One of my favorite things about August in LA is Culver City's annual Shakespeare in the Park, courtesy of the Actors' Gang. Each year the Gang gives an upbeat, modern makeover to a different Shakespeare play aimed at families; recent highlights have included the Superhero Twelfth Night, the Star Wars Romeo and Juliet, and the My Little Pony Midsummer Night's Dream. This summer, Media Park comes alive every Saturday and Sunday morning with the Harry Potter Hamlet; and to go or not to go is hardly a question.

Whether your child is sports-obsessed or simply extremely active, having a sports-focused birthday is a great way to host a large group of kids and keep them entertained. There’s also the added bonus of sending worn-out kids home to happy parents!

We've rounded up our top picks for sports-themed parties, most of which are all inclusive, so all you have to do is show up with the birthday boy or girl. Many of them also allow you keep costs down by bringing your own food (also helpful for for parents of children with allergies). For even more birthday ideas, check out our Party Planner Guide.

Your babysitter has bailed and your night out is in jeopardy. Fortunately on the East End of Long Island there are a number of emergency child care options that just might preserve that essential date night. Some are local companies whose sitters are known to other parents in the community, while others are parts of larger national companies with well-earned reputations for reliability and security.

Most require registration on the firm’s website. Be aware that most sitters are independent contractors and not employees of their firms. so company liability varies.

Still, with less than a day’s notice, these services offer experienced sitters with recommendations that can be accessed online or by email. Prices are as of summer 2015 and vary depending on time, distance and services provided. Cancellation policies also vary.

For other information on activities and events in the area, be sure to check out our Hamptons & North Fork Family Guide.

With a few weeks left of summer vacation, get outside and soak up the great outdoors as much as possible. This week, nature exploration is in the spotlight at Lunch & Learn with a Naturalist, Growing in the Garden and Nocturnal Neighbors. Festival season continues both outdoors at the Hunterdon County 4-H Fair and indoors at the Superhero Super Carnival. And don’t forget to check out our Event Calendar for even more options!

I'm big on getting the kids out of the house, but sometimes it's easy to get so caught up in summer vacations, holidays, and big-ticket events that we miss the small things that are just as special to our kids. Before we know it, the summer will be gone, so I'm making a point to take my kids to some of the low-key activities they love. At the top of that list are free activities like enjoying an outdoor movie and splashing at a local spray park.  Whatever you decide to do this week, don't forget to check the full Event Calendar for other fun happenings!

Keeping cool will be a challenge this week, but Frozen is back at El Capitan for an end of summer sing-a-long. If movie theater AC doesn’t do it for you, cool off with gelato, ice cream, or fro-yo, then head to the beach; we have plenty of them. At some you can even catch a free concert or movie. Another way to keep cool on a hot day is by heading indoors to an ice skating rink. Or, if you'd prefer to just read about skating, hockey lovers and the LA Kings will be spending some quality storytime together at the Brentwood branch library. And this is the last week to celebrate summer nights in the garden at the Natural History Museum. 

Finally, if you have a boy whose voice is in flux as he creeps from tween to teen, you may want to bring him to the Los Angeles Children’s Chorus auditions this week. The LACC’s Young Men’s Ensemble is one of few in the country to serve the changing male voice.

As always there os plenty more on the Mommy Poppins’ Event Calendar.