Like most NYC parents with young kids, I've logged so many hours at our local parks and playgrounds, I feel like I've become an expert on which design elements work, and which totally fail. If you've always wanted to share your playground opinions, now's the time because the Parks Department is listening. Thanks to its Community Parks Initiative, $130 million will be used to redesign and rebuild 35 debilitated NYC green spaces. But before the renovations begin, the Parks Department is holding a series of Community Input Meetings where families can offer their ideas and hopes for these parks.

Are you ready for something new? I know my family is. 2014 has had a lot of ups and downs, so we're looking forward to all the healing and adventures we hope the New Year will bring.

To help us all kick off a fun-filled 2015, most of ours sites have posted brand-new January GOLists highlighting the absolute best things to do with kids throughout the month in NYC, New Jersey, on Long Island and beyond. Even though the jam-packed holiday season is coming to a close, there are plenty of amusements ahead, like next Saturday's special Mommy Poppins-sponsored performance of Stella, Queen of the Snow at Symphony Space that includes an adorable marshmallow snowman activity and a deep discount on tickets. We hope to see you there so we can celebrate 2015 together.

If you're itching to start your post-holiday purge, we have lists of where to donate toys and kids' clothes in New York City and on Long Island, and all the details on how to easily recycle your Christmas tree in NYC.

From all the moms at Mommy Poppins, we wish you and your family a fabulous New Year! Thank you for sharing 2014 with us. Here's what else we covered in NYC this week:

One of my favorite things to do over holiday break is look back through the 500 or so posts we've published throughout the year to remind myself of all the cool places for kids that have opened since January. (Yeah, I'm nerdy like that.) Although we were sad to say goodbye to some big family destinations (The Moxie Spot, Bowlmor Union Square and the soon-to-shutter Scholastic Store), one of the great things about New York City is that there's always something new and interesting opening up.

In 2014, we welcomed a few new state-of-the-art parks and playgrounds, some offbeat indoor play spaces, and a couple of new or overhauled museum. Even if you're still working your way through our list of the best new family destinations for 2013 (or 2012 or 2011 or 2010), here are 21 brand-new New York City attractions to add to your must-explore list.

Before we head back to school and work, let’s enjoy a last hurrah this weekend! We’ve rounded up our top picks happening in Westchester from New Year’s Day through Sunday so you can squeeze in as much fun as possible before the holiday hullabaloo ends.

This mild winter we’re having means there’s still time to enjoy outdoor activities, like the First Day Hike and Bonfire or Howl in the New Year with Pack Chat for Kids. You can also ring in 2015 with Happy New Year.

If entertainment is more your speed, there’s StoryPlay InterACTIVE Children's Theater, Alamo Kids Camp and the alluring Bash the Trash Concert.

Want to get hands-on? Support a good cause at Empty Bowls Clay Workshop, churn butter at Butter and Bread, volunteer at Winter Trails Work Day, make a mini-sled at Home Depot Kids' Workshops or join the Community Backgammon Open House.

For those who crave one more holiday event, join in the multinational Three Kings Day Celebration or the Holiday Friday Star Show.

Finally, if you’re psyched about the return of “Downton Abbey” to the airwaves, you’ll likely enjoy Downton Abbey Mother-Daughter Tea Party.

Read on for our top weekend picks, and click through to the event listing to view full details. Also check out our New Year's Day guide and our Event Calendar to keep you busy. Sign up for our FREE weekly newsletter to get top picks delivered straight to your inbox. 

We're ringing in a New Year, so get ready for some weekend family fun and enjoy these last few days of the kids' holiday break from school. Some of the events to look forward to include a last run of several holiday light shows, live plays and exhibits.

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. And for plenty of more seasonal activities, be sure to check out our Long Island Holiday Fun Guide.

Happy New Year! This first weekend in 2015 offers some unique ways for families to get out and enjoy the new year, including the ice labyrinth at the Fire & Ice Festival in South Boston. It's a great weekend for animal lovers, too. Kids can search for winter predators at a Predator Party at the Ipswich River Sanctuary in Topsfield or step inside the tropical forest to meet Winter Princesses at the Franklin Park Zoo. 

Performance highlights this weekend include the Circo Comedia in Newton, The Joshua Show in Brookline, and The Light Princess in Cambridge.

This weekend is the last chance to catch some of Boston's favorite holiday events. The Blink! light and sound show is wrapping up up at Faneuil Hall, the Family Trees exhibit is coming to a close in Concord, and it's the last hurrah of the season for the Enchanted Village in Avon. It's also the last weekend to see the Zoo Lights at the Stone Zoo and the light displays at La Salette Shrine before they come down.

Also on Mommy Poppins this week:

• Our list of 25 Things to Do on the South Shore in Winter should keep South Shore families busy until spring.
• Start your New Year's Eve off with fun surprises by Making New Year's Crackers with the kids.
• We share some New Year's Day Activities to Jump Start Your Family's Resolutions.
• If you're making last-minute New Year's Eve plans, our posts about First Night Boston and New Year's Eve Fun for Boston Kids and Families have all the information you'll need for a successful and fun outing.

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

2015 marks my tenth year as a parent, and every year, I have to say that my parenting resolutions are more or less the same: try new things, have more fun, and appreciate the moment. Luckily, here at Mommy Poppins, I spend my days finding ways to do all three. Whether it's finding ice skating venues that the whole family can enjoy on New Year's Eve in Fairfield County, Family Friendly New Year's Fun in Central CT, New Year's Day Activities with the kids, or a simple New Year's Eve Cracker Craft to personalize your celebration, we've scoured our favorite Connecticut locations to find the best and easiest ways to ensure the whole family has fun--on New Year's Eve and beyond.

If you're making plans for the month ahead, be sure to peek at the January Go List, a carefully curated list of upcoming events. To get the most out of the site, be sure to follow us on Facebook (make sure Mommy Poppins CT shows up on your feed by including us in your "interests list." To put a page on your "interests list," hover over the "Like" button and you'll see a pull-down menu that offers an "add to your interests lists" choice). Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and be sure to get the weekend round up every Thursday in your inbox.

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter and Pinterest in order to get updates on events, current contests and free giveaways. Our event calendar is updated constantly with fun activities around the state.

Without further ado, here are our suggestions for making the first weekend of 2015 a memorable one! 

Can you believe it’s almost a brand-new year? As the holiday season comes to a close, take advantage of all the fun opportunities to say goodbye to 2014 and kick off 2015. Celebrate New Year’s Eve at jam-packed family events, including iPlay’s Family-Friendly New Year’s Eve Celebration, First Night Ocean County or First Night Morristown. Warm up those pipes and make it a musical new year with sing-along versions of classic films The Wizard of Oz and The Sound of Music. And you won’t want to miss everyone’s favorite characters on skates in Disney on Ice Presents Princesses & Heroes. For even more weekend fun, check out the full list of weekend activities in our Event Calendar.