Up and away
Sept. 3: Kite Making Just as the summer winds down, the autumn breezes kick in — and what better time to fly a colorful kite. But don’t just buy one, join in the crafty tradition of making your own at Olana, the home of Hudson River School artist Frederic Edwin Church. Young’uns use bamboo and rice paper to build their kites, then decorate them with their own designs. 12 p.m. $5. 5720 Rte. 9G, Hudson. 518-828-1872; www.olana.org
Homegrown fun
Sept. 1-31: Down on the Farm It wouldn’t be autumn in the Hudson Valley without a visit to a family farm. Celebrate the harvest at Hurd’s Family Farm, where you can enjoy the sights on a hayride, pick some pumpkins and gourds, and get lost in the four-acre corn maze (which, when viewed from above, takes on a design that changes every year). Tykes can also ride the cow train, shoot the apple launcher, visit the Critter Corner petting zoo, and play on the Kids Corral playground. 2187 Rte. 32, Modena. 845-883-7825; www.hurdsfamilyfarm.com
Magic in the air
Sept. 3: The Great All-American Audience Participation Magic Show Abracadabra! Audience members will be shocked by their own magical talents at this mystery-filled presentation put on by the Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck. Local magician Andy Weintraub will first amaze youngsters and parents alike with a variety of tricks, then teach them how to perform acts of sleight-of-hand, mind over matter, and transposition. 11 a.m. $9, children $7. 661 Rte. 308, Rhinebeck. 845-876-3088; www.centerforperformingarts.org
Reduce, reuse, recycle
Sept. 10: Trash to Treasure One kid’s trash is another kid’s treasure at the New York State Museum. During this regularly held event, museum art instructor Peggy Steinbach instructs participants on how to utilize recycled materials, while teaching youths the importance of being eco-friendly. After viewing a video on environmental awareness, children create their own crafts using “manufacturing mistakes” and materials originally destined for the landfill. 11 a.m. 222 Madison Ave., Albany. 518-474-5877; www.nysm.nysed.gov
Autumn’s bounty
Sept. 25: Harvest Party Whether your favorite part of autumn is the lively colors of the leaves or the scrumptious foods — apples, veggies, etc. — available for the pickin’, there are tons of reasons to celebrate the season. Live it up at the Greenburgh Nature Center with fun fall festivities! Pick ripe veggies from the garden, make apple cider using a hand-operated press, and taste fresh honey from the center’s own beehives, among other activities. 2 p.m. $8. 99 Dromore Rd., Scarsdale. 914-723-3470; www.greenburghnaturecenter.org
