School searches can be fraught with stress, but searching for the right fit in Manhattan seems to multiply the tension tenfold...at least! Whether you're searching for a Pre-K program, elementary school, middle school or beyond, finding the right fit for your child is paramount. From public to private to charter, there are so many factors to consider and the landscape is ever- changing.

If you're a Manhattan-based family in the market for a school next year, you've got a great new option: BASIS Independent Schools is set to open its first Manhattan school on the Upper West Side in fall 2017. Serving kids in kindergarten through grade 8, the aim of BASIS Independent is to build well-rounded individuals who are challenged by the schools' accelerated liberal arts and sciences curriculum.

Summer is ending, and with school just around the corner, we can hear the kids' groans (and parents' cheers) already. But making that leap from summer funlike water slides to the classroom chair isn't always easy. All summer we've been sharing great ways to keep the kids engaged with brainy, but fun activities through our Summer Slide Busters guide. From storytime to science experiments, we've collected plenty of activities to keep little ones busy and learning. Need book suggestions for the rest of the summer? The NYPL even shared a host of summer reading book lists for all ages, including grown-ups. 

What else can you do to prepare your kids for school? Well now we're sharing 30 ideas for fun stuff to do around NYC with the rest of the summer that will get the kids' brains back in gear, from cool free drop-in classes to outdoor learning that will hardly feel like school even as they soak up a bit of biology. So read on to get started on one, five, or all of these 30 activity ideas.

Summer may be coming to an end, but that needn’t put a damper on your vacation plans. We have Labor Day weekend still to go, and don't forget that many public schools will be closed for the Jewish holidays and Columbus Day in October, perfect timing for a quick fall getaway.

There are deals for travel to Orlando, Connecticut, Maine, Washington, D.C. and other family-friendly destinations. The Caribbean is a great value in the fall and nonstop flights have your toes in the sand fast. Why, there’s a luxury hotel deal in London that may lure you to journey across the pond. Read on for fall 2016 travel deals, and don't forget to check out our family travel section for more getaway ideas.

I met a fella recently who was stationed with binoculars on the border of East Boston and Winthrop, gazing at the planes lift off from nearby Logan Airport.

“It's beautiful to watch. It's almost mystical,” he told me.

A handful of youngsters also peered at the planes, which, depending on the wind direction, buzzed right overhead with a thunderous roar as they headed to destinations unknown.

If you have kids who are into aircraft, there are some great spots on the North Shore to watch the planes come into and leave the airport. Here are top viewing choices, along with other nearby activities – including the beach, restaurants, and playgrounds – to enjoy:

Prepare for intense jumping at Rockin’ Jump, the indoor play space in Mount Kisco. The 18,000-square-foot facility (located in the same shopping plaza as Grand Prix) boasts high-action activity areas, a food zone, party facilities and more and is well suited for all ages. From ball pits to dodgeball to basketball and more, the abundance of trampolines allows for gravity-defying fun in leaps and bounds! Read on for the inside scoop.

Want to see some art with your kids, but can’t handle the hordes of summer tourists? (Guilty!) Believe that museums make more sense during the frigid winter months? (Also guilty.) Just not able to make your work hours or the kids' naps coordinate with FREE hours at NYC museums? (Hand raised.)

Here’s the solution: check out these seven outdoor art exhibits on display in NYC now. Since they’re located in city parks and other public spaces, they’re FREE! All have art that is interactive (to some degree), educational, and fun for kids. At one exhibit—Swale, a traveling barge with a “floating food forest”—you can even feed your kids healthy food they pick themselves. What could be better? Maybe the fact that you're outside and your children can run around afterward and get tuckered out? (Guilty again.)

The other day, as my email inbox was filling up with back-to-school information and the phone was ringing with reminders of registration deadlines for fall activities, I found myself flipping through summer photos on my phone and reminiscing, and I realized that there was one thing missing. We've had fun days at the beach and musical evenings in various parks, and even some berry picking, but we haven't had that one special adventure, the one big splurge to remember this summer by.

We have a range of interests from animals to water sports to ice cream and even camping, so there are many variables to consider. We'll be making our final decision this week, but here's what's on our short list so far: