It's the first weekend of April, which means a lot of museums are offering free admission hours. At the New Museum's First Saturdays for Families, you can celebrate springtime by exploring the exhibit Blooming Flowers. Head to the Brooklyn Museum on Saturday evening to check out the Norman Rockwell exhibit and related activities. How much will all this culture cost you? Not even a penny.

Theater abounds this weekend in NYC. Take the kids to see Dorothy and Toto live on stage in The Wizard of Oz on Sunday at Staten Island's St. George Theatre. Or catch the first performance of the Atlantic Theater Company for Kids' brand-new musical Revolting Rhymes, a blend of songs and puppets that bring the poems of Roald Dahl to life. The Brooklyn Library’s Dweck Center is also hosting a free musical version of Cinderella.

Signs of spring are all around town: Parks and gardens are bursting with buds, and so is Macy’s thanks to the store's annual Flower Show). There are adorable baby goats at the Central Park Zoo, and parents are busy researching spring break camps for their kids.

Our best bets for a fun weekend are below, but be sure to visit the Mommy Poppins Events Calendar, too.  It's full of storytimes, theater, live music and more for this weekend and beyond.

It’s not just gardens that are blooming this season. NYC’s family theater scene is bursting with new, colorful stage productions. As a total theater geek who grew up going to Broadway spectacles (back when regular folk could afford to do that on a regular basis), I love taking my daughter to shows. Luckily in this town, the Great White Way isn’t the only option. There’s a ton of amazing Off-Off Broadway offerings for young audiences—and you don’t have to be a millionaire to afford the tickets.

While some shows play for a while, there are lots of worthwhile one-offs that come into town to play for a day, and then move on to another city. So be sure to look carefully at the dates when checking our recommendations.

From fractured fairy tales to page-to-stage adaptations of classic kid-lit to circus feats to cool original musicals, here are 11 shows to take your kids to this spring.

The first thing you need to know about Mile Square Theater in Hoboken is that it is NOT a community theater. Not that we have anything against community theaters, per se, but when you are a professional Equity house with conservatory-trained actors and beautifully-conceived sets and costumes by Broadway and off-Broadway designers, you’d like your potential public to know that you’re not a church group butchering “Hello Dolly!”

For many kids, a ride on the Staten Island Ferry is a fun activity in itself. (That's why it's No. 69 on our list of 100 Things to Do With Your Kids in NY Before They Grow Up!) The 5.2-mile, 25-minute nautical jaunt offers crisp air, a great view of Lady Liberty and the thrill of moving on the water—all for free.

Once you're off the boat, you could go further inland to hit the Snug Harbor Cultural Center (there are some gorgeous flowers blooming there right now). But you don’t need to take a bus or train to get a taste of the borough. There's plenty of fun to be had within earshot of the ferry horn.

Here are my kid-tested suggestions for a day trip to St. George, Staten Island. With the amazing St. George Day Festival coming up on Saturday, April 21, you'll want to make a note of these!

What a weekend we have for you!  Seals’ birthdays on the boardwalk, a Swedish Waffle Party, puppets galore, and a School-House Rock Performance to start with...If you’re ready to get back into nature, create kites in Holmdel;  run for a great reason in Parsippany;  or search for seashells in the Highlands.  March Madness hoops have your home captivated? Then Newark’s your destination for an all-out NCAA celebration.  Indoors, outdoors, all-around—it’s March at its best for families in New Jersey.

Last week we told you how to get your city kids into growing and gardening. But we realize that some people don't have a green thumb. Families that prefer to watch Mother Nature do all the work can visit New York City's gorgeous gardens, green spaces and other fantastic flora-filled spots.

From the Brooklyn Botanic Garden's Cherry Blossom Festival in late April to the New York Botanical Garden's current Orchid Show to Macy's Flower Show, which debuts this Sunday, to less well-known buds and blooms, we've got the scoop on where to get your flower fix in the city this Spring.

Spring on Long Island is in full effect and we have some great activities and events for you here. Get ready to put on your dancing shoes, wear 3D glasses or spot salamanders! With festivals, concerts and tea parties all taking place, there is something for every member of the family to get out of the house and enjoy! Read on see what awesome events are going on this weekend on Long Island!

Don't worry: The inclement weather is just temporary. Spring really is here, and there are plenty of seasonal activities to prove it. New baby goats are frolicking at the Central Park Zoo, gardening clases for kids are sprouting up everywhere (one program kicks off at the Queens Botanical Garden this Saturday) and Macy's Flower Show will be in full bloom come Sunday.

JapanNYC, a citywide celebration of Japanese culture, continues with a trio of free concerts, including Taiko drummers at the opening of the Flower Show. Of course while you enjoy yourself, don't forget about the devastation in Japan. If you'd like to help, we've rounded up easy and reputable ways to donate to the relief and rebuilding efforts.

Our best bets for the weekend are below. Be sure to browse the Mommy Poppins Events Calendar for additional options, including live music, theater, author readings and free storytimes. Have a great weekend!