This post is sponsored by La Escuelita.

Thanks to shows like Dora the Explorer and Ni Hao Kai -lan, kids are being exposed to foreign languages at a younger age today. The preschool years are prime time for language building. In fact, the traditional model in the US of waiting to acquire a second language until the adolescent years is flawed—research has shown that children's ability to distinguish between new sounds and accurately replicate them diminishes dramatically after age 12. The key is immersing a child in the second language as early as possible. Whether Mom and Dad speak another language or not, a language immersion preschool can help a child to become fluent in another language, while also readying him or her for elementary school.

La Escuelita was founded in 2003 by two mothers, both educators, who wanted a quality bilingual English/Spanish education for their children. The school is one of the first dual-language preschools in NYC, providing support for early bilingualism via playgroups for little ones aged 12 months to 6 years, as well as a preschool for children ages 2 to 5, an immersion afterschool program for children in grades K-3 and an immersion summer program.

For years, my husband and I have been saying that we need to get bikes.  So today, after a quick coffee stop (much needed) we drove to a nearby bike shop.  Now, the last time I got a new bike, the only decisions to be made were which color (blue or pink) and basket or no basket.  Well…things have changed!  Mountain bike, hybrid bike, street bike, racing bike, suspension, no suspension, road tires – my head is still swimming.  Somehow me managed to leave with two bikes ordered, ready for pick up in a mere 7 days.  So tonight I’m looking into bike trails that the five of us can tackle together before the cold weather sets in.  Listed are some nice places in Fairfield County. Hope to see you out there…I’ll be the one on the pink bike with the basket, no bell.

This week kicks off with Columbus Day; a day off from school, meaning an extra day to entertain the little ones. Just Bead Yourself offers all kinds of creative workshops on Monday, such as Pinkalicious Reading & Beading and Afternoon Tea with My Doll & Me, or take a Rockin’ Rocket Ride on Monday at RVCC’s planetarium. There are plenty of opportunities for preschoolers to burn some energy this week, including skating at Tyke’s Tuesday and Kidz Village’s Paint Your Own Pumpkin And don’t forget to check out our Event Calendar for even more options!

Most families are enjoying a day off on Monday, so spend Columbus Day in costume in Cold Spring Harbor. Then it's time to focus on Halloween, with everything from pumpkin painting to rocking with ghouls and goblins this week to entertain the kids.

For even more fall fun, check out our Long Island Events Calendar, as well as our Halloween Guide. In fact, you can get the best events of the week sent directly to your inbox each week if you sign up for our newsletter.

Raising bilingual and bicultural children can be quite a challenge, so it's wonderful to see all kinds of events cropping up to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. From a celebration with Mariana Iranzi (pictured) to a Spanish story time to an event with La Piñata, there are plenty of activities to immerse kids in the Spanish language and culture this whole week. There are also some other great activities to take advantage of the beautiful fall weather we've been having, including a fun hike for parents and babies. Be sure to keep an eye on the full Event Calendar for more happenings all month!

Halloween is one of my family’s very favorite holidays. My daughter has had her costume for weeks. I’ve been holding out but will likely break down and fill up the candy corn bowl before the week is over. While trick-or-treating and candy eating on the 31st are what it’s all about, in truth the joy of Halloween is in the anticipation. By mid-October celebrations are well underway; you may not want to carve pumpkins yet in this heat wave, but it’s a great time to visit the patch. Underwood Farms is especially fun, and a mid-week visit is a low-cost way to avoid the weekend crush.

Something I missed last year (won’t make that mistake twice!) is the Halloween Ghost Train operated by LA Live Steamers in Griffith Park. Oh, and it’s the second week of the month, so there are free days at The Autry and Japanese American National Museum if you and yours are looking for some non-holiday related fun. Read on for our favorite five things going on this week.

Maximize your three-day weekend by fitting in extra activities on Monday—we've found 17 things to do with kids on Columbus Day! It's also the perfect day to kick off your Halloween revelry by hitting a nearby pumpkin patch or corn maze, shopping for a costume or going on a fall day trip.

Of course even once school and work start up again, the fun doesn't need to stop. Our best bets for Tuesday, October 13-Friday, October 16 include a Minecraft club, a FREE storytime for tots, a teen night out at the Met and one of our top picks of the month, a multimedia anniversary screening of Back to the Future.

As always, you can find lots of other ideas in our Event Calendar and Fall Fun Guide.

As a native Angeleno, I pride myself on having been to most of our local venues at least once in my life, but recently I discovered one that is brand new to me: The Valley Performing Arts Center at Cal State Northridge. VPAC, as those in the know call it, is in fact a fairly recent addition to our cultural scene, having begun its inaugural season in 2011. VPAC is a light, bright, large theater with comfortable seating and easy and affordable parking (including a free shuttle for those who need it). While Valley residents must surely appreciate this addition to their neighborhood, those of us living on the Westside, Hollywood, or beyond can also enjoy it for years to come. Though Northridge sounds far away, it really took us less than half an hour to get there from the Westside and was well worth the trip—particularly for the debut a marvelous new family series, the VPAC Play Date, featuring a range of performances geared towards children and their families.