Capital District Family Newsletter 10/11/12

There are 610 events coming up in the Capital District that are FREE!

2012 Winners: Top 20 Places To Bring Kids in the Capital District

Apple picking! Here's where to pick
Pumpkin Patches
Corn mazes
Tons of upcoming festivals in the Capital Region

Publisher's Note

Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:

I'm getting lucky this Halloween. And by lucky, of course, I really mean totally unlucky. (See last week's newsletter for what I mean about putting on that brave face.)

For the past many years, I have loved helping my kids make creative costumes. (I'm nowhere with sewing, but I'm a dead-eye with a hot glue gun.)  Part of the fun of the whole process has always been that Madison comes up with a seemingly-impossible plan and I execute it, while pretend-moaning about it being so tough. The ultimate costume was four years ago, when Madison was a piano and Ella a piano player. (That moaning wasn't pretend.) I also loved last year's costume, Edvard Munch and The Scream.

But this year, I am off the hook. And I'm privately sad. (Er, Deb: How private can it be when you're telling 15,000 people? Okay, I see your point. But still.) See, Ella has become enamored of colored duct tape and is making her own Halloween costume--a top hat and suit, all out of duct tape. (If it rains, no problem, it'll be water off a duct's back.) And Madison... well, my darling first-born, who is as much a lover of artificial rules as I am a loather of them... Madison heard someone say that "13 is too old for trick-or-treating" and that was enough to send her into doubts. So, at least at this point, she HAS no costume. But who knows where the wind will blow a young teen's disposition tomorrow? So I'm hoping that she'll have a change of heart and we'll whip up something awesome together. As longtime readers know, I am Queen of the Last Minute. I live for the last minute. I write the newsletter last minute (with the help of dark chocolate, this week courtesy of Oliver's -- see below). Fingers crossed that my royalty status serves me well this year.

What kinds of cool costumes do your kids wear? Or are they on their own due to your laissez-faire approach to help them nurture their own creativity? Send me links or photos if you have them, especially if you also have directions to help our readers.

2)  Here's all you need to know about Halloween in the Capital Region. Lots of options!

Halloween Activities in the Capital Region

3) It's Wednesday, and for the past two weeks, that has meant that a pot gets ruined because I forget it on the stove while I'm writing the newsletter. I thought I was smart today, and told my husband to do the cooking. I just heard the smoke alarm go off. Not kidding. I think I'd better check what's going on.

I'm back. Yep, the rice is toast. So to speak. (Can you hear the faint strains of "Tradition! Tradition!" from Fiddler on the Roof?) Maybe I should lay in a supply of saucepans...
 

4) How to "Like" us more effectively

On the KidsOutAndAbout Facebook page, we often have interesting discussions, and that's where we announce giveaways first. Over 3000 of you are signed up to get our Facebook posts, but recent Facebook changes mean they only show a few hundred of you any of our given posts... unless... you "like" us specially.

Here's how: If you go to our Facebook page, hover your mouse over the "Like" button. When you do, you'll see two lines: Show in News Feed, and Add to Interest List. Please make sure both are indicated. When you hit Add to Interest Lists, if you don't have any interest lists, you can just add a new one. How about calling it: Stuff to do with kids! That way you should be able to hear from us when we post. Thanks.

5) Create your own Fall traditions in the Capital District with:

• Apple Picking (remember, it will be over early this year, so don't wait until the end of the month!)
• Pumpkin Patches
• Corn mazes
• Halloween activities
• Tips for Fall Family Photography
• Tons of upcoming festivals in the Capital Region

Two apple recipes:
Easy Apple Sauce that even a preteen can make
Secret to Easy and Awesome Apple Pie

6) HomeScienceTools.com is an amazing source of science kits and information for homeschoolers and non-homeschoolers alike. Kits in biology, geology, botany, chemistry, physics, and lots more (click here for the KidsOutAndAbout review of their Vitamin C testing kit). When you use THIS LINK you'll get 10% off your order through October 18!


--Debra Ross, Publisher

From your editor, Katie Beltramo:

7) There are a ton of festivals this weekend to celebrate the harvest season. On Saturday, local businesses are sponsoring a couple, including The Great Pumpkin Festival and llama Walk to benefit MS at Faddegon's Nursery. (If you haven't already noticed the giant hamburger-shaped carved pumpkin on our home page, you should click the link just to check it out. They'll have Pumpkin carving contests, pumpkin games, llama walks, bouncy bounce, prizes, popcorn, cider & more. Meanwhile, on Upper Union Street, it's the  7th Annual Harvest Fest at Upper Union Street. We almost always make an appearance at this one, since it's walking distance from our house. This family-friendly street event has music, food, art, gourmet market, farmers' market, pony rides, petting zoo of baby farm animals, climbing wall and much more!

8) Local schools are getting in on the Saturday fun as well. There's an Open House and Fall Festival  at Robert C. Parker School, with a bounce house, game booths, great prizes, face painting, instant raffle, food and more! This is also an opportunity to tour classrooms, meet teachers, and check out the school community. It's also Fallbany – UAlbany's Fall Festival at SUNY Albany. You'll find the fun at the Uptown Campus - back lawn of the Science Library, and you can park for free at theDutch Quad parking lot. There's also a Family Fall Festival at St. Ambrose School n Latham.  They'll have carnival games,laser tag, a bounce house, a dunking booth (brrr!) ,face painting, pumpkin decorating, and a chili cook-off.  There's also an Autumn Family Festival at Blessed Sacrament School with food, games, and prizes for the whole family.

9) If you're busy on Saturday, don't worry! There's yet another festival--the Carrot Festival--at Congregation Agudat Achim near Schenectady. My family's visited this one a couple of times, and we've always had fun. Every year my younger daughter shouts with excitement when the carrot sign goes up on Route 7.

10) You may have heard that all the tickets for the Saratoga & North Creek Railroad's Pumpkin Patch Express this weekend are sold out, but if you act now you can still score tickets for their HALLOWEEN Train later this month, where kids in costume ride coach free with a paying adult.


11) KOA has a postion open for a part-time sales person. We are looking for an energetic, friendly, outgoing person to sell our advertising products. Email june@kidsoutandabout.com for a full job description.

12) The Bravo Family, the Wall Family, the Woods Family, the Smart Family, and the Walker Family are our fictional families that take their kids to activities based on their particular interests. Here is what they are up to this weekend:

The Walker family focuses on health and physical fitness.
Friday: Saratoga Scare Fair  at SaratogaCountyMommies.com
Saturday: Albany Walk for Farm Animals at Albany Walk for Farm Animals
Sunday: Heroic Corn Maze Adventure at Fort Ticonderoga


 

The Bravo Family loves the arts.
Friday: Blithe Spirit at Schenectady Civic Players
Saturday: Elizabeth Zunon Storytelling, Art Making, and Book Signing 10/13 at Albany Institute of History and Art
Sunday: Family Sunday: Trick or Treat Bags at The Arts Center of the Capital Region

 

This is the Woods Family. They love nature and the great outdoors.
Friday: Fall Friday Fun! at Wilton Wildlife Preserve and Park
Saturday: Family Fun: FALL LEAVES for KIDS at NYS DEC- Five Rivers Environmental Education Center
Sunday: Cornell Hill Fire Tower is Open! at Wilton Wildlife Preserve and Park


 

The Smart family focuses on educational and cultural activities.
Friday: Chocolate Covered History at Fort Ticonderoga
Saturday: How to Do It: BEGINNING BIRDWATCHING at NYS DEC- Five Rivers Environmental Education Center
Sunday: Wally's Birthday at Berkshire Museum


 

The Wall Family prefers indoor activities.
Friday: Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood “Birthday Party” at Troy Public Library
Saturday: Saturday Family Story Time at Saratoga Springs Public Library
Sunday: Focus on Nature XII at New York State Museum

13)  Here is your day-by-day weekend guide to upcoming events:
Friday, October 12
Saturday, October 13
Sunday, October 14

 

14)  RESOURCES

Everything that's free (upcoming events that are free)
Top 20 Places to Take Kids in the Capital District
Indoor Play Centers
Places to have birthday parties
Private Schools
Preschools
Extracurricular classes
Clubs/Scouts/Teams for Kids and Parents
Libraries
Parks / Outdoor recreation areas
Kid-friendly restaurants
Organizations & schools that provide resources for kids with special needs
Upcoming shows and performances
Museums

15) Folks who "Like" the KidsOutAndAbout.com Albany listing on Facebook find out about stuff in advance and even can enter Facebook-only giveaways, so make sure to Like us! These Facebook-Only Giveaways happen frequently, so don't miss a thing..."like" us today!

16) Have you wondered about creative places to host your child's birthday party in the Albany-Troy-Schenectady area? There are 132 Birthday Party Locations on our list; check them out!

17) We're sure you can think of other folks who would enjoy finding out what's up for kids and families every week, so please, think of a few friends and forward it along! Here is the direct link they can use to sign up, themselves.

Enjoy the weekend!

Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com

Katie Beltramo
Editor, KidsOutAndAbout.com