect answer. You'll find an assortment of handmade treasures crafted by local artisans that will make unique gifts for everyone on your list. Check out these markets around town.

While Boston has many kid-friendly museums and attractions, crowds and noises at these busy spots can sometimes overwhelm children with autism and sensory sensitivities. Many museums, zoos, and aquariums are working to change that, and are developing sensory-friendly hours, exhibit adaptations, and programs for these children. Here are places in the Boston area where highly sensitive or special-needs children can better enjoy enriching nature, science, animals, and the arts. For more inclusive fun, check out a list of special needs kids' classes and our favorite accessible playgrounds.

Fairfield County’s King School has a big mission: to set better standards for both the experience and outcomes of education. And the top-rated PreK to 12th grade private school is working to embody that mission holistically at its 34-acre North Stamford campus complete with designated Lower School facilities, including visual and performing arts’ rooms, a gym and library, computer and science labs, a sustainable garden, age-appropriate playgrounds, and classrooms designed to encourage opportunities for small group work, student-led learning, and discovery.

I connected with Head of Lower School and elementary expert Amy Vorenberg to learn more about King School’s preschool and elementary programs, along with their other offerings, and to find out how interested families can start the application process.