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! 

Enjoy the last days of July with a host of family-friendly events. Some of the fun includes a live concert, Minion-inspired art and a puppet show. But that's just the beginning--our event calendar is filled with activities that the kids will love, so be sure to soak up every last drop of summer!

For more ideas on how to enjoy the season on Long Island, check out our Summer Fun Guide. And if you're spending any time on the East End, visit our Hamptons & North Fork Family Guide.

July may be winding down, but the fun for Westchester families sure isn’t! The coming week is full of exciting activities to keep little ones entertained. Be dazzled by a flamenco dance performance or learn a pop-art craft. And why wait for October when there’s Halloween in July?

This is just a sampling of the many great activities you’ll find on our Event Calendar. Read on for our top picks for weekday fun with kids—all of which are FREE!

Rockaway Beach offers plenty of sun-kissed fun for families. After all, it's the only place in all of New York City where surfing is allowed! But what lies beyond the soft sand and coastal waves? Plenty. 

So far we've offered a glimpse at everything this Queens neighborhood has to offer families, including what to see and do and the best places to eat with kids. Now, we round up the best places to play. In addition to its namesake beach, you'll find a ton of playgrounds and parks for picnicking, but also great indoor play spots, such as local libraries and even theater. Read on for details about our favorite places to romp and explore with kids in Rockaway.

For obvious reasons, fun ways to cool off with the kids was the theme across all of our sites this week. Even though there are dozens of ways to beat the heat in the city, the dog days of summer are the perfect time for a water-filled day trip (plus you get to avoid the subway, which apparently reached more than 100 degrees this week!). If you have access to a car and some free time, consider frolicking at a spectacular splash pad in Westchester (though you'll need a friend with a county park pass), whiling the day away on a Connecticut beach, or getting totally wet at a nearby lake, river or water park.

Of course, our NYC summer's got nothing on the South's, which is why our Travel site's new list of the best things to do with kids in Charlotte, North Carolina includes multiple ways to cool down—though you may want to save your visit for winter when you'll be longing to feel sweaty again.

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

The state recently put 62 city schools on notice for low performance–just in time for the new school year to kick off. The schools rank among the worst 5 percent in all of New York, according to a report in Chalkbeat. 

A number of those schools targeted by the state are already a part of the city's "turnaround" program and under state law, the city's top educator, Chancellor Carmen Fariña, has the opportunity to try to improve the schools before setting them up for takeover by a "receiver," or outside education leader or group.

Read more about this and other New York City kid and parent news the Mommy Poppins team has rounded up for you, including a survey showing that 95 percent of parents are actually pretty satisfied with the city's public schools.

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