When it comes to after school programs, one typically thinks of the YMCA or programs held in schools that offer the usual activities:  homework help, arts and crafts, movies, games, and on nice days, possibly a trip to the playground or a walk outside.  But if you dig a bit deeper into the world of after school, you can find some alternate and unique programs for your child.

Head out to the Connecticut Renaissance Faire for a unique family outing this Fall. I'm told it's even better if you dress yourselves up in period costume like the cute little bumpkin in this photo. Best part is that you can WIN FREE TICKETS right here. If you've never been to a Renaissance Faire - here's the scoop:
 
The Connecticut Renaissance Faire recreates a medieval English village at festival time, and their guests of honor are none other than King Arthur and Queen Guinevere themselves. Meet the royal couple, sing and dance along to period music, check out a variety of handmade wares in the medieval marketplace, partake of a juicy roasted turkey leg, test your skill as a warrior at the Hitting & Stabbing Emporium or in a safe and friendly contest of arms, and watch armored knights jousting on horseback.
 
In addition, the Connecticut Renaissance Faire is hosting a number of special events and theme weekends, including its popular “Halloween Knights” featuring safe trick-or-treating with our merchants and a nighttime flaming joust. Read more for directions on how to enter the drawing.

While it's true that the season of free outdoor kids' concerts is over, there's plenty of music to look forward to this autumn. That's why we're kicking off our fall culture preview with a roundup of awesome New York City family rock concerts, featuring some of our favorite local kids' bands.

In addition to picking the best bets from well known kids' concert series like 92YTribeca's Bring Your Own Kid, we did the research and found a bunch of cheap and even free live shows. Out of the 14 we're highlighting, three are $10 or under per person and five are absolutely free! 

With big names like Grammy winner Dan Zanes, Princess Katie & Racer Steve and Gustafer Yellowgold playing, we're looking to these shows as much as our kids are. So get ready to move and groove at the best kids' rock concerts in NYC.

It already feels like fall, and if the rain can just hold back we have a beautiful weekend is ahead of us. If you are looking for meaningful ways to commemorate September 11th with your family, we found some places where you can gather. We've also rounded up some other activities for you this weekend, including festivals, a tomato contest, a bug hunt, and a road race that benefits kids. We wish you a peaceful and glorious couple of days.

School may have started this week but the fun is still going strong for Los Angeles families!   Mommy Poppins LA is here to point you towards some of the best local events.  

Summer hasn't had its last hurrah just yet. There's one more Twilight Dance concert on the Santa Monica Pier and a final fiddle from the winners of the Topanga Banjo & Fiddle Contest at the Peter Strauss Ranch. If you're looking to get your beach on, the shores of Malibu will be lined with surfers at the Malibu Surfing Association's MSA Classic.

This Sunday also marks the 10th anniversary of the September 11th attacks.   It can be difficult to know how to address the anniversary of such a profoundly tragic event with children.  Several local institutions offer options that are both life-affirming and respectful; the ZImmer Museum has an event particularly geared toward families with young children, while the Museum of Tolerance event might be more suited to kids with a better understanding of the day.

Read on for some of our favorite choices this weekend.

And it's begun. If your kids are anything like my daughter, they started picking out their first day of school outfits about a week in advance. (If your child wears a uniform, you probably don't have a pile of discarded clothes on your floor.)

Even though summer break's over, there's plenty of fun in store for fall. This week, we rounded up a bunch of awesome September festivals and fairs, and highlighted apple picking farms close to NYC. We also launched a massive sale on classes all over the city at Poppins Perks. We're offering discounts on some of the best classes available this fall, from preschool alternatives to after-school programs.

Of course since Sunday is September 11, our weekend best bets are not all fun and games. We've got suggestions for how to commemorate the anniversary in addition to our roundup of other things to do.

Plus we've officially launched our new sites in Boston and Los Angeles! Let your friends in those cities know to sign up for their newsletters.

And that's just a bit of what's going on. Here's what we covered this week on Mommy Poppins in NYC, New Jersey, Long Island and Connecticut.

The first weekend of (unofficial) fall, and Boston offers kids and families plenty of festivals and other outdoor activities to enjoy - most of them rain or shine!

This is also the first good weekend for picking apples; check out some of our suggested orchards in the area. And, of course, this weekend marks the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks; there are many ways that families can mark the day, remembering the victims and honoring the heroes. Please check our list for some suggestions.

Reminder: We have a free ticket giveaway for a Preview Screening of the film Dolphin Tale - plenty of seats still left!

 
9/11.  Who’d have thought the mere coupling of two numbers could plunge me into a nightmarish memory:  struggling through shrieking crowds, fighter planes overhead, an evil, gray cloud chasing and threatening to envelope my 5-week old in his stroller as a tower collapsed behind us?  This weekend brings many of us to a standstill, frozen in memory. But, as children teach us every single day, life goes on.  Let these few days be both a celebration of life, and a tribute to the loss experienced by families throughout America.  Celebrate with butterflies, sheep-shearing, vintage cars, pancakes and patriots.  Remember through song, speeches and services.  It’s the best tribute we as parents can offer.