Fall will be here soon so we've assembled our favorite ways to enjoy the sweetness of the season. Inside you'll find:

10 Fun Things For Grandparents & Grandkids to Do Together

Five Things To Do With Your Younger Kids When the “Big Kids” Are In School

Let’s Go Apple Picking! Top Ten Apple Orchards in Massachusetts

Just because most school districts dip into August for their start date, don’t let your last month of summer slip away in the back to school frenzy. Even if you’re tired of the beach, and refuse to eat one more night of barbeque, there’s still new ways to enjoy late summer. Check out these ideas for a fresh dose of summer fun.

 

You’re walking through a bookstore and enthusiastically pick up a children’s activity book designed to help you and your kid make it through the day while keeping your offspring at least mildly entertained, or at least keeping him from eating from the cat’s bowl again.

 

But then you take the book home and notice that while it may have some great ideas for what to do with your toddler, there’s nothing applicable to your 10-month-old, or to your second grader. So what are you supposed to do, one activity per kid while the others just stand around and whine, “M-O-M! I’m bored!” or have you conduct three different activities simultaneously while dashing between all three?

 

That won’t happen if you flip through the new children’s activity book, The Siblings' Busy Book.


 

Whether you’re frolicking at the beach, traveling across two states to the grandparents, or simply exploring your own backyard, be sure to create a bunch of lasting summertime memories this August with family and friends.

 

The Schillings’ SHADE Foundation and National Amusements Inc. have joined to provide families with an alternative to playing in the brutal noon-day sun. Every Monday, for eight weeks, select Showcase Cinemas, including Randolph’s, will host a free showing of a family movie at 11 a.m.

 

Abigail Breslin turned 12 in April, yet she’s a veteran actor. The TV commercials started at age 3, and now she has a starring role — and her name above the title! — in the new film “Kit Kittredge: An American Girl.”

 

 Fun ways to spend your July days!

Collect seashells to create magnets that you can enjoy season after season!

 

 

Every year, on July 4th, our nation commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence with picnics, parades, and fireworks — this holiday is a real blast! 

 

Why not celebrate the birthday of a special person in your life in similar grand style? Here’s an adorable party favor that kids will want to take home and show off, ready-made or as part of the festivities:



 

Celebrate dad this Father's Day, with the many printable projects, activities and online games listed below. These activities are in honor of dad but are fun for the entire family.

 

Summer is here. And with the price of gas soaring, many New England families are planning to spend their summer vacation close to home this year. In New England there are historic cities, endless beaches, and spectacular mountain scenery just waiting to be discovered-or rediscovered.

 

Lucky for us, there are lots of great places to visit in our own backyard. To get you started, here’s a guide to ten of the best New England summer destinations for families- fun attractions,  cool places to eat, and really family -friendly hotels throughout the region to help make this your family’s best summer ever!

 

Chris Bergeron
GateHouse News Service

Two months before the Olympic Games, typical American kids met four of their not-so-different counterparts from Hangzhou, China, at the Boston Children's Museum.

Seventh-grader Zoe Kaplan appeared on stage at the Yellow Dragon Theater, twirling her gown's long sleeves like a Chinese drama queen. Visiting with his grandpa, 4-year-old Malcolm Balk-Purgian pounded on a drum with such gusto a passing woman blocked her ears.

 

On a clear summer night, head outside with your family to view the sky.

 

By Gina Pangione June 15 is Father's Day, and since1966, celebrating dads and granddads has always been a time to treasure. One of the things my husband and children have always enjoyed on this special day is go-cart racing. First built in 1956, go-carts have varied from wooden carts trotted barefoot down a cement sidewalk, to engine-driven, steel-tube chassis "Superkarts" that exceed 160mph on asphalt circuits. 

 

Looking for a way to kick off your summer? Look no further than your back yard. Sponsored by National Wildlife Federation, the annual Great American Backyard Campout is meant to encourage parents and kids alike to turn in all things high tech, and experience a night with Mother Nature.

 

By Debbie Swanson 

Summer days are perfect for settling down with a good book. Gather your kids for a mid-day air conditioning break to hear a story, or set your independent reader up in the shade with a cool drink and a good book. Here’s our pick for summer reads:

 

Jessica Young
GateHouse News Service
Searching for a strip of sidewalk flanked by decent stretches of grass on both sides, Steve Holtsford was determined to teach his oldest daughter how to ride a big-girl bike.

“Those initial sessions are frustrating for both parent and child,” said Holtsford, an emergency room physician. “I just kept thinking ‘Oh my gosh, why is she not getting it?’ In retrospect, maybe she wasn’t ready, and I was trying too hard.

 

By Karin Conrad
Between picking up stray Cheerios, wiping runny noses, reading one more story and taking time to breathe, what busy parent has time to surf the internet tracking down cool websites? That’s why Parents and Kids has done the work for you. Here’s a list of some cool websites for parents and kids we’ve managed to find. Note that, to make the list, a site for kids also needed to have educational value, privacy protection, and minimal or no commercialism. Surf, click and enjoy!
 

Learn about the history of Mother's Day, ways to celebrate motherhood, the world's most favorite TV moms and really yummy recipes! Plus, view our video for some great Mother's Day gift ideas.
 

By Heather Kempskie and Lisa Hanson
National Siblings Day is April 10. Here are some ways to celebrate: