This Week: Free & Cheap Camps, Maple Sugaring Day Trips, Best Family Attractions in Naples, Florida

This photo sums up the way I think we all feel about winter right about now (minus the expletives). A warm vacation somewhere would be the perfect cure, but there's school so you'll have to console yourself with our slide show of the best things to do in Naples, Florida with kids or try hitting a toasty indoor destination right here in NYC.

If you can bear to be outside, maple sugaring season is upon us and there are lots of places in nearby Westchester and Connecticut to see how the sweet stuff is made. If you're planning for summer (assuming it ever gets here), we've updated our Camp Guide, including our super-popular post about free and inexpensive summer programs.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

Best Things To Do This Weekend with LA Kids: Whales, Purim, and Zimmerpalooza Mar 7 - 8

You’re getting too much sleep. Yes, definitely too much sleep. Howsabout we take away some, like an hour? I suggest you do that at 2am, in the wee hours on Sunday, (changing the clocks in the middle of the night has the added bonus of depriving you of even more sleep). It’s also Daylight Savings Time, so changing your clocks slightly increases your chances of showing up on time for Sunday events.   

April showers may bring May flowers, but it is pouring Purim this March weekend. We've got festivals from Santa Monica to Tarzana, from Northridge to Beverly Hills. (Costumes optional).

Passing on Purim? No worries: as usual we are spoiled for choice when it comes to celebrating. Other topics of revelry this weekend include women, dogs, whales, bubbles, LEGO Star Wars, lanterns, kites, kids and…I’m not sure if it’s Zimmers or Paloozas, but Zimmerpalooza is celebrating something, too.

Keep reading for our most celebratory picks for this weekend...

Weekend Fun for Philly Kids Mar 7-8: Consignment Sales, Charter Day 2015 and PNC Grow Up Great

Many Philly families are tired of the cold, snow and ice. So, as we prepare to shovel out from the biggest snowfall of the season, let's look on the bright side. There are some definite signs of spring now that March is here.

Daylight Savings Time begins this weekend and Spring consignment sales are in full force. Longwood Gardens hosts its Family Community Read highlighting the great kapok tree and the PHS Flower Show delights visitors with breath-taking garden displays for its final weekend.

Many historical celebrations are happening in Pennsylvania this weekend too. Charter Day, the day that King Charles II of England granted William Penn the land that is now Pennsylvania, is being celebrated throughout the state. Brandywine Battlefield in Chadds Ford, Washington Crossing Historical Park in Washington Crossing, Graeme Park in Horsham and Pennsbury Manor in Morrisville all have free, family-friendly events on March 8.

If you are looking to acquaint your kids with the arts this weekend, introduce your children to musical theater at the PNC Grow Up Great event at the Kimmel Center or cultivate a love for classical music at the Kennett Symphony of Chester County's Annual Children's Concert and Instrument Zoo.

For additional ideas, check out the entire listing of weekend fun in our events calendar. Be sure to sign up for the Mommy Poppins weekly newsletter by clicking here. And, don't worry.. spring is just around the corner. That's what the groundhog said, right?

Weekend Fun for Boston Kids - Maple Sugaring, Historical Reenactments & More, March 7-8

There's still plenty of snow on the ground, but the sap in local maples is finally starting to thaw. This weekend, opportunities to learn more about the maple sugaring process include the Maple Syrup Boildown in Somerville, Maple Magic Day in Natick, and the Maple Sugar Festival in Milton. This is also a great weekend to introduce the kids to some local history, with reenactments going on at the Old State House: On Saturday, Little Redcoats and Little Rabblerousers introduces families to what life was like in Boston before the Revolution, and families with older children can witness a reenactment of the Boston Massacre that same evening.  Young train enthusiasts can check out the Bay State Model Railroad Museum Open House all weekend.

In performances, families can choose from The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley in Boston, a Little Groove concert for small music lovers in Natick, or the Raccoon Tales puppet show in Brookline.

Also on Mommy Poppins Boston this week:

  • How many of these skills does your Boston kid have?
  • This Ice Castle is bliss for Frozen fans, and is a must-do during a winter trip to the White Mountains. (Or just check out the photos for a quick escape to a glacial palace.)
  • Microwave popcorn can be healthy -- honest!
  • Making these Sock Snowmen is fun for little ones, especially if they prefer staying warm and dry while building a snowman.

Enjoy your weekend and don't forget to check out the full events calendar!

Foreign Language Classes for Kids in Connecticut (Fairfield County)

With a tenuous (at best!) handle on my native English, I am perpetually jealous of people who have mastered multiple languages. And the best way to learn multiple languages…start early!  Children’s brains are far more receptive to languages than adult brains.  If you’re interested in having your child learn another language, consider some of these language schools and classes in Fairfield County. For more fun after school classes ideas check out our guide.

Long Island Kids' Activities March 7-8: Where I Live, Breakfast With Elsa & Olaf, Mommy & Me Painting, Chinese New Year, Puppet Show & More

More snow and time spent indoors this week is all the more reason to get up and out. Learn about maple sugaring at Hoyt Farm in Commack or see the classic tale, The Wizard of Oz, come to life on stage in Bellmore. Families can also celebrate Chinese New Year in Roslyn or a puppet show in Sag Harbor.

Don't see your event listed here? Add it to our events calendar. And if you don't receive this post in your inbox, subscribe to our newsletter, which now also includes a weekday roundup of activities for Long Island kids running Monday-Friday.

Mostly Free and Fun Things to Do This Weekend with Westchester Kids: Purim, St. Patrick’s Day, Babysitter Certification and More, Mar. 8-9

Don’t forget to turn your clocks ahead this weekend! Daylight Savings begins on Sunday, and that means "longer days" to get out and enjoy all the festivities Westchester has to offer. This weekend also kicks off the St. Patrick’s Day parade season, with the Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade and the Northern Westchester Putnam Parade (the third largest in the state!).

St. Patrick’s Day isn’t the only holiday being celebrated this weekend. You can enjoy Purim festivities at either Young Families Purim Celebration or Purim Carnival.

March is also sugaring season, when the sap is flowing and the pancakes are flipping. There are several sugaring events to choose from this weekend, including Maple Sugaring Party or Maple Sugaring

For a departure from these themed activities, get practical with Babysitters Certification Course or simply kick back and sing along with My Fair Lady.

But wait, there’s more! Be sure to consult our March GoList and Event Calendar to plan the rest of the month! 

Weekend Fun for NYC Kids: St. Patrick's Day & Persian New Year Celebrations, Free Performances & Readings, Björk Exhibit March 7-8

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day and Persian New Year at multicultural fests this weekend. There's lots of cool kids' culture on tap, too, including kid-lit icons Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin reading from their new book, Click, Clack, Peep!, a FREE interactive performance by drum-and-dance troupe BombaYo!, a concert by Grammy-nominated kid rockers The Pop Ups at the Jewish Museum and the opening day of the Björk retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art.

Looking for an inexpensive camp? This Friday, the NYC Parks Department opens its lottery for its summer program: just $500 for seven weeks. We've got the scoop on how to vie for a spot in our Camp Guide.

These are just a few of the great things going on this weekend. All of our best bets are below. You can find additional options in our Event Calendar and our Winter Fun Guide.

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