This morning I was on the WFSB Channel 3 news showcasing some outdoor family safety products. If you are new to the site, welcome! We hope you enjoy Mommy Poppins CT. Please subscribe to our weekly newsletter so that you are in the loop about fun things to do with the kids each week. You can also like us on Facebook and Twitter. As promised, here are the details on each product that I featured:

Labor Day weekend marks the unofficial end of summer and is a popular time for family vacations.  If you haven’t done any advanced planning, never fear, there are still last minute deals. 

Parents with very young kids might also want to consider a post-Labor Day September getaway.  Lower prices, fewer crowds and still-warm water temps make it an ideal travel month. But, even school age children in places like New York City where schools close for the four-day Rosh Hashanah school holiday can take a September mini-vacation to visit Orlando. Destinations like Disney and SeaWorld are quiet this time of year with bargains galore. 

Read on to learn about deals in Orlando, Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, Embassy Suites and Intercontinental hotels, Aruba and the Doral Arrowwood, a throwback-style resort that is just outside of New York City.

Julie A. Ross, our guest writer and the Executive Director of Parenting Horizons, is a mom and the author of three parenting books. She runs numerous parenting workshops and events throughout the metropolitan area.

For many children, going back to school evokes a mixture of feelings: anticipation, excitement and apprehension, among others. As school approaches, we need to help our children make the transition with as little stress and anxiety as possible.

Small Factory Productions is a little studio nestled in Fair Haven, NJ that is producing some of today’s most innovative work in art, design and animation, even winning an Emmy in recognition of their efforts. So what makes them different from other television or music studios? At Small Factory, all of the directors, producers and designers are children. This unique facility allows kids to create music, art, cartoons and more through interactive programs that spark the imagination. Read on to learn more about Small Factory and how you can receive a special discount at one of their upcoming Factory Nights.

We soaked up a lot of sun and cool culture this week (that's my daughter posing on a giant arachnid at the American Natural History Museum's awesome Spiders Alive! exhibit). But we also started to prepare for the new academic year. We just launched our Back-to-School Guide, which includes healthy breakfast and lunch ideas, cool kids' clothing websites and even do-it-yourself back-to-school fashion and supply projects.

If you're still in vacation mode, our Travel site continued its focus on Brattleboro, Vermont with a roundup of the best things to do and places to eat and stay with kids. Closer to home, our New Jersey bloggers took a fun-filled spin around the Pole Position Raceway in Jersey City while up in Connecticut we spent a day at the New Britain Youth Museum. And if you're looking for a great end-of-summer weekend getaway, consider a last-minute trip to the Jersey Shore or hitting one of the many New York State fairs happening this month.

Here's what else we shared this week on our NYC site.

The Wiggles are in town this weekend! And It’s said that their Celebration Tour will be the last time that all of the originals will be performing together, so if you’ve got little ones, and if tickets are still available, we’ve got the ‘fo for getting discounted tickets. Also, BACCA is hosting its Long Island Bluegrass Festival this weekend, and there’s  Live Endangered Animals Presentation at the Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum.

Have a great weekend!

Looking for something to do that final week of August before school starts? Not able to get time off work to hang out with them that week? Kids bored at home and need one last week of fun and enrichment? New Jersey kids are in luck! There are still camps open and ready to register new campers for that last hurrah. Check out our list of summer camps with availability for that pesky week of August 27 to the 31st!

Families can find a full slate of summer festivals in the Boston area this weekend, from the Boston GreenFest on City Hall Plaza and the North End’s Fisherman’s Feast to the West End Children’s Festival and Verrill Farm’s Corn and Tomato Festival. There’s also a Marine Encampment at the Charlestown Navy Yard, with special events throughout the weekend. Read on for details about these and other weekend activities, and be sure to check our Events Calendar for more ideas.

Is your family is trying to get the most out of the last few weeks of summer vacation while dealing with back-to-school jitters (kids and parents!)? Check out our Back to School Guide for ways to help ease the transition, including Tara’s own DIY Fashions and Supplies post.

Enjoy!