Pumpkin Patches, Hayrides, and Harvest Fests Right Here in NYC

Masks are cool during Boo at the Zoo! 

Pumpkin Patches, Hayrides, and Harvest Fests Right Here in NYC 

If you think you need to head out of the city for an authentic fall harvest experience, we've got good news: You can pick the perfect pumpkin, go on a hayride, meet farm animals, and even get lost in a massive corn maze right here in NYC. And, though most festivals are on hold for now, there's still plenty of outdoor seasonal fun to enjoy.

So head out to these local fall festive happenings, all located within the five boroughs. Looking for more fall fun? Check out our NYC Fall Fun Guide for the best of the season.

Your little city slickers know their way around the streets, but can they navigate the Amazing Maize Maze? 

NYC's Only Corn Maze: The Amazing Maize Maze – Glen Oaks, Queens

Fridays and Saturdays beginning Friday, September 18; Friday, Saturdays, and Sundays from Friday, October 2-Friday, October 30; Maze is also open on Columbus Day, Monday, October 12
You need a lot of room for a good corn maze, so it's no surprise that NYC's only one is located on the grounds of the Queens County Farm Museum. Since the maze changes every year, tackling it has become a tradition for my family. Before you embark on your adventure, staff members explain how to find hidden clues and solve puzzles that help you successfully navigate to the exit. If you've got older kids who enjoy a challenge, try doing it by flashlight: The corn maze stays open until 9:30pm (with two staggered entries at 5:30pm and 7:30pm) on October 3 and 24. Timed-entry tickets are required and available for advance purchase only.

Pick a pumpkin at Decker Farms on Staten Island. Photo courtesy of Historic Richmond Town

Pumpkin Patches in New York City

Decker Farm Pumpkin Picking Weekends – Richmond, Staten Island

Weekends October 3 through October 31
This 19th-century farm is part of the Historic Richmond Town's living history museum. Pumpkins are set out in a field for kids to "pick." There's also a hayride and small hay maze. There are plenty of fall photo ops, foods to sample, and vendors peddling their wares. If you visit during Old Home Day on Sunday, October 18, you can also see costumed artisans performing old-school trades such as stone carving and tinsmithing. Timed-entry tickets are required for entry and can be purchased in advance beginning Friday, September 18 online. Masks and social distancing are required, and hand-washing and sanitizing stations are available.

Pumpkin Patch – Glen Oaks, Queens

Weekends October 3 through October 25, plus Columbus Day
You might come for the Amazing Maize Maze, but it will be hard to leave without a pumpkin! Admission to the Queens County Farm Museum is FREE; pumpkin prices vary. Like Decker Farm, children are "picking" pumpkins lying on a lawn, but it's a fun experience for little kids, and there are lots of other farm attractions. Beware: You'll pay by the pound for your gourd, so choose wisely!

While pumpkin patches are slim pickings as of this writing, we're working to confirm whether other annual favorites like those at the Queens Botanical Garden or Governors Island's Pumpkin Point return in 2020 and will update this post as new information is available.

Carnegie Diner Pumpkin Patch – Midtown West

Daily through Saturday, October 31
A pumpkin patch in Midtown Manhattan might sound too good to be true, but the Carnegie Diner is drumming up business with its adorable street-side installation. Stop by for a photo op; if you find a gourd worty of your carving skills, they're all available for purchase. Enjoy some outdoor dining of classic diner treats while you're there.

Pumpkin Day — Greenpoint Brooklyn

Saturday, October 18
Community organization Town Square hosts this day of outdoor Halloween fun on the Brooklyn waterfront. Visit the pumpkin patch to pluck a perfect pumpkin, then head over to the craft table to decorate it with paint, glitter, and colorful ribbons. 

Vale Park Pumpkin Patch – Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Sunday, October 18 and Sunday, October 25
The trendy William Vale Hotel transforms Vale Park into a family-friendly pumpkin patch for two October weekends. Pluck your perfect pumpkin from the patch, then hit the craft tables to transform it into a table-worthy decoration. Scarecrow-making and seasonal drinks for sipping add to the fun.

The Queens County Farm Museum is the place to be for fall-themed fun in city limits. 

NYC Fall Harvest Festivals

So far, these fall fests are confirmed, but we'll keep an eye out for more. Be sure to click through to the listings and confirm the final details before you head out.

September Sundays – Glen Oaks, Queens

Sundays, September 13, 20, and 27
Enjoy some fall fun on select Sundays at the Queens County Farm Museum, which features audience crop circles, hayrides, and the New Orleans-inspired bluegrass band Mama Juke. While you're there, hit the farm's Amazing Maize Maze. You can enjoy a homemade brew from the beer garden or peruse local food vendors. Plus, don't forget to grab some freshly harvested items from the farm stand on your way home.

Annual Harvest Festival – Upper East Side

Saturday, October 17
Choose and decorate your own pumpkin from the patch on the Mayor's Lawn. Kids can also try their hand at making Halloween slime and take a stroll through the Spooky Trail. There will be no timed tickets for this event, and all activities are first come, first served.

Step back in time at Old Home Day at Historic Richmond Town. Photo courtesy of Historic Richmond Town

Old Home Day – Richmond, Staten Island

Sunday, October 18
Watch costumed artisans reenacting 18th and 19th-century trades. They'll be pressing cider, making candles and lace, embroidering and quilting, stone carving, and tinsmithing at Historic Richmond Town. Afterward, hit Decker Farm's pumpkin patch to pick your pumpkin, let kids get lost in the hay bale maze, and hitch a hayride.​​

Trick or treat your way through the Boo at the Zoo. Photo by Julie Larsen Maher

Boo at the Zoo – Bronx Park, the Bronx

Thursdays-Sundays, October 1-November 1, plus Monday, October 12
While not a harvest fest, per se, Boo at the Zoo is an annual not-to-be-missed fall fun fest, so we're including it here. Not only can you get up close with the animals of the newly-reopened Bronx Zoo, but you can pepper your visit with seasonal fun. See a magic show, traverse the candy trail to collect treats, see cool jack-o-lanterns on the pumpkin trails, watch pumpkin-carving demos, and embark on a scavenger hunt to find all the masked animals who call the zoo home.

Connecting With Kids Party Characters

If you’ve gotten some value out of today’s article, join Kids Party Characters on Facebook for daily updates with our best parenting tips, as well as the magic we bring to children’s parties.

And be sure to plan your next party at KidsPartyCharacters.com, where you’ll find over 250 of your child’s favorite characters, as well as party packages that include cotton candy, face painting, balloon twisting, magic shows, crafts for the kids and more!

 

Trees festooned with pumpkins are among the attractions at Skylands Stadium's Jack-o'-Lantern Experience. Photo courtesy of Skylands Stadium

Drive-Thru Halloween Attractions in the Tri-State Area For Safe 2020 Thrills

With Halloween on the horizon, we’re all trying to figure out how to find some safe, spooky family-friendly fun this season. Thankfully, the holiday isn't canceled, and many of our favorite annual attractions have gotten creative, pivoting to offer drive-thru Halloween attractions. Ranging from sweet to spooky, visiting one of these haunts makes for an out of the ordinary celebration.

So, don your costume and hop in the car to visit one of these drive-thru or drive-in Halloween attractions in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. We've even got the details on a preschool-friendly pick in Pennsylvania. There are plenty of options for ghosts and goblins big and little, from drive-thru jack-o'-lantern displays to haunted houses and horror movies. 

Use your outing as inspiration to plan an at-home Halloween party complete with fun games and spooky snacks, and find more safe Halloween ideas in our Guide to Halloween Family Fun at Home.

Drive-Thru Halloween Attractions in New York

Drive through the Horseman’s Trail—if you dare—and try to spot the Headless Horseman.

The Headless Horseman Hayrides and Haunted Mansion – Ulster Park

Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through Saturday, October 31
Ages 13+ for the Haunted night time attraction; children's day is all-ages
Purchase tickets in advance online.
Visitors are invited to drive through the haunted Horseman’s Trail. Walkthrough attractions, like a haunted corn maze and a haunted house, are also located on the premises and observe COVID-safety precautions. The Headless Horseman also hosts Children’s Days with a daytime drive-thru fun and visits from family-friendly characters.

Woodbury Commons Drive-In Experience – Woodbury

Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from Friday, October 16-Sunday, November 1
Age appropriateness varies by film
Purchase tickets in advance online.
Woodbury Commons Premium Outlets hosts a drive-in Halloween experience during October weekends. Each weekend has a theme, including The Nightmare Before Christmas, Beetlejuice, and Casper. The nightly fun includes Broadway-style musical performances, stand-up comedy, trivia, raffles, treats, and (of course!) showings of the classic Halloween flicks.

The Forgotten Road at Gateway’s Haunted Playhouse – Yaphank

Fridays and Saturdays through Saturday, October 31
Ages 13+
Purchase tickets in advance online.
This year, Gateway’s Haunted Playhouse hosts The Forgotten Road, a drive-thru attraction at Southaven Park. The 1.5-mile journey invites guests to solve a haunting mystery as you're immersed in the chilling details of a 40-year-old "cold case." If you don't solve it by attraction's end, you might find yourself haunted long past your visit.

Halloween at thePark – Jamesville

Nightly through Saturday, October 31
All-ages
Purchase tickets in advance online.
Halloween At The Park is more sweet than spooky and invites families to drive down a 1-mile path to see festive Halloween-themed displays along the spooky trail. Attractions include the witch’s shoe house, the ghost’s barnyard, skeleton graveyard, and the spider forest.

Halloween Drive-Thru at Stew’s – East Meadow

Daily through Saturday, October 31
Ages 10 and younger
Families are invited to Stew Leonard's for a drive-thru Halloween celebration. Cars follow a path through more than a dozen family-friendly Halloween-themed scenes featuring inflatable characters. It's all conveniently located in the parking lot just steps from Stew’s pumpkin patch. Customers can also tune their car’s radio to the right station to catch Clover the Cow’s spooky Halloween soundtrack. This Halloween attraction isn't limited to the East Meadow location. Stew Leonard's is hosting similar drive-thrus at its Norwalk, Connecticut, and Paramus, New Jersey, locations, too.

Halloween Drive-In Event at Bach to Rock Music School – Nanuet

Saturday, October 31
All-ages
Bach to Rock Music School hosts this safe, socially distant, fun Halloween celebration. Enjoy an outdoor drive-in event featuring live music, DJs, trunk-or-treating, a prize wheel, and more. Student bands and solo artists perform in the parking lot. An RSVP is required to ensure social distancing measures are followed. Space is extremely limited to 10 cars per time slot, so RSVP as soon as possible to guarantee attendance.

Dracula’s Drive-Thru Kids Farm Tour– Baiting Hollow

Saturday, October 31
All-ages
Purchase tickets in advance online.
Drive through Dracula's Farm, aka the North Shore Horse Rescue, to see Halloween-themed horses and decorated paddocks from the safety of your car. Each vehicle receives a Halloween candy basket. Space is limited, and reservations are required.

Double Dare Drive-In – Rhinebeck

Fridays and Saturdays through Saturday, October 31
Ages 7+
Purchase tickets in advance online.
Classic, black-and-white Halloween thrillers are shown every weekend in October as part of The Center for the Performing Arts double-feature drive-in series. Films are presented on a 40-foot screen on the Great Lawn. On Halloween, guests receive a goody bag.

Spooky Walk's Haunted Drive-Thru – Center Moriches

Friday, October 16-Saturday, October 17 and Friday, October 23-Saturday, October 24
Ages 6+
Purchase tickets in advance online.
An annual fundraiser for special needs Camp Paquatuck, Spooky Walk has pivoted to offer a drive-thru in 2020. Haunted exhibits range from the Living Hell Hospital to a spooky dance club, and an Alice in Wonderland scene more befitting a nightmare than a fantasy. All that said, the frights are generally on the mild side, making this haunt more kid-friendly than others.

Drive-Thru Halloween Attractions in New Jersey

Brite Nites at the Wagner Arboretum brings the grounds to life with the glow of jack-o'-lanterns.

Wagner Farm Arboretum Brite Nites Drive-Thru – Warren

Wednesdays through Sundays through Sunday, November 1
All-ages
Purchase tickets in advance online.
Wagner Farm Arboretum's popular Brite Nite attraction returns for a ninth season, in drive-thru form for 2020. The family-focused Halloween-themed Brite Nites showcases an elaborate display of intricate, creative hand-carved, and lit pumpkins, which pay homage to first responders. Drive through the Pumpkin Path to view the many different displays meant to delight old and young alike and see the complex pumpkin sculptures that take volunteers months to carve.

Skylands Stadium's Jack-o'-Lantern Experience & Fall Festival – Augusta

Daily through Sunday, November 1
All-ages
Purchase tickets in advance online.
Take a drive through Skylands Stadium, decorated with more than 5,000 jack-o'-lanterns throughout the stadium, property, and surrounding cornfields. You'll see a wide variety of pumpkin creations ranging from tiny creatures—gremlins!—to gigantic dragons, and popular comic book and Disney princess characters. After the drive-thru, visit the Outdoor Fall Festival, with rides, games, and food.

D&R Greenway Land Trust Masquerade Parade – Princeton

Saturday, October 31
All-ages
Purchase tickets in advance online.
Celebrate Halloween safely from your own vehicle in this festive car parade. You'll decorate your car and then navigate the parade route, passing by themed floats positioned along the bucolic farm road on St. Michaels Farm Preserve. Goody bags filled with nature-inspired surprises are doled out to participants. The parade is limited to 300 cars, and you must preregister.

Bloodshed Farms: The Last Drive – Columbus

Friday, Saturdays, and select Sundays through Saturday, October 31
All-ages
Purchase tickets in advance online. 
Theatrical sets and live actors transport you from the comfort of your car to Bloodshed Farms in this haunted attraction. If you want a real scare, consider upgrading to the gory VIP package where actors and their props prod your car along the route, dousing it in fake blood, water, soap, and (of course!) ectoplasmic goo. Organizers say the attraction is all-ages, but we're more included to recommend it for ages 10+.

Drive-Thru Halloween Attractions in Connecticut

Take a ride around the popular and non-scary Pumpkintown USA.

The "Ride" at Pumpkintown USA – East Hampton

Daily through Saturday, October 31
All-ages
Purchase tickets in advance online.
One of New England's premier non-scary Halloween villages, Pumpkintown USA annually draws about 25,000 visitors. For 2020, guests can enjoy the normally walkthrough experience during a 1-mile drive. Traverse the seasonal landscape to view more than 30 pumpkin-head people set up in whimsical woodland scenes. Reservations are required. If you want to up the fun factor, pre-purchase seasonal treats to enjoy while you roll down the Pumpkintown trail.

Trunk-or-Treat: Drive-Thru Edition – New Haven

Saturday, October 31
All ages
Join New Haven Youth & Recreation for a drive-thru version of its annual spooky trunk-or-treat event. Carloads of costumed characters are welcome to drive-thru Edgewood Park where all kids in the car receive individually packaged bags of candy from volunteers. If you arrive on foot, head to the Coogan Pavilion to get your share of the goodies.

Halloween Movies at the Drive-In at Foxwoods – Mashantucket

Select weekend nights through Saturday, October 31
All-ages
Purchase tickets in advance online.
Halloween-themed drive-in movies at Foxwoods Casino start with a costume parade at 6pm where kids are sure to collect plenty of treats. Following the parade, a family-friendly movie is enjoyed on the big screen. Make sure you disappear before the 10pm flick plays, though, as it's got a decidedly spookier feel.

See The Count, Elmo, and more from the comfort of your own car at Sesame Place's Not-Too-Spooky Drive-Thru. 

Bonus: Sesame Place's Not-Too-Spooky Halloween Drive-Thru – Langhorne, Pa.

Tuesdays and Wednesdays through Wednesday, October 28
All-ages
We realize this pick is a little further afield, but parents of preschoolers may appreciate a little mid-week diversion. Earn some cool parent cred when you take your little one on a drive down Sesame Street as they spot their favorite characters costumed for the holiday. Lights, festive decor, and a spooky soundtrack round out the experience. Of course, there are treats to collect when you exit!

Connecting With Kids Party Characters

If you’ve gotten some value out of today’s article, join Kids Party Characters on Facebook for daily updates with our best parenting tips, as well as the magic we bring to children’s parties.

And be sure to plan your next party at KidsPartyCharacters.com, where you’ll find over 250 of your child’s favorite characters, as well as party packages that include cotton candy, face painting, balloon twisting, magic shows, crafts for the kids and more!

Essential School Supplies for Whatever This Year Brings Us

 

Time to stock up for an unpredictable school year! 

Whether your kids are returning to the classroom, distance learning, or following a hybrid model, back-to-school shopping looks a little different this year, including stocking up on school supplies. If you're still waiting for your school to send out an official school supply list, or just want to know how to set up for homeschool, we've put together a shortlist of essentials for the 2020-2021 school year.

Whatever your school plan is for this year, this list has all your bases covered. From face masks to at-home school supplies and organizational tools, we’ve rounded up all the things needed to have a happy and healthy school year. Find more online learning tools in our Virtual Fun and Educational Guide.

Homeschool Supplies and Distance Learning

Setting up a homeschool, distance learning, or pod classroom at home means stocking up on some of the basic school supplies that your child would normally have access to at school. This list might depend on the age of the student, but it's often helpful to gather up and have a set place for the pencils, pens, pencil sharpener, stapler, hole punch, scissors, calculator, scotch tape, measuring tape, folders, paper, and maybe some basic craft or art supplies.

You might also stock your learning nook with board games, books, and other learning tools, such as maps and dictionaries. We've included a few more at-home school supplies that we found helpful during remote learning in the spring, minus the likely essential device (iPad, Chromebook, or laptop) given that need 

With a blended learning model or fully-remote model, a dedicated workspace can help kids focus. Photo courtesy the manufacturer

Desk

Setting up the right furniture may help set your student up for a successful school year.  Picking the right desk is a big part of any successful home school environment. This writing desk provides a nice surface to plop a laptop on and has few drawers for storage.

If you are short on space, this corner desk may come in handy, while even one of these lap desks can turn your sofa into a comfy spot to get some work done.

Kids have easy access to supplies in a rolling cart. 

Rolling Cart for Organizing School Supplies

Textbooks, chargers, art supplies, worksheets, graph paper, lined paper, blank paper…. students come with so much stuff. Start the school year off right by giving everything a storage spot in one of these rolling carts. 

This rainbow cart with lots of drawers has been a teacher favorite for a reason. It has tons of storage for all your different school supplies and subjects. If you like to keep things simple, this storage cart comes complete with storage cups and shelves. 

Dry erase boards are great for daily schedules, math problems, and even spelling.

Dry Erase Board

Dry erase boards are a classroom staple because of their versatility. It can be used to write out the day's schedule or date, work on math problems, write a spelling word, and so much more. Bonus points: because they are magnetic, these Scribbledo boards do double duty. Another one of our editors likes this dry erase board that comes with magnetic letters for preschoolers and other young learners. Another version of it comes with numbers, or you can just add those on by purchasing separately.

From Zoom calls to read-alongs, headphones give kids a way to tune in to online learning without the chatter of the rest of the family. 

Headphones 

With the lines between home, work, and school growing fuzzier by the day, it's worth it to invest in a good pair of headphones for everyone, including the kids, and especially if work stations overlap between siblings, in a pod, or next to a working parent.

Set up a cozy space with a bean bag chair. 

Cozy Reading Nook 

Almost any elementary school classroom is arranged with cozy, floor seating arrangements because teachers know that not every kid can read effectively while sitting at a desk. There really is nothing quite like cozying up to a good book. These bean bag chairs can turn any area of your home into your own personal cozy reading nook.

Wall Calendar

The spacious lined boxes of this giant wall calendar will keep everyone happy and organized. Keep track of all your zoom meetings, school project deadlines, daily assignments, and tasks in one handy space. 

This math kit gives kids a hands-on tool for learning and reviewing math concepts. Photo courtesy the manufacturer

Math Manipulatives 

Hands-on learning tools are a must for any homeschool setup. The school supplies in this kit enable you to bring foundational concepts like addition, subtraction, and time spring to life. This math manipulatives kit comes with everything you need: base ten units, color tiles, snap cubes, and a geared clock.

Workbooks can help supplement in-school learning. 

Workbooks

Educational workbooks can supplement school learning, or even kickstart a homeschool curriculum. We rounded up our 13+ of our favorite workbooks for kids, from preschool and up to fifth grade.

Globe

We might not be able to travel the world just yet, but at least, we can show them it and get them identifying countries and thinking beyond local borders with a large globe perched on their homeschool desk. Splurge on this digital globe that talks back to kids with the tap of its Intellipen. It even sings national anthems!

The Create-a-Space Storage Center by Learning Resources offers a central spot for tracking school supplies. Photo courtesy the manufacturer

Storage Containers for All Those School Supplies

A cart is great, but sometimes I also like having one container with all the pencils, markers, scissors, scotch tape, and so on, that I can move from workspace to workspace. We've been big fans of this organizer from Learning Resources since Marie Kondo helped us kick into organizing mode a year ago. Also, these simple magazine file boxes are a great way to keep each kid's daily assignments, folders, and workbooks in one place.

Kids may be asked to keep some disposable masks on hand at school. 

School Supply List for In-Person Learning

Face Masks 

From Disney to DIY, there are a lot of face masks from which to pick. Each kid might need several masks for any in-person learning, or pod classrooms, just in case one is dirty, breaks, or gets lost. We also suggest these handy mask accessories: 

Just like with other school supplies, you'll want to label face masks. 

• Mask Case 
  Instead of risking their mask getting thrown into the bottom of a backpack, a mask case will provide your child with a place to safely keep their mask at the end of the day.
• Mask Holder 
  These lanyard style mask holders will also enable your child to keep their masks safe during the school day.
• Disposable Masks 
  We all know kids lose things. So having a few disposable masks handy will help you avoid panic when the inevitable happens.
• Name Label for Masks
  Make sure that face mask is returned to you by labeling it with a clothing stamp, such as the Mini Stamper from Mabel's Labels, or its iron-on labels if you want to get fancy. (The stamp works best on lighter colored masks; the iron-on labels will be perfect for darker shades.)

Pack small spray bottles of hand sanitizer for in-person learning this fall.

Hand Sanitizer 

Hand sanitizers are a must for any school year, but especially during the 2020-2021 year. Purell has been my go-to for on-the-go sanitizing, but these bottles from Wish come with their own carabiner to place on a belt buckle or backpack for safekeeping. These hand sanitizer holders are not just adorable, but they will also keep a bottle of hand sanitizer handy at all times.

Back-To-School Box

Communal supplies will be a big no-no this school year. According to the CDC, students are at the highest risk when they are sharing classroom materials like pencils, markers, and crayons. This Back To School Supply Box is loaded with everything your child needs for the school year in a convenient bundle that they can take to school upon return or use at home.

Tissues

Heading to the teacher’s desk to grab a tissue might not be an option this year. Load up on some individual tissue packs to keep everyone in their seats. Bonus: If you can grab some extra disinfecting wipes anywhere, those are always appreciated, too, maybe especially this year.

Water bottle

Not only is having a water bottle good for the planet but avoiding the water fountain might help keep your family healthy as well. These Thermos bottles come in enough colors, and sizes, to keep everyone happy and healthy.

Connecting With Kids Party Characters

If you’ve gotten some value out of today’s article, join Kids Party Characters on Facebook for daily updates with our best parenting tips, as well as the magic we bring to children’s parties.

And be sure to plan your next party at KidsPartyCharacters.com, where you’ll find over 250 of your child’s favorite characters, as well as party packages that include cotton candy, face painting, balloon twisting, magic shows, crafts for the kids and more!