Summer vacation just isn't complete without water adventures to keep you cool. Beaches and lakes are always a sure bet, but water parks top many a kid's bucket list. We've written about Great Wolf Lodge and other indoor water parks close to home, but now we're happy to review the opening of another nearby water park and hotel option: the Poconos' Kalahari Resorts.

Just down the road from Great Wolf Lodge, Kalahari offers an immersive, African-safari-themed experience with both indoor and outdoor water parks, a massive family entertainment area and so much more. The creators of Kalahari were inspired by the African philosophy of Ubunto, a belief that everyone's humanity is connected and that each person's actions affect the entire world. The notion of preservation is pervasive and, despite its grand scale, Kalahari offered an intimate, friendly and low-pressure vibe, which makes for a relaxing family experience.

Finding a pediatrician you and your child (well...for the most part!) like is wonderful. However, most pediatricians don't have late-night office hours, and when middle-of-the-night emergencies happen, clinics and pediatric hospitals open round-the-clock may be able to step in and save the day. (I know my daughter only seems to get sick on Saturday nights, so off to the local pediatric clinic we go...) Below is a list of pediatric clinics and urgent care facilities in New Jersey that cater to babies and kids.

Name a neighborhood – Studio City, Hollywood, the South Bay, or Santa Monica – and chances are you will find an impressive number of places to indulge in frozen yogurt. I freely confess that we here at Mommy Poppins enjoy our frozen treats; many a meeting is held on the patio of our local Menchie’s, and rounding up great places to go for ice cream was one of our summer priorities. It may seem harsh to put our kids to work this way, but hey, somebody has to help with the taste testing, and they don't complain too much.

Ice cream is great, of course, but sometimes it’s nice to go a bit lighter. And I think we can all agree to pretend that frozen yogurt is a healthy choice; it can have just as much sugar as ice cream, but the fat content of fro-yo is significantly less, and then there is the possibility that the probiotics have actually survived the freezing process. Many of the yogurt establishments below are self-serve and offer an array of toppings that are a kid's dream buffet. One way to be healthy is to cover your sweet treat with fruit and nuts instead of candy – not that I'll be talking my children into that any time soon. 

Your toddler is crying in the back seat. Your pre-teen is wondering “how long till we’re there?” Amid the traffic jams and other traveling nightmares that can turn a Hamptons summer into a two-month migraine, there’s one bit of good news: Packing, especially packing for baby, might be a thing of the past.

At least five companies in and around eastern Long Island offer full-service baby gear rentals, minimizing (for a price) the anxiety parents feel as house rental month draws near. There’s also peace of mind in knowing that a full-size crib is available for baby and not the pack-and-plays or portable cribs popular in area hotels and B and Bs.

From strollers to high chairs, car seats and beach equipment, these companies meet almost every imaginable infant necessity. In a pinch, some will even set up the equipment for you. Most ask only that the merchandise — usually certified safe — be returned clean and in delivery condition.

And for more seasonal essentials, be sure to check out our Hamptons and North Fork Family Guide.

The Jersey shore is the place to be mid-summer. This week is loaded with beach-y fun, including the Kiddie Beach Show, Wildwoods Baby Parade and the Manasquan Fireman's Fair. Catch family-friendly flicks this week at Garden State Discovery Museum's Movie Monday and Rahway's Summer Movies on the Plaza. And don’t forget to check out our Event Calendar for even more options!

The Special Olympics continue this week at multiple venues. You can celebrate these gifted athletes any day this week by checking out one of their events, all of which are free.

Los Angeles lives up to its reputation as entertainment capital during the summer months in particular, when movies and music play indoors and out. And there’s the weather: while many of us may have been shell shocked by last week’s rain in July (really, after the garage sale was all set up?), the weather has been otherwise glorious. This week should be a perfect one for splashing at the Annenberg, checking out the surfers in the South Bay, enjoying an outdoor concert in the Marina, or stargazing at the Garvey Observatory. Let’s not knock the rain, though, and let’s certainly not assume that the drought is over. We still have a long way to go before our parched state quenches its thirst. So while we are all crossing fingers for rain, and making plans to be outdoors most of the summer, let's not forget that Mommy Poppins also has a handy guide to indoor activities, for days when it is too hot, too cold, or even too wet to be outside.

Be sure to check out our Event Calendar for more free and discounted activities; here are our five favorites for the week.

We've made it through July and now the summer is just getting into full swing! Below is just a sampling of the many great activities you’ll find in our Event Calendar. There are so many family-friendly concerts and free movies during the week. We especially love the idea of having an ice cream sundae on the Mark Twain House patio.
Read on for our top picks for weekday fun with kids.

After the exciting Pluto flyby of the New Horizons mission, kids who've become more interested in astronomy will be delighted to know that there are plenty of other space-related activities they can catch over the summer. Not only does the Museum of Science host Astronomy After Hours every Friday, but this particular Friday night, a blue moon lights up the sky with some fun events to celebrate.

Here on Earth, I also love seeing all the great reading-list activities and family-friendly concerts during the week. On top of that, this Thursday marks the much-anticipated Grand Opening of the Boston Public Market – hurray!