This weekend looks like a great one to head to some nearby beaches or the Jersey shore, but you don't have to ditch the pavement and run for the sand to enjoy a fabulous family weekend. Afterall, They Might Be Giants and The Muppets are here in the City, along with lions, tigers and bears--well, at least Dorothy and her little dog, too, plus some festivals and classes that will send you to Europe and Asia, sans airfare. So be sure to catch some waves, and some of these events, too.

Don't forget, we also have weekly listings for Long Island events and New Jersey events on their respective pages (whether you live there or are looking for a day trip). And of course, our event calendar is jammed with even more things to do, as is our Summer Activity Guide. 

Jill has spent alot of time in the Hamptons with her kids over Summer vacations. Here are her ideas for the best kid-friendly places to check out- Thanks, Jill!

Yes, the Hamptons get a lot of hype for being the playground of the rich and famous, but you don't have to be rich or famous or fashionable to enjoy these beautiful beaches. The Hamptons are a great family vacation destination, close to New York City, with some of the best, sandy beaches anywhere.  Plus, there's lots of fun activities, and places to eat, off the beach that make the Hamptons the perfect place for a family vacation getaway.

We've scoped out the best ideas on where to play, learn, and eat your way through  The Hamptons this Summer with your kids:

We recently visited the new Water Taxi Beach at the South Street Seaport. Similar to the now closed original in Queens, this outdoor bar has a huge sandy beach area with picnic tables and great views out toward the Brooklyn Bridge and the East River and is a great place where families can enjoy a night out with kids in tow.

Last week we kicked off the summer season with some great giveaways: tons of passes to Playland, Sahara Sam's and the first of our Summer Dinner Party Giveaways (don't forget you can enter to win every week this summer in our Summer Activity Guide). Now, this week is Beach Week on Mommy Poppins. We've written about our top 5 family friendly beaches near NYC and the beaches of Staten Island, but all this week we'll be bringing you more tips, recommendations and guides for the best beaches in and around New York City.

In other news, the school year has ended, but the big news about public schools hasn't. Last week Bloomberg lost mayoral control, or did he? Find out more about this and also a petition to make school cafeterias more green, how to make your own mini magnetic travel games, the new celeb family moving to Park Slope and a totally free summer arts program for kids:

Still trying to make plans for this year's Holiday Weekend? We took some time to gather up some of Long Island's best Fourth of July celebrations for you to choose from. Step back in time with period games and a traditional parade, learn about and see birds of prey, picnic and, of course, find out where to catch the fireworks. Happy 4th. Have a great weekend.  

This week we've been posting about fun stuff to do with your kids all summer long and giving away great prizes. But let's not forget, it's summer for grown-ups too. If you've been digging through our Summer Activity Guide, running all over the city trying to keep one step ahead of the heat and bored kid syndrome, then we have a treat for you (are you sitting down?).

We're giving away 10, count 'em, 10 dinner parties catered by Susie's Supper Club for you and nine of your friends plus the kids! What could be better for a summer evening than chilling out with friends over a meal you didn't cook (or pay for)? I can't think of anything.

I don't know about you, but this summer we've pared back on camps and vacations in an effort not to spend money we don't have. But our loss is your gain because, instead, what we're going to be doing this summer is exploring New York City and all the fun stuff we don't always have time to do during the school year.

To get organized for a full summer of fun NYC style (and 62 scarily empty days), I planned out an activity for just about every single day in July and August, 'cause, as my son would say, "that's what me do."

The following list is not comprehensive. These are the things I'm looking forward to doing this summer. These are the coolest family events coming up this summer, plus some great places I've just been meaning to get to. And most of them are free.

The Hamptons isn't all that, hang with me right here in New York. It's gonna be a blast (and don't forget to check out our Summer Activity Guide for even more great things to do with kids in NYC this summer).  I hope to see you there.

50 Things to Do This Summer With Kids in New York City:

Around my house, these few weeks before my kids’ Summer camps officially start can be tough. The Summer weather seems to have arrived finally and the kids are anxious to take advantage of it. With plenty of beach days ahead, I wanted to do something special to celebrate today being the first official “day I don’t have to go to school” this Summer.  So, we  headed to Bayville this afternoon and hit the best mini-amusement park on Long Island-the  Bayville Adventure Park. 

For young kids, really, nothing could be better. First of all, there are lots of parking spaces right up front or just across the street, and you don’t even have to take a train to get into the park, like you do at Disneyland or those other big amusement parks. There is just enough activities to keep them from getting bored, but also the right amount to squeeze into the average young child’s visit without missing any (which I’d say is a few hours).