Remember that 2015 Connecticut Hiking Challenge you promised the kids you'd complete? The deadline is less than a month away, and with mild weather still upon us, the outdoors are a beautiful place to be. If you'd rather win medals than a medallion, lace up your sneakers and head to the Hot Coco 5K and Kids Fun Run in Cheshire or Run for the Turkeys in New Fairfield. Or, if you'd rather win a turkey, sign up for a free and friendly basketball competition in Bristol.

It’s clear that Thanksgiving is right around the corner from the theme of this weekend’s events for Westchester and Hudson Valley families. Burn off those calories before the big feast at Turkey Run Peekskill, and who needs Macy’s when you can stay local for the Annual Valenti Thanksgiving Day Parade?

In addition to honoring American customs, there's also the chance to partake in international customs at the Diwali Celebration, or you can get a head start on the next holiday at Holiday Wreathmaking. And if entertainment is what your family craves, catch a dazzling performance by Mario the Magician.

These are just a few of our top picks for the weekend. Read on for the rest, and be sure to scan our Event Calendar for many more options to choose from—this weekend and beyond! The list grows daily, so check back often and sign up for our FREE weekly newsletters to stay in the know.

Thanksgiving should be more than just a kickoff to the holiday season. The fourth Thursday in November is a truly American celebration and perhaps the best time to introduce your kids to some of America’s history.

We've rounded up five weekend destinations to get the family into the Thanksgiving spirit by eating, playing or celebrating the way our forefathers did. From the shores of Massachusetts to a Colonial-era city in Virginia, here are some historic ways to experience a traditional Thanksgiving this holiday season.

For many Force-filled Star Wars fans, just mentioning the sci-fi saga sets their hearts racing at lightspeed. And with the seventh movie in the franchise coming out this December, Star Wars fever is more infectious than ever. So it's no surprise that Discovery Times Square is getting in on the intergalactic mania with its brand-new installation, Star Wars and the Power of Costume. After all, it built its reputation with well-timed exhibitions celebrating Harry Potter, The Hunger Games and other pop-culture phenomena.

But while those other properties are aimed at tweens, Star Wars is beloved by all ages, even toddlers. Which begs the question, does this display, featuring more than 70 authentic handmade costumes and props from all the movies, please even preschool Padawans?

As a parent of two small children, I’m always looking for new ways to stimulate their senses through art, music, or other fun activities. They love to sing along to their favorite commercial jingles and TV show theme songs, but it’s also nice to expose them to age-appropriate tunes that are also grown-up toe-tappers. (And really, how many more times can we put the Frozen soundtrack on repeat in the car? “Let It Go” is genuinely a favorite of mine, but seriously.)

Enter Alex and The Kaleidoscope, an enthusiastic kindie band that blends lyrics, rhythm, and vibes that both parents and children can enjoy. Their new album, Get On Board!, is now a staple in our minivan’s CD player, so we can finally retire Elsa…for a little while, at least. Plus, we were lucky enough to see them perform live at the Ardmore Music Theatre, at the venue’s very first children’s show. 

With Thanksgiving a week away, that festive holiday spirit is definitely in the air! Get the whole family excited for Turkey Day with A Discovery Museum Thanksgiving at the Garden State Discovery Museum or take the kiddos to make a Thanksgiving Centerpiece at the Frelinghuysen Arboretum. For an early dose of holiday fun, check out the opening weekend of Christmas Fantasy with Lights at Storybook Land or the Holiday Model Train Show hosted by the Ramapo Valley Railroad. Looking for more late autumn outings? Bundle up for a Fall Bird Walk at Liberty State Park or drop by the Princeton Art Museum for their monthly Art for Families program. Whatever you decide to do this weekend, we hope you enjoy it with family and friends. For even more activity options, check out our Event Calendar.

'Tis the season to get the gang all dressed up to see some holiday shows. While there are certainly lots of spectacles to splurge on beyond the Radio City Christmas Spectacular and all those Nutcrackers, if you've got young children you may not want to blow all of your bucks on theater tickets. That's why our roundup includes a range of productions, from inexpensive, low-key offerings perfect for fidgety preschoolers, to extravaganzas that are worth the money. Bonus: We've got the scoop on how to save money to a few of the higher-priced offerings.

From live stage adaptations of holiday classics like A Charlie Brown Christmas and Elf to tot-friendly puppet shows to offbeat, eye-popping circus and dance, here are our top 16 holiday shows for NYC families.

On the outskirts of Newton in the Auburndale neighborhood is a public area where kids can run around, climb on a playground, hike and – if we're lucky this winter – ice skate on a frozen spoke of the Charles River. 

Welcome to the Auburndale Playground, which most residents here simply call "The Cove."