It's My Little Pony turned real life at Spirit’s Promise Equine Rescue and Rehabilitation, a facility for abused, neglected or unwanted farm animals. It offers animals a renewed lease on life while providing a rewarding and educational destination for visitors. 

Want to get up close and personal with other animals? Peruse our list of animal farms and petting zoos on Long Island. Looking for more East End fun? Check out our guide to the Hamptons and North Fork.

The Shopkins gang took to the stage this September in their very first live show, Shopkins Live! Shop It Up! Based on Moose Toys' popular line of tiny, collectible grocery store items—and the animated series on YouTube—the show features life-size versions of characters like Lippy Lips (a tube of lipstick) and Kooky Cookie (a chocolate chip cookie).

The show, which I caught in New Jersey with two preschool-age kids (and a theater full of mostly girls ages 4-8, decked out in Shopkins gear), was a full assault of rainbow colors, upbeat singing, and coordinated dance moves. It’s campy, silly, and pure fun for little fans of the figurines.

Read on for our full review of this children’s theater show, which continues its North American tour into 2018, hitting more than 75 cities and metro areas, including Tarrytown, New York (September 26), two more New Jersey theaters (September 27-28), Westbury, New York (October 1), Houston (October 20), and Hollywood, California (November 18).

Fairfield County’s most anticipated autumnal attraction is, without question, a visit to Silverman’s Farm. This little slice of pastoral paradise has served as a family destination in Easton along Route 59 for 95 years. Particularly during fall.

Disneyland may be the Happiest Place on Earth, but it's far from the only reason locals brag about living in Orange County. Great beaches, picturesque parks, and close proximity to the desert and mountains are just a few of the many perks of raising your kids within a stone's throw of Mickey Mouse. That, and the fact that it's not LA. Here are the top 10 reasons why children and parents alike love growing up in The OC.

Not to panic you, but if you don't start planning your kids' Halloween costumes pretty soon, you know they are going to spend this Halloween as a hobo, like I did most years. My kids always seem to know exactly what they want to be for Halloween -- IN JUNE. But then they completely forget by the time I ask them again in September. And I know better than to wander the aisles of expensive seasonal costume stores with them, trying to explain to an 8-year-old what a "Sexy Trash Monster Costume" is.

After years of experience in costume building, conjuring, finagling, trading, repairing, and trussing, below is my shopping guide for kids Halloween costumes on a budget. Once you get the kids decked out, be sure to make good use of the costumes by pouring over our awesome Connecticut Guide to Halloween. 

Thousand Oaks, named (and incorporated) in the 1960s to honor the many majestic oaks in the area, may be the perfect SoCal suburb; it can feel as far from city or as close to city as you like. If you have little ones and live in Thousand Oaks, you probably know some of the must-see spots on our list below—but have you visited them all? So much to do! And when you've exhausted your options and are ready to travel elsewhere in the Southland or beyond, take a peek at one of our many city lists. From Culver City to Pasadena, Redondo Beach to Hollywood, Marina Del Rey to Burbank our lists have got you covered. We'll even guide you through Anaheim on your way in and out of Disneyland. But today, the rolling hills and cultural allure of Thousand Oaks.

Looking for a place to burn off energy (and maybe some calories)? Our profile of indoor play spaces in Westchester continues with a recent visit to LIFE, The Place to Be in Ardsley.

Perfect for those bad-weather days and indoor fun, the assorted activities at the 29,000-square-foot facility will keep kids occupied for a couple hours, with something for every taste. The only dilemma my kids faced was which one to do first!

Read on for our first-hand review of why this is indeed the place to be. To find more indoor fun, check out our Event Calendar and sign up for our newsletters.