Submitted by Karen on
It’s fall festival time. It's time to paint pumpkins, feast on apples and roasted corn, drink cider, jump on bouncers, ride on carnival rides, and stock up on handmade crafts. All across Long Island, communities are celebrating the abundant harvest from local farms. There are festivals taking place until Halloween. Here is a roundup of the fairs and festivals that we found.
Submitted by Sasha Muzzarelli on
Is that a chill in the air? Cooler September evenings are upon us and some great autumn events are starting to pop up on our radar. Take a hay ride during Fall Family Weekends at Horse Sleigh Farm, cozy up to a campfire after an Autumn Night Hike at Tenafly Nature Center or learn about Chinese culture at the Mid Autumn Moon Festival at the Frelinghuysen Arboretum. And remember, you can find a full list of weekend activities in our Event Calendar.
Submitted by Anna Fader on
Bristol, England is not a popular tourist destination for Americans, however, it's time that this should change. Bristol has evolved into a cool, artistic center with much to recommend it for a family visit. Home of the famous street artist, Banksy and Aardman Animations, the creators of Wallace and Gromit, Bristol hums with creative energy. There is a great science museum, beautiful architecture, a fun Harbourside area with terrific restaurants, and lots of free events throughout the year.
Bristol’s slightly under the radar status means it’s less expensive than nearby Bath and it’s a great location for visiting other popular destinations like Stonehenge, Longleat Manor and Wookey Hole Caves.
Top things to do with kids in Bristol, UK:
Submitted by Tara D on
Fall is my favorite season to have family photos taken. In the cooler, crisper air, everyone looks their best: no heat rash, no sweaty faces, no frizz, and we moms can finally pull out our favorite hot mama boots. Plus, there’s the New England fall foliage – what a backdrop it makes!
The question is, where are the best places in Boston to do a family photo session? We asked photographer Korri Crowley, whose work we were introduced to in Kristin’s post about things to do on Castle Island with kids. (Remember the adorable photo of Kristin's daughter? That was Korri's work.) Here, Korri shares her favorite spots in and around Boston for family photos, and what she likes about each one.
Submitted by Stephanie Ogozalek on
My son is mad about Minecraft, the video game that lets players break apart virtual blocks and use the cubes to build anything they can imagine. While normally I am a bit of a screen-time stickler, I don't mind him playing Minecraft. Unlike some other popular video games, it isn't gory or even realistic (the graphics are intentionally crude), and it's about creating not winning or losing.
Minecraft came out in 2011 and quickly became an obsession for many kids (and adults too—my husband plays all the time!). But as addictive video games go, it's pretty enriching. You need to read and use math to build these intricate virtual worlds, and collaborating with other players online encourages cooperation, teamwork and community. There are so many educational aspects to Minecraft that some teachers are using it in their classrooms.
While our suburban neighbors have lots of organized Minecraft clubs where kids can play together, surprisingly, there isn't a lot of that in NYC. But a few places are starting to host Minecraft events for kids like Brooklyn maker space Pixel Academy, Staten Island MakerSpace and RoboFun on the Upper West Side. We've got the scoop on where NYC kids can play Minecraft (besides your living room) and tips for forming your own Minecraft club.
Submitted by Raven Snook on
In this edition of our biweekly links roundup, we've got the scoop on a brilliant new service aimed at the parents of Lego-obsessed kids, a new high-tech way to apply to kindergarten, the extension of a super-popular family attraction and why audiences will be leaving their iPads on at Disney's rerelease of The Little Mermaid. Plus, some improvements are coming to the South Street Seaport and Randall's Island, and why New York City's latest No. 1 status isn't a compliment.
Submitted by Raven Snook on
Our fall culture preview continues with a roundup of a dozen promising children's shows bowing on NYC stages over the next few months. There's quite a wide variety of choices for kids of all ages this season, including page-to-stage adaptations of popular picture books like Tilly the Trickster and Harold and the Purple Crayon, handcrafted marionettes and energetic dance theater, plus the return of two family favorites: the horror musical spoof Bunnicula and the Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia's black-light puppet spectacle The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Other Eric Carle Favorites.
Our top 12 family theater picks for this fall are below. Remember, no Broadway ticket prices here. In fact, most shows cost $25 or less—some are as inexpensive as $10. You can find more cool kids' culture recommendations in our Fall Fun Guide including the best museum exhibits for families.
Submitted by Natalie Silverstein on
There's nothing better than letting kids run around and burn off some energy on a beautiful day. The Hamptons and North Fork offer great parks and beaches for nature hikes, but sometimes kids just want to climb, seesaw, and swing. Most towns on the East End have a playground tucked away along Main Street's local parks or beaches. Here's a list of some of the best recreational areas in the Hamptons and North Fork.
