Even though Thanksgiving is still a few weeks away, some of our favorite annual holiday attractions open for the season this weekend. Holiday Train Shows are set to start chugging at the New York Botanical Garden and Grand Central Terminal, and the New York Hall of Science is unveiling its enormous Gingerbread Lane display. Plus, skaters can hit the ice at the grand opening of Williamsburg's McCarren Park Rink.

Another great way to get into the seasonal spirit? Come to our Holiday Photo Event on Saturday. In addition to getting adorable pictures of your kids with Santa or against a seasonal backdrop, there will be crafts, storytime, giveaways and discounts on holiday cards. Sessions are filling up fast, so book yours now.

Of course there's plenty of non-holiday fun this weekend, too, like the dance show Feet Don't Fail Me Now! at the New Victory Theater, a reenactment of the Battle of Fort Washington in Washington Heights and Grammy-nominated rocker Justin Roberts at Symphony Space.

These are just a few of the great things going on this weekend. All of our best bets are below. You can find additional options in our Event Calendar and our Holiday Fun Guide. Before heading out on your adventures, be sure to download our FREE Mommy Poppins Kids on the Go app so you can find the best family destinations wherever you happen to be in NYC.

Classical music can be a hard sell for kids. Heck, it can be a hard sell for some grown-ups! Even if it's not your family's preferred genre of music, there are some wonderful classical pieces that really engage listeners, like Sergei Prokofiev's beloved Peter and the Wolf. One of the few symphonies created specifically for children, Peter and the Wolf is more than just beautiful music: It's a wonderful coming-of-age tale about how a cocky young boy, Peter, and his animal pals outwit a hungry wolf and the consequences of their actions. (Spoiler: In the original version, the duck gets eaten but some productions give it a 100% happy ending with the wolf coughing up the duck alive and unharmed.) The simple story is told through narration and each character is portrayed by the sound of a different musical instrument. It's a great way to introduce kids to classical music. When I was a child, I played my LP so often that it got totally scratched up and no longer worked. (Thank goodness for iPods, right?)

For some reason I can't seem to figure out, Peter and the Wolf has become an unofficial holiday tradition. Every year around this time, there are multiple mountings of the 1936 piece here in NYC. The big annual run at the Guggenheim Museum with Isaac Mizrahi narrating is definitely the best known, but there are other Peters out there. In fact, we've rounded up five different productions to choose from, three over the holidays and two early next year.

November is a wonderful time to teach kids about the importance of gratitude. It starts at home, so create some fun for them with Thanksgiving Crafts: Fun Projects That Help Kids Give Thanks. There are also numerous ways to celebrate turkey day, so you'll want to see our post on Thanksgiving Historic Meals, Races, Crafts and Stories in Hartford County.

I am a horrible cook, so the thought of making a Thanksgiving turkey is really overwhelming. Want a stress-free holiday?  Thanksgiving Day: Dinner Out Anyone?  is my kind of article. Reservations sound fantastic to me! Christmas starts earlier every year it seems, so check out our list of  The Top 25 Santa Activities in CT.  Many of these activities are very popular and sell out early, so jump on it! 

Our Holiday Fun Guide, November CT Go List and events calendar are wonderful resources to make the most of your time. Here are some suggestions for fun this weekend! 

These beautiful autumn days filled with outdoor activities and colorful leaves won’t last much longer. So get out there Jersey, and spend the last couple of weekends before Thanksgiving in the fresh air, whether you go for a Fall Foliage Walk at Liberty State Park or get in one last pumpkin patch romp at Alstede Farms. Looking for a little entertainment? Check out the always popular Milk & Cookies interactive rock-concert or the lively Story Pirates at the Shea Performing Arts Center. And remember, you can find a full list of weekend activities in our Event Calendar.

The whole city seems to be gearing up for the holidays so it's no wonder our news post is filled with all kinds of seasonal tidbits. We've got the scoop on a new outdoor ice-skating rink at the South Street Seaport, a one-of-a-kind holiday illumination courtesy of the Museum of Mathematics and a clever Manhattan boy's new invention: the Menurkey. Plus, new FREE after-school programs at the New York Public Library, a big amendment to the mandatory kindergarten law, Cirque du Soleil's new girl-power spectacle and more.

Since Brooklyn Heights is famous for being an extremely family-friendly neighborhood, it's no surprise that most of its restaurants happily accommodate children. But there are many local eateries that actually cater to families, like restaurant/play space The Moxie Spot, or longtime ma-and-pa eateries like Clark's, Teresa's and the Grand Canyon Restaurant nestled on Montague and Henry Streets. And did we mention all those delicious Middle Eastern joints on Atlantic Avenue?

Our month-long focus on Brooklyn Heights continues with a roundup of our top ten family-friendly restaurants in the area (though in truth we could have chosen twice as many). Our picks run the gamut from places to grab a quick and casual nosh before or after a stroll on the Brooklyn Promenade to more upscale sit-down dining.

We all want to feed our kids fresh and healthy food every day, but it's not always easy to do (or afford). But a new site is simplifying the process, allowing people to put fresh, local and sustainable food on the table each and every week.