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Kelly Fitzpatrick: Things to do in Westchester County with kids

@mackidchappaqua

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Things to Do in Westchester County w/ Kids
Family-friendly events • Weekend ideas
Helping busy parents find local fun
👇 Free weekly events newsletter

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A local thrift store with 10,000 square feet to explore 👀

We visited Yorktown Love in Action looking for children’s books and baskets and found exactly what we needed. This large local thrift store is packed with gently used clothing, toys, furniture, books, kitchenware, home décor, seasonal items and more. You can shop secondhand and donate items your family no longer needs in the same stop.

📍 1736 Front Street, Yorktown Heights
Monday–Thursday: 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
Friday–Sunday: 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
Donation drop-off is generally available daily from 11 a.m.–4 p.m.; call ahead for furniture or larger items.

New here? We help local parents find family fun, useful resources and places worth knowing throughout Westchester. Follow along for more! taken in Westchester County by @mackidchappaqua

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a month ago

One of our absolute favorite Westchester County traditions is back and somehow, The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze gets better every year. 🎃

Kids of all ages (and the grown-ups, too) are always amazed by the scale of the displays and the detail in every intricate carving. More than 7,000 illuminated jack-o’-lanterns fill the historic grounds of Van Cortlandt Manor, complete with synchronized lighting and an original soundtrack.

New this year:

🎃 A longer trail with more displays than ever
👻 Spooky selfies with favorite movie monsters
📖 Storybook characters stepping off the pages
🕺 A pumpkin-pal dance party
🌊 A Hudson River Valley pumpkin wonderland

You’ll also find returning favorites, including the life-sized dinosaurs, Pumpkin Planetarium and working pumpkin carousel. There are fall treats and drinks along the way, plus optional upgrades for the Gourd & Goblet Tavern or Headless Horseman’s Hideaway.

A few fun facts and tips:

✨ Every jack-o’-lantern is designed and hand-carved on site by a team of artisans.
✨ The experience takes about 45 minutes, although our kids always want plenty of time to stop and study every display.
✨ It’s designed for all ages, and children 2 and under are free.
✨ The trail has no stairs, but portions are uneven and soft, so plan shoes and strollers accordingly.
✨ Advance tickets are required and are not sold on site.

📍 Van Cortlandt Manor
525 S. Riverside Avenue, Croton-on-Hudson
🚗 Parking is available on site beginning 30 minutes before your ticket time.
🚆 You can also take Metro-North to Croton-Harmon and follow Historic Hudson Valley’s walking map.

The Blaze runs on select evenings from September 18 through November 8 and is open every night in October. Tickets start at $24.

Save this for your Hudson Valley fall bucket list, send it to the family you want to go with and visit the Historic Hudson Valley website to reserve your timed tickets before the most popular nights disappear!

🫶🏻Follow along for more family fun! taken in Westchester County by @mackidchappaqua

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22 days ago

It might look a little silly… but this moment represents a lot 🤍

A lot of time spent in our community.
A lot of time spent together.
A lot of discovering, exploring, and saying yes.

And I've always felt that it's the moments like this that turn into the memories we keep.

Because behind the screen, all of it is something I really care a lot about…
trying to help other Westchester parents find those moments too.

Easy days and chaotic days. Celebratory days. Days where you need to know where to go or who to go to. Where to have a birthday. A stroller walk. A picnic. Where to shop small. Buy a thoughtful gift.

Even the "I didn't want to go but I’m so glad we did” kind of days.

So thank you for being here with me… and with us.

It means more than a number 💛

If you've found my account helpful, tell a friend. I never thought I'd hit 10k without being fancy or great with a camera, but here we are. So let's see where else we can go. ♥️ taken in Westchester County by @mackidchappaqua

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6 months ago

Woo-hoo, let's play!

@mackidchappaqua always coming through with the most magically wonderful festivals. by @mackidchappaqua

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19 hours ago

Spooky season is here in Westchester County this weekend!

👻And no matter the weather, there are events for every family.

For outdoor Halloween fun, Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience opens at FDR Park. Autumn Glow in New Rochelle, Mystic Moon at Harvest Moon, the Pumpkin Blaze at Van Cortlandt Park, and Outhouse Orchard’s Halloween Fridays are on this weekend. 🎃

If you’re looking for indoor activities, nest & nook and the Tiny Mess Club are hosting Halloween events for the littles. @nestandnookny @thetinymessclub

🎨 Jacob Burns, Yorktown Stage, and the White Plains Performing Arts Center are hosting various showings of family classics. 🎭

A special shoutout to this week’s sponsor Briarcliff Nursery School who is hosting their Fall Fest on Saturday. @briarcliff_nursery_school

🍂They’re celebrating their 80th year with a FREE morning of family fun, featuring a petting zoo, pumpkin decorating, face painting, live music, bubbles, carnival games, crafts, raffles, a pizza truck and more! Everyone is welcome — you don’t have to be a BNS family to attend! by @mackidchappaqua

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2 days ago

Your Kid Has More to Say Than You Think 💡

#ad Give them the room to prove it with @boxandball. DI helps kids build problem-solving skills, creativity, and confidence that last beyond the school year—all while having fun.

Here’s what 6th-grade teacher Mike Lovering of Orchard Park Middle School shared:
“Because DI encourages kids to take on challenging work, they learn to appreciate that struggle leads to unique, thoughtful outcomes. I also don’t have to motivate DI students to meet classroom expectations—they push themselves to exceed them.”

Curious if DI is right for your child? Give your child the DI experience- reach out to a regional director to get started!
Eastern NY / Westchester: Martha Rosen — mrosen@nydi.org
Western NY / Buffalo: Jon Brennan — jbrennan@nydi.org by @mackidchappaqua

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3 days ago

🤍 Expecting a baby or navigating life with a little one?
Join us at the 9in|9out Parent + Baby Expo—the nation’s only wellness-based expo created for expecting and new families.
Discover trusted local resources, shop unique products, hear from expert speakers, connect with your community, and leave feeling informed, supported, and empowered.

🎟 FREE General Admission
✨ Local vendors
🎤 Expert-led wellness sessions
🎁 Giveaways & VIP swag bags
🧸 Family-friendly activities
👶 Kids are always FREE

Whether you’re pregnant, postpartum, or parenting a young child, you’ll find the support and connections your family deserves.

🎟️ Get your tickets today!

Presented by Northwell Phelps Hospital
New York Family by @mackidchappaqua

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3 days ago

This Monday, we're breaking out all the reaction experiments to make your young scientists "oooh" and "ahhhh" over some Halloween themed STEAM.

Join us for a wonderfully hands-on mad scientist session!

We're dropping more experiment sneak peeks between now and our next class so stay tuned for the station reveals.

But what's better than watching the reels? Signing your child up so they can create it themselves.

Link in bio or DM us for details! taken in Westchester County by @mackidchappaqua

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3 days ago

taken in Westchester County by @mackidchappaqua

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3 days ago

A new neighborhood coffee spot with a whole lot of local heart. ☕️

Slave to the Grind is celebrating its soft opening in Briarcliff Manor, and we’re so happy to welcome them!

Family-owned by people who have already done so much to support our small business community, this opening carries on a family legacy. The original Bronxville shop has been bringing people together since 1993 and now Briarcliff gets its own gathering spot.

Great for a coffee after school drop-off, catching up with a friend, or hot cocoa and a pastry with the kids. Coffee, espresso drinks, teas, chai, and sweet treats, with that welcoming, neighborhood shop feel.

📍1924 Pleasantville Road, Briarcliff Manor

Save this for your next visit to Briarcliff, and help us give this local business a warm welcome! taken in Westchester County by @mackidchappaqua

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4 days ago

🎃 The verdict after one of our Macaroni KID families took four kids costume shopping at @SpiritHalloween? #ad

Make the trip part of the Halloween fun.

Their crew included a 6-year-old obsessing over Fortnite accessories, a 9-year-old finding her witch costume, two teenagers piecing together totally different looks with their friends, and all six of them stopping approximately every 30 seconds to look at something else. 😂

They found plenty for every age, from tiny toddler costumes all the way up through adult looks. And between the costumes, accessories, décor and animatronics, there was plenty to explore even after everyone had decided what they wanted to be.

If you want to turn costume shopping into an actual spooky-season outing instead of just another errand, this is a fun one. 👻

Thank you, Spirit Halloween, for hosting this Macaroni KID crew and helping them officially kick off Halloween season!

Shop now: https://tinyurl.com/4x86zfn6 by @mackidchappaqua

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5 days ago

No matter what side of the Hudson River you are on, save this playground for an easy day out. 🍂🛝

We are making the rounds across Rockland, Westchester, and Putnam to discover awesome playgrounds in the Hudson Valley.

Come with us to Memorial Park in Nyack!

Why we love it:

🛝 A slide built right into the hillside
🌊 Beautiful Hudson River views
🌿 An enclosed playground—a plus for parents of toddlers!
🍁 Fresh air, fall exploring, and room to get the wiggles out
🙌 Toddler and big kid structures

💦 There’s a splash pad, too—one to remember for summer.

📍 51 Piermont Avenue, Nyack

We’re teaming up across our Macaroni KID editions to share more places to play around the Hudson Valley. Because a great family adventure can be just beyond your usual neighborhood.

Save this stop, send it to your playground buddy, and follow @mackidchappaqua @mackidrockland and @mackidrachels for more events, activities and local businesses 🥰

Interested in being featured? Send us a DM! taken in Rockland County by @mackidchappaqua

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7 days ago