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Back to school means back to the grind of shuttling between soccer practice, dance classes, and violin lessons. Luckily, starting this fall, White Plains community music school, the Music Conservatory of Westchester, has carved time out of you and your children’s busy schedules to make life a little easier.

Voted Best of Westchester’s “Best Music School” of 2017, the Music Conservatory of Westchester has been providing music education to Westchester County and the Tri-State area since 1929 will extend its class schedule to seven days per week, offering private lessons on Sundays starting the week of September 4, 2017. Offering classes and lessons every day of the week will accommodate those busy students juggling after-school programs so that music can still be a priority.

“This was a great opportunity to meet the needs of our students,” Jean Newton, Executive Director of the Music Conservatory of Westchester, said. “With today’s families living such busy lives, we feel this is an important expansion for the students and community.”

The Conservatory maintains a robust schedule of lessons, classes, and ensembles for students to get involved in with instruction for over 25 different instruments and a variety of musical genres. A musical community for the next generation, the Conservatory will also introduce new classes to the overall fall schedule to appeal to the diverse musical interests of its students.

​The new fall classes include:

• Hip-Hop Composition for middle school aged students and older. This program is inspired by the influence of hip-hop on classical music, as seen in Hamilton the Musical on Broadway. “This is our most adventurous offering,” Conservatory Dean Douglas Bish said. “We teach hip-hop using state of the art equipment to produce this music in the best possible way.” Students are taught how to use the Conservatory’s brand new Yamaha Motif XF8 music workstation to create beats and loops inspired by pop and hip-hop hit makers.
• The Suzuki program that currently includes specialized violin, cello, and guitar instruction, will add piano to its lineup of instruments with weekly private and group lessons as part of the Suzuki philosophy of instruction.
• Introduction to Rock Band for middle school aged students and older. “This is a movement to expand our jazz/rock/pop offerings with a beginner rock band class,” Dean Bish said.

Dean Douglas Bish said of the distinctive programs being introduced this fall at the Music Conservatory of Westchester, “We are constantly expanding the offerings of our music programs beyond our classical roots.”

The Music Conservatory of Westchester is making it possible for its students to be prepared with the musical knowledge and skills they need to strike a chord this fall.
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Students can enroll in classes for the fall by visiting http://www.musicconservatory.org or call 914-761-3900.

Photography by Alye Carlevaro.

It's family time! Camp is over and school doesn't start until after Labor Day. For some parents, this time feels like a gift, a rare opportunity to spend with their children in any way they wish. For others, the next few weeks are a slow countdown to the first day of school. Regardless of your situation, everyone can benefit by trying something new, heading back to a favorite spot, reconnecting with school pals or just soaking up some sun.  

Here are 60 End Of Summer Ideas to keep your kids busy in Westchester or nearby-- recommended by moms in our community. We've got ideas for staycations, daycations and vacations! On the list we have carnivals, festivals, nature centers, zoos, play spaces, amusement parks, playgrounds, farmers markets, museums, ice cream, beaches, pools, spray parks, story times, road trips and more!

1. Dress in your finest Renaissance attire and head to the New York Renaissance Faire. Enter the world of 16th Century England and enjoy themed games, rides, arts, crafts, food, music and dance. Saturdays, Sundays & Labor Day August 5th  - October 1st in Tuxedo Park, NY.

2. On Monday, August 21st enjoy a live performance of Disney's Cinderella KIDS, an adaptation of the classic film that will find its way into your heart and remind audiences that dreams really can come true. At White Plains Performing Arts Center. Purchase tickets in advance.

3. Starting Tuesday, August 22nd and running through Sunday, August, 27th, experience the Dutchess County Fair Rhinebeck, NY. It is the second largest county fair in New York State and will have rides, food, animals, crafts and much more.

4. The annual Kiwanis Club of Hartsdale carnival is back. Enjoy food, rides and games Labor Day weekend.

5. Philipsburgh Manor will be holding their annual CORNucopia corn festival on Labor Day weekend. Enjoy corn treats, crafts, games including corn shucking races, cooking, English country dancing, live music and more. Runs September 2nd through 4th. 

6. Cool off with a delicious and refreshing ice cream, frozen yogurt or Italian ices.   Check out these suggestions from moms in our community. On Saturday, August 26th you can attend the Menchie's Frozen Yogurt Grand Opening in Dobbs Ferry.
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7. Pick your own fruit. Our moms suggest Fishkill Farms in Hopewell Junction, Lawrence Farms Orchards in Newburgh or Hilltop Hanover Farm in Yorktown Heights.

​8. Visit a Farmer's Market!  Try TASH, Eastchester, Pleasantville, Chappaqua or one the of the Down to Earth Markets in Ossining, Croton-on-Hudson and Harrison. More details on our Community Calendar.

9. Head to Rye Playland to swim in the pool or beach (Oakland Beach), enjoy the rides or take a walk on the boardwalk. Don't miss the fireworks every Friday night!

10. Spend the day at a water park. Check out SplashDown Beach in Fishkill. Little ones will love Shipwreck Lagoon and the Lazy River.

11. For a free water and play adventure go to Pierson Park in Tarrytown. It has beautiful river views, a spray park and playground. Finish the excursion with coffee or ice cream at Lighthouse Ice Cream and Coffee.

12. Have fun in the sun at Harbor Island Park in Mamaroneck. This local favorite is a beach, playground and spray park. 

13. If you have a Westchester County Parks Pass you can have a swim day at Willson’s Waves Park, Tibbetts Brook Park or Saxon Woods Park. Or try the newly renovated Sprain Ridge Pool complete with aquatic spray playground for children and a rebuilt child-friendly pool., Check out details in our Summer Bucket List.

14. Enjoy river views, a spray park and playground with train structures at Louis Engel Waterfront Park in Ossining.

15. Swim, fish, boat, play and picnic at Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park in Yorktown Heights.

16. Beach it in Westchester at Canopus Lake in Carmel, Croton Point Beach in Croton-on-Hudson, Glen Island Beach in  New Rochelle.

17. Spend a day at Bear Mountain State Park in Rockland County. Take a ride on the carousel, enjoy a nature walk, visit the free zoo, take a ride on a paddle boat or canoe, swim in the pool, picnic and enjoy some delicious ice cream. 

18. Also in Rockland County, enjoy a beautiful day swimming and hiking at Rockland Lake State Park.

19. Take a swim, build sandcastles and enjoy the view at Lake Welch in Harriman State Park.

20. Head to Connecticut for a beach day. Greenwich Point- Tod’s Point is beautiful and close. Make  sure you purchase an entry pass on a weekday in advance. Compo Beach and Sherwood Island State Park are in Westport. Don't forget to bring water shoes because the shore line is a bit rocky.

21. Enjoy big ocean waves and soft sand at the beaches in Long Island. Walk the boardwalk, play in the sand, swim or have fun on the playground at Long Beach. Jones Beach in Wantagh is another great option. If you have very small children you can go to Zack's Bay located at Field 5 where the water is calm. Robert Moses State Park is a favorite among our moms. If you are feeling adventurous you can take a ferry ride out to Fire Island for a laid back beach day.  

22. Take a day trip to Asbury Park, NJ. Head to the beach for sun and sand, walk the boardwalk, cool off at the Asbury Splash Park, take a ride on a pedal boat on Wesley Lake or play miniature golf at Asbury Eighteen.

23. Play a round of mini golf at Red Rooster Drive-In in Brewster, Saxon Woods Park in White Plains or Rye Playland.

24. Head to a park or playground. Our moms like Kensico Dam Plaza in Valhalla, Sagamore Playground in Bronxville, Croton Gorge Park in Cortlandt, ​Gedney Park in Chappaqua, Law Memorial Park in Briarcliff, Riverfront Green Park in Peekskill and Bruce Park Playground in Greenwich, CT.

25. Take part in RiverRiders free community paddling at JFK Marina and Park in northern Yonkers on Thursdays 4-7pm through August 31st.

26. Pint-sized pirates can set their sails to Philipsburg Manor on weekends in August! At Pirate Quest kids looking for adventure can pick up a tattoo and keep watch for pirates and sword fights.

27. Play colonial games on Wednesdays in August at Philipse Manor in Yonkers.

28. Travel back to the 19th century and view the home of Washington Irving through a child’s eyes. From a Child's Perspective is on Thursdays in August at Washington Irving's Sunnyside in Irvington. Purchase tickets in advance.

29. For a full day animal adventure head to the Bronx Zoo. New this year is Nature Trek a Total Experience exhibit where kids can get a giraffe's-eye view as they explore bridges, walkways, and tunnels. They can also get their hands dirty in the nature play zone. Also new this year is the Treetop Adventure, where you can climb, swing, and slide through obstacle courses in the trees.

30. Take your child for a hike at Teatown Lake Reservation in Ossining. Enjoy a beautiful walk around the lake, look at the suspension bridge, watch the birds and see some live and taxidermy animals at the visitor center. 

31. Our moms love Muscoot Farm in Katonah! It's totally free and there are so many farm animals to see. Check out the 4-H showcase on August 26th!

32. Head to a nature center to meet the animals and enjoy outdoor play. Our moms recommend Greenburgh Nature Center in Scarsdale, Rye Nature Center in Rye, Sheldrake Nature Center in Larchmont and Stamford Museum & Nature Center. Check their websites for upcoming workshops and events.

33. Visit Westmoreland Sanctuary in Mount Kisco, a nature museum and wildlife preserve with hiking trails. You can register your child for Native American camp the week of August 22nd or Conservation camp the following week. 

34. Visit the animals, have a bite to eat and relax in the beautiful farmland at Stone Barns in Pocanito Hills. Admission is free. On weekends there are a variety of seasonal, hands-on activities and drop-in tours but you need to purchase tickets in advance. Heads up, get your tickets now for Harvest Fest October 7th, which is typically sold out far in advance.

35. Visit beautiful Untermeyer Gardens in Yonkers.

​36. Take your children to the Botanical Gardens. In August you can drop-in for nature exploration or gardening activities.

37. Jump or Bounce! Our moms suggest Bounce U in Elmsford, Rockin Jump in Yonkers or Mount Kisco, Sky Zone in New Rochelle or Bounce! in Valley Cottage. Check bounce times and age restrictions and book in advance. 

38. Drop in and play! Our moms love the Play Place in Elmsford, Billy Beez at the Palisades Mall in West Nyack and Kids U in Port Chester and Pleasantville. 
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39. Get building at Legoland in Yonkers! Experience rides, a movie, play structure and more. Purchase tickets in advance.

40. Try indoor skydiving at iFly Westchester.

41. Moms of preschoolers: take a free trial class at a play gym, art studio or music school. Schedule in advance. You can view a list of places to consider in our directory, select the category you like.

42. Go to the movies. Have a meal served to your seat at Alamo Drafthouse in Yonkers or the brand new iPic in Dobbs Ferry.

43. Head to your local library to play, read books or enjoy an event. Check your library's website for dates and times.

44. Take your little one to story time at Barnes and Noble White Plains or Yonkers, the Voracious Reader in Larchmont, Scattered Books in Chappaqua or Pottery Barn Kids in White Plains.

45. Design your own pottery or ceramics. Our moms suggest Creative Corner or Plaster Palace Pottery in Larchmont, Fun Craft in Scarsdale, A Maze In Pottery in Briarcliff or Made in Mamaroneck.

46. Do some back to school shopping. Make a day trip to Woodbury Commons Premium Outlets in Central Valley, NY or stay local at the City Center, Cross County, Ridge Hill or the Westchester. Support local by shopping at some of Westchester's children's boutiques. Try Denny's in Scarsdale, Epstein's in Tuckahoe, & James in Katonah, Lester's in Rye Brook and Wyatt Lily in Scarsdale. Know of any others you recommend?

47. Play, imagine and explore at the Westchester Children's Museum. Now air conditioned! Check out these highlights.

48. Venture up to Norwalk, CT to the Stepping Stones Museum for Children. Bonus, the Devon's Place playground nextdoor is perfect to enjoy before or after your visit. You can even cool off in a small spray ground there.

49. Explore sea life at the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk. While the exhibits will keep your kids busy, there is also a play space upstairs for babies and toddlers as well as an IMAX Theatre. Kids can also see a small flock of flamingos on the Aquarium’s riverfront courtyard now through Labor Day.

50. The New York Hall of Science in Queens is a fantastic way to spend the day and is closer than you think. There is a play room for young children, hundreds of exhibits, demonstrations and activities, a 3D theatre, a mini golf course and more. Check their website to sign up for events.

51. The Children's Museum of Manhattan is another great place for little hands to learn and explore.

52. Fill an entire day at the Long Island Children's Museum. It is much larger than other children's museums in the area and is sure to entertain kids of all ages.

53. See the stars at the Hudson River Museum planetarium on Saturdays and Sundays. While you are there, check out the exhibits, learn about the Hudson River, play in the Early Explorers play area or take part in an art or science project. ​

54. Meet Elmo, Cookie Monster and all your favorite characters at Sesame Place in Langhorne, PA. Have lunch with the characters, watch a parade, go on the rides, walk down Sesame Street and get wet in the water park!

55. Enjoy rides, water fun and characters at the Land of Make Believe in Hope ,NJ.

56. Take a trip to Lancaster, PA. Our moms suggest going to Dutch Wonderland, Kitchen Kettle Village, Miller's Smorgasbord, the Turkey Hill Experience and taking a pretzel factory tour.

57. Meet Thomas the Train at Stratsburg Rail Road August 27th through September 4th in Ronks, PA.

58. Indulge in chocolate and rides at Hershey Park in Hershey, PA.

59. Take a trip to Mystic, CT. Our moms suggest visiting The Dinosaur Place, Mystic Aquarium, Mystic Seaport and the Essex Steam Train and Riverboat Ride.   

60. Encounter exotic and wild animals at Lake Tobias Wildlife Park in Halifax, PA.

Enjoy the rest of your summer!