Naomi Pallas

Because crop availability varies, always call first! What’s better than the taste of sweet, ripe fruit straight from the source? Picking the freshest fruit of the season is something that all ages can enjoy, and it’s one of the best summer activities for kids. Along with strawberry picking and blueberry picking, cherry picking in New York — which usually starts in late June or early July — is a top summer PYO activity. There are plenty of options in the area at farms within a few hours drive from the city in NY, NJ and CT. The perfect destination for a family day trip, these farms offer more than just cherry picking. You’ll find hayrides, animals to visit, wagon rides, farm stands and cafes. But the fresh, ripe cherries are the highlight. After a day at the farm you’ll leave with enough sweet, ripe cherries to snack on or make the best cherry pie ever, plus lasting memories of fun times with the family.

The city is brimming with fun and educational family activities to celebrate the week of Passover with the kids. (This year, Passover begins on the evening of Monday, April 14, and ends at sundown on Tuesday, April 22.) This year's events in NYC allow the whole family to enjoy dinner, music, and crafts at 92Y’s Shababa Passover seder, jam with Mama Doni before touring Streit’s Matzo Factory, learn about 10-year-old Jacob’s seder dinner with a Yankee soldier during the Civil War at the DiMenna Children’s History Museum, and even turn the plague into chocolate at the Museum at Eldridge Street. The holiday coincides with the public schools’ spring break, so the plethora of Passover family activities and events below will give little ones plenty to do! RECOMMENDED: 50 things to do with kids in NYC this spring

If your mouth started watering the second you began browsing this summer's NYC Restaurant Week options, your next instinct might be to book a babysitter for an adult's night out—but there's no need! Though fancy dinners make great date ideas for parents, many of the participating eateries also offer kid-friendly fare in addition to the prix-fixe menu options. If your young gourmands are ready to expand their palates beyond New York pizza, make a reservation for the whole gang at one of these spots—a few of which even made our list of the 50 best family restaurants in NYC. Blue SmokeAt Blue Smoke, parents get to sink their teeth into some serious Southern cuisine ($25 for the prix fixe lunch, $38 for dinner) while your kids feel very grown-up with their tasty main course, side dish, dessert and drink ($11). We think the baby back ribs would go particularly well with grilled zucchini, root beer and a scoop of vanilla ice cream afterwards! Blue Water GrillParents, satisfy your seafood craving this Restaurant Week at Blue Water Grill. For the mature palate, order a round of market mussels or West Coast oysters to start, and pan-seared tile fish for an entree ($38 for the prix-fixe dinner). Your kids may say “yuck” to shellfish, but they’ll love a mocktail ($3) to go alongside their pint-sized plate of free-range chicken fingers or grilled scottish salmon ($9). And don’t forget the dessert menu—order the kiddos a brownie-bite sundae and, for yourself, the market blueberry shortcak