Things to Do for NYC Kids and Families April 16-17, 2011: Easter, Passover and Earth Day Celebrations, and More

There's so much for New York City families to do this weekend (not to mention during next week's spring break) that it's hard to decide where to start. You can head to Coney Island for Luna Park's opening day. Or get into the Easter spirit with an old-fashioned egg hunt. There are quite a few this weekend, including the annual shindig in Carl Schurz Park, which features a concert by Moey’s Music Party. And don't forget about all of the Passover festivities.

If you're looking to rock out, catch The Fuzzy Lemons in Williamsburg, one of many cool kiddie concerts happening this weekend. Tweens should enjoy the coming-of-age musical Barrio Grrrl! in Greenwich Village, or they can try their hand at a funky art project inspired by the Jewish Museum's Maira Kalman exhibit.

Other fun includes a comic book convention just for kids, Healthy Kids Day at the Park Slope Armory, free animal films at MoMa and early Earth Day activities. If you're just looking to get out and celebrate the season, our brand-new Mommy Poppins Spring Fun Guide is full of great spring activities in NYC and beyond.

Finally, The Mommy Poppins Event Calendar overflows with storytimes, live theater, music, Easter, Passover and other activities this weekend and beyond. Enjoy!

Potato Needs a Bath: the Perfect Show for First-time Theatergoers

My son is three and like many kids his age, he has trouble staying still. But at Potato Needs a Bath—a 30-minute puppet show currently playing at the New 42nd Street Studios—he sat rapt, and only moved his little body when he needed a better view of puppeteer Shona Reppe and her colorful cast of fruits and vegetables.

Even though this one-woman show was created with two- to five-year-olds in mind, I loved it just as much as my son thanks to clever puns and a creative set with cool nooks and crannies. Here's what to expect, plus a roundup of other New York City theaters that regularly put on shows for preschoolers.

Passover Events and Celebrations for New York City Kids

Why is this night different than any other night? Because we're telling you about the best Passover parties in town.

While some kids hunt for plastic candy-filled eggs, children who celebrate Passover are already scouting out possible hiding places for the afikoman. This year, the first Seder begins at sundown on Monday, April 18, and the holiday lasts through Tuesday, April 26, which coincides exactly with public school spring break.

There are plenty of ways to mark the holiday, so break out those bitter herbs, grab that extra chair for Elijah and head to these nine Passover events.

13 Concerts for Kids in New York City: Culture Guide Spring 2011

We recently highlighted 11 great stage shows and 6 cool exhibits for families this spring. Now it's time to tell you about all of the wonderful kids' bands that will be performing this season. Big names include Grammy winner Dan Zanes; legendary folk singer Peter Yarrow; Seattle’s answer to The Beatles, Recess Monkey; David Weinstone and the Music for Aardvarks band and an all-day concert at KindieFest.

So put on your dancing shoes and head to one (or more) of these 13 family-friendly concerts.

Family Friendly Ethnic Meal Inspiration

Do you live roughly 20 miles from any good ethnic cuisine so deep in the wilds of Connecticut that there is no take-out save the local pizza joint? Well, I do. And after years of city living this can be a crushing situation at times.

Last week while trekking around the circumference of the local Stop & Shop, loading up on the usual for my family of five, I paused in front of the meats. Staring at the ground turkey I wondered if it would be meatballs, burgers or Bolognese. And then I sighed. And then I had a vision. I could cook ethnic food. I could choose one country a week and for the 3-4 dinners where my husband and kids were all present, I could cook from that country. Extra bonus: We might even discuss the country- where it is and what the staples are - and learn something! Not to mention that the kids would be expanding their palettes by experiencing a variety of herbs and spices in different cuisines.

Merry Maids. A Mom’s Best Friend(s).

Even before I was a working mom, I never had time to properly clean my house. Okay, I never made time to properly clean my house, but let’s not split hairs, shall we? Honestly, I have the greatest respect for people who spend precious time to keep their homes tidy, and I do try very hard to be part of their exclusive club, but when Merry Maids contacted me and offered me a free cleaning, I jumped on it like a monkey on a cupcake. Or like a busy working mom on a maid service.

Weekly Wrap Up: Easter Bunny Photo Ops and Egg Hunts in NYC, Harry Potter Exhibit and More

It's been a busy week at all of the Mommy Poppins sites! Must be the time of year: April brings Easter, Passover, spring break, Earth Day and a host of popular festivals like the Tribeca Family Festival Street Fair and Sakura Matsuri.

Don't worry: You won't need to try to cram all of those activities into one weekend. But since they're coming up, we wanted to give you a heads up, so you had time to mark your calendars.

Read on to see what else we covered this week on Mommy Poppins, in NYC, Long Island, New Jersey and Connecticut.

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