Festivals, outdoor movies and fireworks—it’s beginning to look a lot like summer! Get into the spirit of the season at outdoor events, including a Somerset Patriots Baseball Game, the annual Italian-American Festival and Fireworks on the Beach. Catch family films under the night sky at Turtle Back’s Zoo-vies and Scotch Plains’ Family Movie Night. And don’t forget to check out our Event Calendar for even more options!

By now all kids are out of school and summer is in full swing. I’m not saying this Poppins Mommy didn’t plan well, but our Summer Camp Guide is still coming in handy for last-minute adjustments. Better yet, make your own camp with WeeWork projects, local events, and lots of play. Fantastic Mr. Fox screens for free this week at the Brentwood Country Mart—even George Clooney’s voice manages to be handsome, and this is one of my family’s favorite movies. Gather 'round a campfire at the King Gillette Ranch or Franklin Canyon; loiter on the sidewalk for some stargazing in Burbank; and pack a picnic dinner for an evening of free Shakespeare in Griffith Park or a sing-along with Julie Andrews in the Hollywood Hills. Summertime means more action than ever on our Event Calendar!

For most Long Island kids, this is the last week of school, which means summer break is about to begin. But lots of seasonal fun has already started, like the popular Summer Movie Express ($1 flicks!). This week kids can also learn about honeybees, while teens can have some fun on Friday night.

For even more activities going on around LI, be sure to check out our Event Calendar. Spending some time on the East End? Take a look at our Hamptons & North Fork Guide.

With school already out (or almost out) in most local communities, it's the perfect time to enjoy some of those free summer concert series for kids and families we've been raving about here at Mommy Poppins Boston. Music not your thing? Not a problem! The calendar is chock-full of other free and fun family activities like the Free Fun Friday series, which kicks off this week with tons of attractions including the MIT Museum and Tanglewood. Whatever you choose to do, have a great week, and don't forget to check out our full Event Calendar!

At almost 9, my older is son is getting a bit jaded when it comes to playgrounds. He loves a good game of Frisbee in an open field, and he’s always up for tag, but take him to a typical playground and his attitude is meh. If there are no other kids his age, conquering the monkey bars quickly loses its shine and he starts asking to leave way before my 4-year-old is ready to go.

But Sally’s Dream Playground at Thomas Bull Memorial Park in Montgomery is an exception. This playground features engaging challenges and fun for kids young and old, along with lots of open green space, paved trails for biking and scootering, picnic areas and more attractions. Sally's Dream Playground really lives up to its name; with everything this park offers, it's definitely worth the drive.

Family fun ramps up as NYC public school kids get ready for summer vacation. This week, catch popular kindie rockers Suzi Shelton in Fort Greene Park and Recess Monkey in Madison Square Park. Plus Brick Fest Live! takes over the New York Hall of Science with tons of Lego-building activities.

This is our last weekday events roundup until school is back in session in September, but we've got your family's season covered in our Summer Fun Guide, which is packed with roundups of FREE movies, concerts, beaches, playgrounds, water fun and things to do every day. And there's even more options in our Event Calendar.

I'm feeling pretty smug today. Not only did I take my kid on an outing in his hometown that thrilled him within an inch of his life; I also found an activity that was utterly and completely new to our LA team's native Angeleno, Jackie Stansbury. You may have noticed a recurring theme in Jackie's posts: unlike most LA parents I know, her childhood memories are actually all right here in the Southland. When she talks about a grunion run, she compares it to the one she did 40 years ago. In short, there's nothing new under the LA sun for her. That is, until today, when she and I were invited to do some scootering under the sun in funny little vehicles that feel like a cross between a bumper car and Colonel Klink's motorcycle. We took our kids on LA's newest road adventure: Sunny Day Scoots.

Ice cream. Two words that instantly trigger giggles and screeches from most kids. This treat is delicious year-round, but definitely even better in summer. In my household, we take ice cream very seriously—in fact, we celebrate National Ice Cream Day in July (yes, there is such a thing!) by driving around in search of frozen delights to fill our bellies.

We find that Farmington Valley near Hartford, Connecticut boasts top-notch ice cream. Whether you get it in a cup or a chocolate-dipped cone, with rainbow sprinkles or gummy bears, atop a fluffy waffle or in a banana split, the ice cream in Farmington is sure to tickle your taste buds and cool you down. Below are some of our favorite local parlors. Want more? Check out our roundups of top scoop spots in New Haven County and Fairfield County.