Spring break, parent-teacher conferences, Easter, Passover–doesn’t feel like we’ve had a full week of school forever.... ’til now.  Break out of the back-to-school doldrums with a day of letting loose: shear sheep, jump a space shuttle, dance around a Maypole, go fishin’, boogie in the streets or board a battleship!  Leaving the Cartoon Network-watching couch on the weekend a big enough family task? Try a tamer activity–maybe a local production of Disney’s “The Jungle Book,” or a visit to one of Morris Area’s nine museums offering FREE admission. And remember your mantra: “2 weeks until Memorial Day break, 2 weeks until Memorial Day break.”

This weekend has it all: fantastic festivals, sports, theater, music, dance and museum events for families, all free or inexpensive. There's so much going on (seriously—we have five pages of events in our calendar!) it's hard to know where to start.

Well, how about the sports front? There are two competitive track events, the Hershey Track & Field Games and the NYRR Youth Jamboree, and Asphalt Green is also hosting its annual Big Swim. Since May is Bike Month, there are lots of cycling events, like the Brooklyn Bike Jumble, a flea market geared toward riders.

As for festivals, the main event is the Ninth Avenue Food Festival, but lots of schools, like P.S. 84, are throwing fetes, and in Queens you'll find the Highland Park Strawberry Festival.

Cultural treats include a concert by Peter Yarrow & Friends, New York Ballet Theater’s Sleeping Beauty, Living Large at the American Museum of Natural History and tours of the Little Red Lighthouse.

Be sure to check out the Mommy Poppins Events Calendar for even more options. Now here are the highlights for the weekend.

Exciting events and amazing activities are all taking place this weekend on Long Island. After a wonderful (and hopefully restful) Mother's Day weekend, we've got some fun places to recharge you, and for you to enjoy with your family. From flowers, butterflies and birds to fun children's theater, there is something for everyone here. Enjoy your weekend.

Oh, to be young again! Like tennis, ballet and good hygiene, a second language is best started when you're young. And local kids are lucky: New York City is such a melting pot, they've got plenty of language classes to choose from.

The most widely spoken language in the world, Mandarin, is also one of the most popular to learn. Of course, watching Ni Hao, Kai-lan can only take your kid so far, but hearing my daughter count to three in Mandarin inspired me to research Chinese language lessons for kids in the city.

Here's what I found.

One hundred years ago, the main branch of the New York Public Library—you know, the one with those stately lions Patience and Fortitude guarding its entrance—opened on Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street. Its construction took more than a decade, and when the stunning Beaux-Arts structure finally welcomed visitors for the first time, tens of thousands streamed through its doors.

These days, local families regularly enjoy the fabulous family programming offered at the branch, officially known as the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, especially in its wonderful Children's Center. The branch marks its birthday on May 23, and the NYPL is celebrating with some fantastic free events. In addition to the retrospective Celebrating 100 Years—which opens this Saturday, May 14 and features a history of the building, and notable items like a Gutenberg Bible and one of Malcolm X's journals—there will be a big festival the weekend of May 21-22 with great events for all ages.

We've rounded up highlights for that weekend, as well as info on related events going on at branches across the NYPL system.

Sometimes the full-throttle, leap-into-our-waiting-arms hug from a kid or two is the very reason we drag our tired selves out into the world each and every day, and sometimes... we just want to run the opposite direction. For this, there are 5K runs. Lots of 'em. And lest you feel guilty about this urge to jog, run, sprint, or 80s-style speedwalk away from the big love, you can bring the whole family to cheer you on and enjoy a fun run of their own. My youngest smoked the competition in her first race and she was wearing a tutu. I'm just saying — it's fun for the whole family. So, lace — or velcro — up, and we'll see you at the finish line.

Most kids keep their hands busy with gadgets these days. Now we're not knocking technology—we love tech (we're a website, after all). But we also appreciate analog activities like textile crafts. And if given the chance, lots of kids do, too.

There's something really wonderful about tying knots in sequence or knitting a scarf or weaving a pattern. The satisfaction is tangible—literally. Crafty kids are lucky to live in NYC, since there are plenty of places where they can learn to work with yarn, thread, fiber and cloth. So unearth your old needles! Here's the scoop on spots that will get your family knitting, crocheting, sewing, quilting and weaving in New York City.

When it comes to strawberry season, bypass the frozen foods aisle and head to New Jersey, where pick-your-own farms reign, as do the West Cape May Strawberry King and Queen (really)!  Whether you’re looking for an afternoon photo-op in the field and a few pints of berries to bring home; or a full-on Strawberry Festival complete with strawberry shortcake, kettle corn, bands, craft fairs and a royal crowning, the Garden State has got it covered--no defrosting required!