Park Slope Kids Neighborhood Guide

There are street fairs and then there are street fairs. We don't mean those random ones that sell irregular socks and fried Oreos; we're talking about true community festivals. Each one is unique and reflects the character of its neighborhood, and many feature rides, performances, activities and food.

The hard part, of course, is knowing which ones are which, 'cause while we all love to stock up on cheap socks, we're not going to drag our family across town to do so. We've gone through the city's list of street fairs for the month of May and picked out the most promising ones, adding a few of our own favorites from years past and some new events that sound particularly cool. Best of all most of these festivals are FREE or are just a couple of bucks.

Last week we told you about 13 wonderful kids' shows playing in NYC this spring. Today we're sharing the best kids' bands rocking out on city stages this season.

My four-year-old daughter and I love seeing live concerts, and some of our favorite family bands are playing over the next few months, like the Deedle Deedle Dees and Alastair Moock. I'm especially excited to introduce my kid to a few groups she hasn't heard yet, like Bing Bang Boom and the Bari Koral Family Rock Band, at the annual Kindiefest concert. Here are 13 NYC kids' concerts to put in your calendar, including FREE shows from Hot Peas N' Butter, Elizabeth Mitchell and The Rockdoves.

The Yankees and the Mets aren’t the only ones stepping up to the plate this spring. Thousands of kids across the city will be eagerly dusting off their cleats in anticipation of Little League’s opening day on Saturday, March 31 (although some teams kick off in April).

Joining a Little League team (or any other youth baseball organization) is great fun for the entire family. Parent participation isn't just encouraged, it’s mandatory. Moms and dads volunteer to help manage the leagues, coach the teams, run the concession stands and maintain the grounds. Since it's nonprofit, the registration fees are relatively affordable. Most cost under $200 for the entire season, and that includes those nifty uniforms. If that's still out of your range, some leagues offer financial assistance.

Because of high enrollment, many teams have pretty strict geographic boundaries, so kids need to register based on their home address and proof is required. With opening day coming up, many teams are full, but some are still accepting late registration and most offer wait lists—and unlike other wait lists in this town, I hear that these actually move.

Find out how to join a T-Ball, baseball or softball team in New York City this spring. If your kids would prefer to cheer from the sidelines than get in the game, we've got the scoop on some great Little League opening day bashes, too.