Classes for Learning Pod Enrichment and Remote Learning Support in NYC

FIAF offers learning pod support for children as young as age 5. Photo courtesy of FIAF

Many New York City parents are turning to learning pods, made up of small groups of like-minded families, to alleviate the stress during this surreal time of part-time school schedules. But, beyond the regular remote learning curriculum, what's a learning pod to do? Many of our favorite local providers and community orgs are stepping up to the plate, offering extra enrichment for your learning pod. If you don't have a pod, some of these spots help you build one; and, if you'd rather go-it-alone, others provide plenty of support for remote learners with drop-off programs where kids can complete assignments and receive tutoring support in safe, supervised environments.

29 (Mostly FREE) Learning Resources, Apps, and Games for Kids

These free online classes and educational resources are perfect for homeschoolers and homework help.

There are countless websites and apps that can supplement kids' school curriculum through interactive games and other resources.

From museum tours and National Geographic deep dives to coding classes and reading apps, we've rounded up some of our favorite—and mostly completely FREE— online learning resources for kids. We've included options for preschoolers, elementary-age kids, middle school, and even high schoolers.  

Find more online classes, games, and resources in our Virtual and Online Guide for Families, or after school learning is done, have hands-on fun with the boredom busters in our Kids Crafts and Activities Guide.

Best Things To Do in Westchester in September With Kids: Hot Air Balloons, and More

The 29th Annual Hudson Valley Hot Air Balloon Festival is going to be hosted drive-in style at Tymor Park in Union Vale, New York. Photo courtesy of the festival

Live, in-person things to do with kids in Westchester and the Hudson Valley continue to roll out. We're here to ease the stress of the impending return to school with plenty of socially distanced events to enjoy long after you've savored your Labor Day barbecue. We've even got a Back-to-School Fair planned to help you round out your child's extracurricular activity schedule, whether you're looking for in-person or virtual class offerings.

We've welcomed the news that several sizable annual traditions have been reimagined for a safe return in 2020, like the spectacular Hudson Valley Hot Air Balloon Festival. Halloween season is kicking off this month, too, with the return of the Great Jack-o'-Lantern Blaze and Home of "the Legend." While the weather remains warm, September is full of outdoor entertainment—from drive-in movies to live performances. 

Read on for our September event picks, as well as venues that are now open to visitors. Be sure to keep tabs on our daily Event Calendar to stay in the know! If you're looking for more things to do, we're continuing to maintain our list of virtual event picks plus activities to enjoy nearby—like hikes in our state parks, visits to swimming lakes, and more socially distant activities.

Explore The Nature of Color at the American Museum of Natural History

Play with light and color at the American Museum of Natural History's "The Nature of Color," which is newly reopened along with the rest of the museum. Photo by D. Finnin/courtesy AMNH

After a months-long shutdown, the American Museum of Natural History is on the brink of reopening Wednesday, September 9, and its special exhibition hall is aglow with the vibrant The Nature of Color exhibit, which lets visitors explore the role and power of color in the natural world, human cultures, and in our personal lives.

The Nature of Color reveals how color carries information in nature—where organisms use it to find food, ward off predators, and conceal or reveal themselves—and across cultures, where different colors can signal a wide range of meanings, from good luck to power to a sense of urgency.

While museum visitors may be anxious to see the famous dioramas or the towering T. Rex and its prehistoric dinosaur friends, this colorful, rainbow-hued exhibition is destination-worthy on its own, once you've nabbed your (now-required) timed-entry tickets to the museum. Get the details on how to snag your tickets to AMNH and all the other recently reopened, or opening soon, museums here.

12 Things About Distance Learning that Don't Suck

Pick whatever seat (or angle) you choose for online learning.

Distance learning is hard and almost no one's first choice—this we know. But not everything about it is awful. In fact, there are even a dozen or so things about it that my family has found kind of nice.

We may be wishing for the good old days, but sometimes it's good to remember that these are the good old days. And the 12 things below might even be things we'll miss about remote learning when all this is a bizarre memory.

Find loads of remote learning resources in our 2020 Back-to-School Guide.

Outdoor Art Day Trips Near NYC

Jeffrey Gibson; 'Because Once You Enter My House It Becomes Our House;' 2020; Courtesy the Artist; Socrates Sculpture Park; Sikkema Jenkins & Co., NY; Kavi Gupta, Chicago; Roberts Projects, LA; Image by Scott Lynch

If you're looking for an escape and craving a little culture, outdoor sculpture gardens are the perfect destination for the entire family. While New York features some of the world's most famous art museums, many of which have reopened or are doing so soon, the metro area is also home to a diverse array of sculpture exhibits by international contemporary artists. At these outdoor art destinations in the city and nearby, you'll be enchanted by forests, meticulous gardens, and even a labyrinth of stone.

From Midtown Manhattan to the sprawling Hudson River Valley and Long Island's majestic Gold Coast, we've found 11 sculpture gardens and destinations to see outdoor art near New York City. So, spend the day strolling through wide-open spaces, gazing at stunning, larger-than-life sculptures, and breathing the fresh fall air. Pack a picnic and head out to one of these destinations for the perfect fall family day trip.

Find more seasonal fun in our Fall Fun Guide and consider these 30 fall family day trips nearby, too.

Here's the NYC Public School Calendar for 2020-2021

The NYC DOE has finally announced its schedule for the 2020-21 school year.

If you've got a child in public school, you live by the school calendar. The 2020-21 school year has already been off to a surprising start, with last week's announcement that the first day of school has been pushed back. Many local NYC preschools follow the public school schedule, too. The New York City Department of Education's calendar for the 2020-2021 school year is below, and you'll want to bookmark it now for reference—and to help with planning family vacations and school break camp coverage

Of course, we've been reminded over and over again that this school year will be one unlike any other, so the dates may not be as set in stone as in years past, but at least parents have a framework now. 

These are all of the dates you can count on your kiddos being out of school—or away from their remote learning device—during the 2020-2021 school year.

Pedernales Falls State Park with Kids: A Texas Camping Getaway

Splashing in the river is a great way to cool down after a long hike. Photo by Chase A. Fountain/ Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Covering more than 5,000 acres, Pedernales Falls State Park in Johnson City, Texas, offers camping, miles and miles of hiking trails, plenty of river to explore, and some amazing and unique scenery with a little wildlife, too.

My family typically takes an annual camping trip from our Houston home base, often to Garner State Park. But one thing this pandemic has done is to change up our routines, right? When we couldn't find any open slots that fit our schedule at that park (most of the Texas state parks are operating at reduced capacity), we found Pedernales Falls State Park.

Pedernales Falls proved to be a wildly untapped resource that's only three hours from Houston, and offering both electric and primitive campsites. In fact, this fallback option turned out to be one of the best camping trips we've ever taken. Read on for just what made it so special. 

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