Labor Day–the first three day weekend of the academic year or the end of summer, depending upon whether or not school has resumed in your household. Even if school has started, the weather still cries summer, so be sure to enjoy every last drop of sunshine. El Niño is coming, and we can hopefully look forward to many rainy days. Our drought dry state could use them.

In anticipation of next week’s Jewish New Year, Pretend City is abuzz with a honey factory. Learn where honey comes from, why it is kosher, and how it is used to sweeten desserts during this holiday. In Santa Monica, the cool kids (and anybody who watches The Big Bang Theory knows that computer nerds are the cool kids) will be hanging at Code Rev Kids’ open house, where coding classes are what it’s all about. And ahoy, mates! The Tall Ships are returning to Dana Point. Why not make it a weekend and head to San Diego?

Monday is Labor Day and Friday the anniversary of 9/11. Be sure to check our event calendar. It’s a busy week.

Summer officially ends this week, and while we're back to the grind of school, there is also a lot of fun to be had on Long Island. Take the kids and your furry friend for a vineyard walk or enjoy an outdoor festival. And remember, this is just the beginning since our Events Calendar is being updated daily.

School-age kids are off with their backpacks and bright smiles this week, but there's not a dull moment in Boston! September offers a slew of fun activities for smaller kids during the day as well as for older kids after school. My family really wants to catch the Strandbeests this week, but kids who prefer to make their own creatures can try their hands at puppet-making, and young art fans can check out Emerge at Boston City Hall Plaza.

This is a great time to check out after-school classes for your kids, too. The Boston Ballet School is hosting open houses at all three of its locations this week. Your child can also try a music class with Nabi Music Center for free and on your family's schedule, without even having to leave the house. 

Whatever you decide to do this week, don't forget to check the full Event Calendar for other fun happenings!

Your child doesn’t have to be a natural athlete in order to love a sports birthday party. While many indoor sports centers offer traditional games like soccer and baseball, just as many have expanded their themes to include relay races, Capture the Flag and, yes, even dodgeball.  

We last took a look at some great places to have a sports birthday in Westchester, and now we’re going to expand our choices to the rest of the lower Hudson Valley. In this list you’ll find several more options for active kids to have a birthday bash. For even more birthday idea, be sure to take a look at our Party Planner Guide.

Ease into this back-to-school week with our low-key weekday event picks for NYC kids. Whether you skipped town with the kids for the Labor Day holiday, or hung around NYC this long weekend, you’re likely worn out and looking forward to a quieter week.

Not to fret. The Mommy Poppins event gurus have you covered. Our weekday event picks for Tuesday, September 8-Friday, September 11, err on the side of helping your family gain a little Zen back and recharge for the fall. And when you’re ready for more? Check out the September GoList picks for best kid bets all month long, including the Brooklyn Book Festival’s very first Children’s Day and the STEM-fueled Maker Faire, or the top NYC fall festivals.

Acute angles and interceptors, vertex and trapezoids, being a kid isn’t easy! Many children do not get excited about math, and some outright dread the subject because they find it difficult. Thankfully, the Hartford area offers plenty of options for securing additional help.

Ready those toothbrushes! Dylan's Candy Bar opened a new outpost in Union Square September 1, and it's full of sweet temptations for NYC kids—and adults. 

The store is laid out on a single floor, measuring a little over 3,000 square feet, making it smaller than the sweet spot's three-floor Upper East Side flagship. While it lacks the square footage and bar of its uptown sibling (yes, Dylan's makes a mean martini), this boutique version has a fun downtown flare that fits right into the neighborhood.

Back-to-school season isn't just about returning to the classroom. It's also a time we look to enroll our kids in extracurricular activities, and whether you're looking for athletics, arts or academic classes, after-school or on the weekends, New York City offers an overwhelming number of options. The real challenge isn't finding a class, it's finding the right program for your child.

One of the best ways to do that is with a free trial or demo class. Throughout September (and sometimes beyond), many popular NYC children's programs offer no-cost sessions so kids and parents can decide firsthand which classes are worth their time and money. We've rounded up FREE trial classes for a variety of children's programs. Click on the titles for additional details about each class.

You can find even more programs in the Mommy Poppins Classes Guide and our Class Directory, which allows you to sort listings by age, interest and neighborhood.