Sweet Ways to Donate Halloween Candy: Ronald McDonald House, Operation Shoebox, and More

Sweeten someone else's day and donate Halloween candy to troops, the elderly, or children in need. Photo courtesy of Canva

If you've got too much candy after Halloween, rid your house of excess sugar and donate Halloween candy you don't want your kids eating! We've found five charitable organizations where you can donate Halloween candy. From our troops to kids in the hospital to local soup kitchens, we found places that will put your excess candy to better use than cavities and tummy aches.

If you want to hang on to a few pieces after you donate Halloween candy, we have more creative uses for sweet stuff! Check out these candy science experiments, plus plenty more activities and inspiration for Halloween weekend in our Halloween Guide.

Or maybe you're done with Halloween and ready for the next holiday? Thankfully, our Thanksgiving Guide is packed with crafts, activities, games, and more Thanksgiving fun.

Where To Find Free Turkey in NYC This Thanksgiving

Many organizations throughout New York City are offering free turkey giveaways, plus full, hot Thanksgiving dinners this season. Photo by John McCarten for the New York City Council

Thanksgiving is nearly upon us, and we know many local families are struggling and could use the help of one of these local organizations offering a free turkey in NYC.

Inflation, job loss, mounting debt, and worse have left many New Yorkers facing food insecurity. With that in mind, we've rounded up 13 local organizations that are stepping up to ensure all who need help filling their tables or getting a hot meal this Thanksgiving can. From free turkey giveaways to take-out options and low-cost holiday meals, here's where to get help this holiday season.

If you're fortunate enough to have a full pantry and pocketbook, consider donating to one of these exceptional organizations to help others across the city, and put the "thanks" in Thanksgiving by lending a hand at one of these local Thanksgiving volunteer opportunities. You can find more ways to spend the day in our New York City Kids Guide to Thanksgiving.

Iconic Barbie Exhibition Opens in NYC With Vintage Dolls, Photo Ops, and More

This expansive Barbie exhibition is now open at the Museum of Arts and Design at Columbus Circle.

The expansive Barbie: A Cultural Icon exhibition is now open at the Museum of Arts and Design at Columbus Circle, featuring 250+ dolls, photo ops, fashion designs, and more.

Thrilling for kids and endlessly nostalgic for grownups, Barbie: A Cultural Icon is one of the latest limited-time can’t-miss exhibitions to open in NYC. Featuring more than 250 vintage dolls, original fashion designs, playful photo backdrops, and an interactive life-size Barbie convertible, the exhibition brings a totally memorable experience for all ages to the Museum of Arts and Design at Columbus Circle.

I had a chance to sneak a private peek at the expansive display with my two Barbie-loving daughters, so read on for the inside scoop, ticket details, and what to know before you go.

Save On Top-Rated Connecticut Outings and Experiences for Kids and Families

Groupon's online marketplace offers tons of discounts on activities for kids and families.

Find tons of daily discounts on the top Connecticut kid activities and family experiences in Groupon’s online marketplace.

Keeping costs down when you’ve got kids to keep busy is no easy feat. So, if you’re looking for fun Connecticut activities and outings for the whole family that won’t break the bank, we’ve rounded up some of Groupon’s best deals on top-rated experiences. Take a look at these 4- and 5-star-rated deals that’ll help you save on everything from bowling to movie tickets to whale watching.

Halloween Weekend 2024 in San Francisco: Trick-or-Treat and More Things To Do with Kids

Honor the lives of loved ones at a family-friendly Día de los Muertos celebration. Photo courtesy of the  Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose

Looking for the best things to do in San Francisco and the Bay Area this Halloween weekend? The city is positively bursting with Halloween parades, costume contests, Día de Los Muertos celebrations and more family-friendly events to add to your list for this weekend.

Calling all goblins, ghosts, and ghouls: Halloween is here! There are so many spooky things to do in San Francisco from now until Sunday in time for Día de Los Muertos. Expect all treats and no tricks while scooping up candy on trick-or-treat lane at Halloween Sausalito. There's a Halloween Hoopla at Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco with circus performances. Celebrate Día de los Muertos by attending a screening of the movie Coco in San Francisco accompanied by a live orchestra. 

Find more spooktacular events in our Halloween activities in our San Francisco Bay Family Event Calendar. Happy Halloween! 

For more Halloween haunts, check out the top Halloween events in San Francisco, fill up those candy buckets at the best places to trick-or-treat on Halloween in San Francisco, and visit the best pumpkin patches in the Bay Area. Everything you need for Halloween is in our Halloween Events and Activities Guide for San Francisco Kids

Halloween Weekend 2024 on Long Island: Trick-or-Treat and More Things To Do with Kids

Walk the immersive pumpkin trail on the grounds of a 19th-century village at The Great Jack-o'-Lantern Blaze: Long Island.  Photo courtesy of the event

Looking for the best things to do on Long Island this Halloween weekend? Here are some family-friendly events and activities to add to your list.

Halloween weekend is upon us, and there's no shortage of ways to celebrate on Long Island. Head to free festivals at the Ward Melville Heritage Organization or Heckscher Museum of Art, both of which will have trick-or-treating galore. 

Other top picks for Halloween weekend on Long Island include Spooky Science Night at the Cradle of Aviation Museum on Friday, where you can catch a screening of "Coco." 

Or make your way to the Suffolk County Farm in Yaphank on Saturday for the annual North Meets South Fair, which celebrates Long Island's farm-to-table movement with farm animals, hayrides, face painting, and more.

Bookmark our Long Island Halloween Guide for more picks to keep your costumed cuties entertained all weekend. 

Halloween Weekend 2024 in New Jersey: Trick-or-Treat and More Things To Do with Kids

New Jersey is decked out for Halloween and there are plenty of great events to check out. Photo courtesy of Cape May

Looking for the best things to do in New Jersey this Halloween weekend? Here are some family-friendly events and activities to add to your list.

It's time to scare up some fun later this week with Halloween festivities! There are plenty of Halloween activities to choose from on Thursday, including Howl-O-Ween at Turtle Back Zoo, which will have treat stations peppered throughout the grounds. At the Downtown Morristown Trick-or-Treat, meanwhile, everyone is invited for some free fun where local businesses will distribute goodies. 

Celebrations continue into the weekend, in honor of Day of the Dead, with activities in Princeton, featuring strolling mariachis and skull decorating, and in Jersey City, with Mexican artists, dance groups and more family fun.

We've got more seasonal treats in our New Jersey Halloween Guide, including our picks for the best places to trick-or-treat in New Jersey

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