We've already shared festive ways to celebrate Christmas Eve with kids in New York City with you, but we know many families are looking for a more formal way to celebrate the season while praying for peace on earth and good will toward men.

While lots of NYC churches host kid-friendly religious services and pageants during the afternoon on December 24, you could also consider attending an authentic midnight mass with your family featuring the traditional Christmas Eve liturgy and caroling. We've found five Manhattan churches that welcome visitors to midnight mass with kids in tow—yes, even babies and toddlers (we're sure; we checked!). You don't need to be a regular parishioner to attend and they're not as jam-packed as St. Patrick's Cathedral, although arriving early is still recommended.

However you decide to spend Christmas Eve, we hope you find comfort and joy in the company of family and friends.

From King Kong to Batman, New York City is one of the most famous settings for countless movies and TV shows. Filming is so ubiquitous here that locals can barely make it down the block without tripping over a production crew. Still, there's a thrill in seeing such iconic movie sites in person—and not just for kids.

Families looking for an off-beat, outdoor adventure can DIY their way to these big (and small) screen "sets" for FREE with our list of top NYC movie spots, or hop onto one of the many bus and walking tours to narrate your way through the city's most famous locations like a certain Ghostbusters' downtown firehouse and a Smurf landing in Central Park.

Clothing and toy swaps are such a New York City necessity. Buying brand-new clothes and toys every time your tot outgrows something (that often still has the tags on!) just doesn't make sense. It's environmentally unsound, and wastes money and space, something we NYC families already have too little of. Luckily, a number of neighborhood and city groups offer family-friendly swap events where you can trade in gently used children's items for new-to-you finds. It's easy—and painless on your wallet.

We've got the scoop on the top swaps in the city so you can find the right one for your family.

We've already stocked up on back-to-school supplies from new backpacks to jeans, but now comes the fun part: books! 

If you have voracious summer readers, it's likely your kids are already complaining that they’ve read everything. Or maybe you want to inspire a less than enthusiastic reader to kick off the 2015-2016 academic year on a wordy note.

Either way, Mommy Poppins has put together a list of more than a dozen books for kids of all ages, from preschool to high school, that were published within the last year, and, based on the awards they've already won, seem destined to become future classics. So pull up a comfy chair, whip out that library card and read on. You might just find a new family favorite.

When my oldest son was 8, he said his ambition in life was to sell his art on the street. So it's no surprise that at age 13 he's set his sights on getting into Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts.

Like other specialized art high schools, including the High School of Fashion Industries, the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, and the High School of Art & Design, LaGuardia requires applicants to submit portfolios of their work. While talent is key, taking a professional portfolio preparation class can really give applicants a leg up on the competition. We've rounded up New York City programs that help tweens and young teens prepare their artwork to apply to these popular high schools.

"Three-five-seven-nine! Whose kid wants to cheer lead? Mine!" At the ripe old age of 7, my born-and-bred New York City daughter has settled on her career of choice: cheerleader. She even dressed as one for Halloween. Initially I told her, "Sorry sweetie, I don't think there are any cheerleading programs in NYC. It's mostly a suburban sport." But then I did the research. Turns out there are some NYC cheerleading programs open to kids from all five boroughs (not just students in specific schools). Who knew?

Before you balk, keep in mind that cheerleading is actually a challenging physical activity and offers similar benefits as gymnastics. Participants strengthen their muscles, improve their coordination and flexibility and learn to work as a team. It's not all chanting and pom-poms.

So if you also have an aspiring cheerleader on your hands, here are six NYC programs where she can work on her thigh stands, steppers and cupies.

This week's news is full of great openings and arrivals for kids, from a newly renovated playground in Queens, to FDNY Open Houses in all five boroughs, to newborn gorillas at the Bronx Zoo. Plus, now that middle school offers are in, find out about District 2's proposed changes to the application process, and how your budding songbirds can audition for one of the city's most prestigious children's choirs!

Lots to tell you about this week, as there are a few openings, closings and relocations of favorite places like the Brooklyn Robot Foundry in Tribeca. We've also got news of a FREE summer prep camp for the Specialized High School Admissions Test. Plus, details on how kids can register for Asphalt Green's FREE Big Swim meet and the possible return of the Muppets to the small screen. Get all the scoop, below!