Last fall we wrote a post about camps for Election Day and Veterans Day to help out all of those working parents who can't take every school holiday off. Now Martin Luther King Day is coming up on Monday, January 21, and despite the fact that it's a federal holiday (not to mention Obama's public Inauguration Day), we know a lot of moms and dads may need to go into the office (like me!).

On these one-off school holidays, it's often hard to find coverage but we did the work for you and came up with 13 awesome sounding camps, many offering a full day of activities (although a few are half-day in case you can get out early). While you slave away, your children get to enjoy soccer, cooking, theater, robotics and chess, plus special volunteer opportunities in the spirit of the Martin Luther King Day of Service. Makes us wish we could trade places with our kids.

Now that the tourists have gone home and winter has set in, we natives can score some great discounts on New York City theater, both on Broadway and off. We've got the scoop on three different deals going on this month, including the on sale date for Kids' Night on Broadway tickets. Plus Pier 5 in Brooklyn Bridge Park is open, as is the Prospect Park Zoo's revamped Discovery Center for Children. And if you're looking for something new to read to (or with) your brood, the New York Public Library's best of 2012 kid-lit book list has lots of great suggestions... 100 of them, actually.

Dr. King had a dream, and now we need a plan. Some parents have the day off for the the national holiday, which is a great opportunity to take up the president's challenge to make this holiday a day of service to our communities. For everyone else, the great man's birthday can get complicated, what with dodging parade traffic and figuring out where not-in-school kids can spend the day. As you might have guessed, we have some suggestions. The camps below offer MLK Day solutions for LA kids most years; and we know a few other school vacation day camps if these aren't enough.

It's been another low-key week at Mommy Poppins (and hopefully at your home, too) as we slowly get back into the groove of work and school. Most of the holidays are behind us—save for Three Kings Day, which officially ends the season on Sunday—and we're all looking ahead to winter fun.

While you can certainly enjoy seasonal activities like ice-skating and (assuming it snows) sledding in NYC, you need to leave town for other winter favorites. But our regional sites have you covered with info on where to go snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in Connecticut, snow tubing in New Jersey and skiing throughout the tri-state area. And if you just can't bear the thought of being outdoors in the cold, our Indoor Activity Guide has lots of toasty destinations, including drop-in play spaces in Manhattan and indoor water parks near NYC.

Here's what else we covered in NYC this week:

The new year is upon us and many Resolutions are being made.   I've read many blogs in the weeks since the tragedy in Newtown of individuals and families inspired to perform 26 Random Acts of Kindness.  A few days ago I read a post that intrigued and inspired me.  The author suggested taking the new year as an opportunity to encourage children to find ways to be kind to others.  So this year in my family, in addition to making a New Year's Resolution, we are going to find ways to perform random acts of kindness to others throughout the year.  I believe that this will not only benefit others, but will help to instill thoughtfulness, kindness and concern for others as part of my children's everyday thoughts. Doing something worthwhile for those in Newtown is one great way to get started.

Happy New Year! As we settle back in to life as usual following the holidays, kids (and parents) may experience a small let-down. Never fear, there are plenty of activities going on around the Island to keep the kids entertained and spirits up. There's a beautiful marionette show at the Tilles Center, a few nature activities at a couple of state parks in Suffolk County, and a trout birthday party at the Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery. Enjoy, and we wish you a healthy, happy new year.

Happy 2013 everyone! We hope you rang in the New Year with all the frivolity and caution thrown to the wind that the night deserves, and maybe even made it through to midnight (don’t worry; East Coast time counts).  Now it’s time to get back on track, tidy up your messes, and follow through on your resolutions. If one of your resolutions was to recycle more, we can help you off to a good start. Mommy Poppins has the low-down on Christmas tree recycling options throughout Los Angeles!

We now return to our regularly scheduled program of classes, shows, and festivals to keep your kids occupied and amused. Keep reading for some of our favorite picks for this weekend.