Looking for Something To Do in Litchfield County?

Let's face it. Sometimes we just want to know about what's happening in a specific region of CT and NOT the entire state. If you are just interested in finding something to do in Litchfield County you're in the right place.

For all current events you can go to the Events Calendar on the Connecticut Mommy Poppins page and in the "search events" box type in "Litchfield". Voila! Up pops all of the Litchfield events for you to choose from. You can also find specific blog entries that are related to Litchfield under the Litchfield tab. Have any ideas or suggestions for Litchfield county blogs? Email me at: CT@mommypoppins.com. I hope you enjoy the site! Mary Beth

Fun Things to Do for Connecticut Kids and Families May 14th-15th: Farm Days, Shows and Festivals, Civil War Reenactment

MuThere's a lot of fun stuff going on this weekend in CT and we have the low-down for you. For a bit of culture check out the  Aquatic Dance Festival or the Music in the Garden Concert Series.

Go back into history at the Litchfield Civil War Commemoration, the Robin Hood Festival, the Primitive Skills Day or at the Artifacts Identification Day.

Dennis Leary is hosting  the 6th Annual Celebration of Young Writers in Washington Depot. And Joshua Kane performs a one man interactive psychic family show in Fairfield.

For a taste of nature, there's Spring on the Farm at Heckscher Family Farm in Stamford and a Farm Day in West Hartford which includes butter making, sheep shearing and hayrides.

That's not all. Check out the weekend highlights below and enjoy!

Weekly Wrap Up: Free Camping in NYC Parks, NYPL's Centennial Festival and the Moms of Mommy Poppins

Is it us, or did the week go by really quickly? Not that we're complaining. We've been planning our weekend since, oh, Monday or so.

Although Mother's Day is behind us, moms are always No. 1 in our book. That's why we kicked off the week with a slide show of the moms at Mommy Poppins and their kids, and asked our readers to share their pictures on our Facebook page. It's not too late! Log on and show off your fabulous family.

Technically it's still spring but with temperatures in the 70s, we're starting to think about all kinds of summer fun, like ice cream and camping. And we rounded up the best family events at the New York Public Library's upcoming centennial festival—they're all free.

And that's just a bit of what's going on. Here's what we covered this week on Mommy Poppins in NYC, Long Island, New Jersey and Connecticut.

Peter and Wendy: 8 Reasons to Take Kids 10 and Up to This Mature Puppet Show

There's a ton of theater in this town for little kids (especially girls). From Angelina Ballerina to Pinkalicious to Freckleface Strawberry, sometimes I think every pink-clad kit-lit heroine has had a musical made in her honor. But once your elementary schooler graduates to middle school, there aren't a lot of options, unless you're willing to spring for Blue Man or Broadway.

That's why I was so excited when I heard that the New Victory was bringing back one of its signature shows, Peter and Wendy, which played at the theater in 1997 and 2002. Based on J. M. Barrie's novelization of his Peter Plan play, Peter and Wendy is a much more melancholy take on the famous story. The suggested age is 10 and up, and that makes sense. With a deliberately slow pace (the production clocks in around two and a half hours), abstract puppetry (a pair of nightshirts represent Wendy's brothers, John and Michael) and a wistful tone, this tale of a motherless boy who won't grow up is best appreciated by those who have—or are about to—grow up themselves.

I have my criticisms of the production: The treacly Irish music sounded like the soundtrack to Titanic, and the Peter puppet was way more creepy than cute. But overall, it's a haunting, one-of-a-kind experience. Here are eight reasons why you should take your family (or, if your kids are too young, consider it for date night).

Your NJ Weekend May 14-15: Fish, “Fly” Through Space, Boogie, Board Battleships, Do Disney or Drink Tea: Lots of Fun FREE

Spring break, parent-teacher conferences, Easter, Passover–doesn’t feel like we’ve had a full week of school forever.... ’til now.  Break out of the back-to-school doldrums with a day of letting loose: shear sheep, jump a space shuttle, dance around a Maypole, go fishin’, boogie in the streets or board a battleship!  Leaving the Cartoon Network-watching couch on the weekend a big enough family task? Try a tamer activity–maybe a local production of Disney’s “The Jungle Book,” or a visit to one of Morris Area’s nine museums offering FREE admission. And remember your mantra: “2 weeks until Memorial Day break, 2 weeks until Memorial Day break.”

Free and Fun Things to Do for NYC Kids and Families: Weekend Festivals May 14-15, 2011

This weekend has it all: fantastic festivals, sports, theater, music, dance and museum events for families, all free or inexpensive. There's so much going on (seriously—we have five pages of events in our calendar!) it's hard to know where to start.

Well, how about the sports front? There are two competitive track events, the Hershey Track & Field Games and the NYRR Youth Jamboree, and Asphalt Green is also hosting its annual Big Swim. Since May is Bike Month, there are lots of cycling events, like the Brooklyn Bike Jumble, a flea market geared toward riders.

As for festivals, the main event is the Ninth Avenue Food Festival, but lots of schools, like P.S. 84, are throwing fetes, and in Queens you'll find the Highland Park Strawberry Festival.

Cultural treats include a concert by Peter Yarrow & Friends, New York Ballet Theater’s Sleeping Beauty, Living Large at the American Museum of Natural History and tours of the Little Red Lighthouse.

Be sure to check out the Mommy Poppins Events Calendar for even more options. Now here are the highlights for the weekend.

Things to Do on Long Island for Kids and Families May 14-15: Bird Watching, Butterfly Fun, Animal Baby Showers and More

Exciting events and amazing activities are all taking place this weekend on Long Island. After a wonderful (and hopefully restful) Mother's Day weekend, we've got some fun places to recharge you, and for you to enjoy with your family. From flowers, butterflies and birds to fun children's theater, there is something for everyone here. Enjoy your weekend.

 

Beyond Ni Hao: Chinese Language Lessons for NYC Kids

Oh, to be young again! Like tennis, ballet and good hygiene, a second language is best started when you're young. And local kids are lucky: New York City is such a melting pot, they've got plenty of language classes to choose from.

The most widely spoken language in the world, Mandarin, is also one of the most popular to learn. Of course, watching Ni Hao, Kai-lan can only take your kid so far, but hearing my daughter count to three in Mandarin inspired me to research Chinese language lessons for kids in the city.

Here's what I found.

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