One doesn’t usually associate the phrase, “fun things to do with kids in NJ” with spring cleaning. However, this beautiful weather has got me thinking about how to combine the two! I have started to clean out one closet a day and I’ve found a great way to get my two kids involved by adding a twist. My daughters sort the piles into ‘donate,’ ‘garbage’ or ‘consign’. Consigning is a great way to repurpose and recycle and save or earn money. With the money we make from consignment shops my kids can either buy a new summer toy/outfit or bank it in our family Disney Cruise fund. They’re so into it, it is getting a bit out of hand- I found my favorite pair of Tory Burch sandals in a ‘consign’ bag!!!!! Here are some of my favorite “green” consignment shops that are merchandised to look like boutiques in Northern New Jersey.

There’s always something new at the Museum of Science to engage you and your young Einstein (or maybe Frankenstein) in scientific inquiry. The place is so humongous, it’s sometimes difficult to choose what to do while you’re there, given the kids’ limited attention spans and basic needs, like snack breaks and naps.

We like to see what’s new first, then visit some old favorites, like the schoolhouse and the Science in the Park exhibit. On our recent visit, we checked out the new gecko exhibit and spent a lot of time in the Discovery Center, which is a great place to go any time you visit with young children.

I spent many moments marveling at our coop preschool teacher's magical (and at times herculean) way of negotiating a conflict between a cluster of adamant four-year-olds who, say, all wanted the same sandbox shovel (or the same wagon, dress-up hat, easel...the list went on). She alighted into their space, fully present, intent upon listening to each desire, confident there was a way through to a peaceful settlement. And there always was.

Cooperative preschools require lots of hard work from both teachers and parents. But oh the rewards! If you're curious about coops, have a look at the lists we've compiled previously - Co-op Preschools and Nursery Schools on the Westside  and in Hollywood & Los Feliz - and if you live in or near the Valleys, read on!

Over the past few years, Harlem has become a real foodie destination, with celebrity restauranteurs like Cedric Lecendre and Marcus Samuelsson opening up much buzzed about eateries. And even though Cedric Bistro and Red Rooster are better for date night than brunch with the kids, many Harlem restaurants do cater to families.

So we continue our month-long focus on Harlem with a roundup of the best kid-friendly restaurants in Harlem, all endorsed by local families. From old-school standards like soul food stalwarts Sylvia's and Miss Maude's to popular newbies like Lido and 5 and Diamond, here are our top 13 places to eat with kids in Harlem.

The farm-to-table movement has become a global concern as we try to reconnect with where our food comes from, and increase our support for small & local over big & industrial food production. As city dwellers, we can join a CSA, shop at a local greenmarket or even visit a nearby farm. But in our daily lives, it can be hard to find ways to connect with nature in NYC.

This ridiculously mild winter has been running heaven, not too cold or too wet. I mean, I didn't run of course, but I assume those of you that do this sort of thing felt heavenly. Now that we are heading into what will either be a gorgeous spring or blizzard season, it's time to use all those great work-outs and your natural altruism, to get your 5k on. Lest you worry that this might be precious time away from your children, fear not, all of these also feature family fun runs for our active NJ kids, and one even comes with a baseball game. So lace up! Gird your quadriceps! Tie your tot's sparkly laces! Convince your mate that they love running, too! Run, mamas, run.

MommyPoppins has been sharing our expertise on the best things to do in the New York City area since January of 2007. We currently have destination sites for NYC, Long Island, New Jersey, Connecticut, Boston and Los Angeles. Each one brings the unique Mommy Poppins take on exploring their area with kids.

Now we're taking the special Mommy Poppins stripe of coverage global and expanding our travel coverage to bring you family vacation information from wherever our own travels bring us. Just like all our other Mommy Poppins coverage, all our reviews will be written by moms (or dads) who have been-there, done-that and can share down to earth family travel advice. Our mission is to help you discover exceptional experiences and magical vacation memories.

Please help us get started by taking our quick reader survey and tell us what you hope to see on this site. Read on to find out more about our launch.