Every time we visit Point Pleasant, our favorite summer destination, my kids declare that they will throw their next birthday party in the amusement area (sorry October girls!). Lucky for summer celebrators, New Jersey’s amusement parks provide the backdrop for an unforgettable, warm-weather birthday bash, with rides, games and fun. With so much built-in activity, party hosts can sit back and enjoy the ride without worrying about details. Most outdoor theme parks offer party packages from Memorial through Labor Day and require a backup rain date. Have a thrilling birthday celebration at these great New Jersey amusement parks. And for more fantastic party ideas, check out Mommy Poppins NJ's Birthday Party Guide.

Enjoy a one-of-a-kind festival this weekend at the Fleece & Fiber Fair in Riverhead, where you'll get up close and personal with sheep and their wool. Families can also get the gang together at the Nassau County Museum of Art on Sunday or hang loose at anti-gravity mommy/daddy me yoga in Bellmore.

Get some deep discounts on kiddie items at The Kids Kloset Consignment Sale in Garden City. Click here for other consignment shops and sales around the island.

Starting to plan your summer vacation? Check out our list of family-friendly campgrounds on Long Island.

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Do you like outdoor festivals? Then you're going to love this weekend. A bunch of our annual favorites are taking place like downtown Manhattan's FREE Dance Parade New York, Madison Square Park's no-cost Spring Kids Fest and Brooklyn's ride-filled Kings County Fair. Plus Flushing Meadows Corona Park is hosting the World's Fair Anniversary Festival featuring entertainment and fireworks, and El Museo del Barrio is throwing a neighborhood-wide Super Sabado block party.

There's lots of cool culture on tap, too, including a concert by the Queen of Kindie Rock, Laurie Berkner, and the Little Orchestra Society's interactive musical murder mystery The Composer is Dead. It's also the final weekend for some exceptional family theater shows including TADA!'s whimsical film noir satire Samantha Space, Ace Detective, the acrobatic dance spectacle HyperISH at the New Victory and Making Books Sing's fabulous Dear Albert Einstein, which encourages kids to love math and be themselves.

These are just a few of the great things going on this weekend. All of our best bets are below. Remember, there are even more options in our Event Calendar and our Spring Fun Guide. Before heading out on your adventures, be sure to download our FREE Mommy Poppins Kids on the Go app so you can find the best family destinations wherever you happen to be in NYC.

Now is the time to get outdoors and play! The trees are green again, the flowers are in bloom and best of all, temps are mild but not too hot (yet!). Get some fresh air with the gang on a Spring Wildflower Walk or a Family Woodland Hike at NJ Botanical Gardens or make it an all day affair at Historic Smithville’s Mayfest. You can also take in a Classic Car Show in downtown Chester or check out some historic baseball during Pitching the Past at the Village of Alliare, or find a full list of weekend activities on our Event Calendar.

Lemon Curd. I distinctly remember the first time I tried it. I thought lemon curd was the best thing I'd ever tasted. I think I ate the whole jar in one sitting. To this day, I think of lemon curd as a delicious treat for special occasions. This recipe is so fast and easy you can whip up a small batch for a breakfast treat with toast or pastry.

In this edition of our biweekly links post, you'll get the scoop on a brand-new bus giving you easy access to cool Long Island City culture spots, an overhauled rec center in Washington Heights and a new East Village ice cream parlor with super-funky flavors. Plus: a swanky crafts studio has significantly lowered its prices, the Metropolitan Museum has a new art scavenger hunt and find out how you can feed hungry NYC kids by skipping lunch this week.