Grab & Go Kids Planner: Messy Afternoons, Fall Festival and Stroller Strides

Glad you clicked on our Grab & Go Kids Planner!

We've assembled a weekly calendar of kid-friendly activities and new places to try out with children. Each week, we'll give you the info on the five best family activities or events for the week.

You're time-pressed enough, so we're happy to do the research and find the best things to do and places to go, both locally and within reasonable striking distance.

Look for the kids’ planner each Wednesday, and help us build the planner with your own suggestions and tips — just add them to the comment box. Even if you disagree with our picks, let us know. We want to hear from you!

This week we have movies in the park, a stroller striders workout, the Seaford Fall Festival, messy afternoons and a canned food drive that lets you skate for free. Check it all out below:

Stroller Strides Workout Mommy & Me
Where/When: Camman’s Pond Park in Merrick, Thursday, Sept. 1 at 9:30 a.m.
Why Go: Get in some quality time with you beloved child while working out with this innovative program. This Mommy & Me workout allows busy moms to get moving with the youngsters sitting happily in a stroller.
Pricing: First class is free.
 
Movie in the Park: Twilight Eclipse
Where/When: Eisenhower Park in East Meadow; Thursday, Sept. 1 at 7 p.m.
Why Go: For all of those kids who are Twilight fanatics, Eisenhower Park will be showing Twilight Eclipse at the Harry Chapin Lakeside Theater. A great way for the whole family to spend one of the few remaining summer evenings together outside. Remember to bring a chair or blanket!
Pricing: Free.
 
Seaford Fall Festival
Where/When: Seaford Long Island Rail Road Station; Saturday, Sept. 3, Sunday, Sept. 4 and Monday, Sept. 5 starting at 11 a.m.
Why Go: Spend Labor Day weekend at this festival – perfect for the whole family! There will be crafts and gifts for the adults, plus plenty of options for the little youngsters. A fantastic way to end the summer before the little ones start school.
Pricing: Free.
 
Messy Afternoons
Where/When: Long Island Children’s Museum in Garden City; Saturday, Sept. 3 and Sunday, Sept. 4 from 3:30 to 5 p.m.
Why Go: Bring all of the children to the LICM to partake in an afternoon of mess, including goop, guts, play-doh and shaving cream. The best part of it all – parents don’t have to clean up anything, the museum staff will take care of that part! This activity is for children between the ages of 18 months and 4 years.
Pricing: Free with museum admission
 
Labor Day Canned Food Drive
Where/When: United Skates of America in Seaford,  Saturday, Sept. 4 from 12 to 2:30 p.m. and 3 to 5 p.m., and Monday, Sept. 5 from 2 to 5 p.m.
Why Go: Looking for a fun way to spend the holiday weekend with the kids? Look no further! Bring two canned food items to United Skates and get free admission during the specified times. The little ones will definitely be thrilled to skate up a storm at this local spot.
Pricing: Free admission with two canned items, $4 for skate rental.