With schools wrapping up their half days and blowing out the candles on those combo summertime birthday parties, we decided to keep the news short and sweet. Enjoy the start of summer break by cooing at a pair of baby lemurs, getting creative in the recently extended MoMA Material Lab, waiting in line so your kids can audition for a brand-new Broadway musical, and cheering (or booing, depending on your point of view) the war on junk food, which seems to be coming from all sides these days, not just Bloomberg.

With summer fast approaching, it's time to make plans for fun family trips and days out!  Or maybe the kids are asking for a day camp. But camp isn't always so affordable... A nice "solution" is to enroll your kids in a few vacation bible schools, informally known as VBSs.

The official start to summer is still ten days away, but this August-like weather has us all stripping down to our bathing suits already. With barbecues, summer camping trips and dips in the lake, the lazy days of summer can throw a wrench into our health routines. Staying safe and smart is sometimes easier said than done. Here are some helpful tips and valuable website links to start your summer out right!

When kids learn about the history of slavery in the United States of America, it is, of course, taught with a great deal of gravitas. But this month, New York City families can experience the jubilation of emancipation at various Juneteenth celebrations that commemorate the abolition of slavery.

A combination of the words June and nineteenth, the holiday of African-American independence dates back to June 19, 1865, when Civil War General Gordon Granger arrived in Texas to claim the state for the Union and make sure the slaves were freed. (This was two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, believe it or not.) As of 2012, 41 states including New York recognize the occasion, and families can celebrate Juneteeth at various kid-friendly festivals and gatherings this month.

Wait, so you're still looking for summer camp? Evidently "wait" is your mantra. Well, waiting is about to pay off: we have a $250 gift certificate to share with one lucky procrastinator family! UCLA Family Commons in Santa Monica  has every kind of summer camp imaginable - boys only, girls only, and little kids, too - and Mommy Poppins is giving away a $250 certificate to be applied to any week of camp. Read on for details - and don't forget to check out our other last minute summer camp deals, too!

We had a lot of time off from school this week to enjoy some of the cool summer attractions we've been posting about. We made funky music by touching the sculptures in Madison Square Park's interactive art installation Pet Sounds, and spent a lot of time playing at a few of our favorite water playgrounds. Considering many public schools recently cancelled the two final full days of classes, it looks like families will have even more time explore early summer fun. However, if you're a working parent in need of child care and aren't sure what you're going to do, check out our camp sale. Fifteen programs are offering discounts of up to 65% and many are in session that last week of June. Hurry: The deals end this Sunday.

If you're looking to take a day trip, our Connecticut site rounded up summer fairs and festivals in both Fairfield and Hartford Counties, and we've got more of the same on our New Jersey site. Many of the fests take place this weekend, including the famous Rubber Ducky Festival in NJ's Berkeley Heights. Here in NYC, a few free summer culture series kicked off this week, including Celebrate Brooklyn! and SummerStage, which is hosting its first Family Day in Brooklyn this Sunday.

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

Summertime….a reason to do everything and anything outside! Take advantage of New Jersey’s summer evenings and get out of the house for some culture, whether it be Shakespeare or a get-up-on-your-feet-and-dance musical. Pack a lovely summer picnic and enjoy a play in one of these local parks, outdoor theaters or fairgrounds.

Boston-area families can find plenty of fun and free things to do this weekend. From Big Joe’s Storytelling Show at Barefoot Books in Concord and a performance of Little Red Riding Hood in Newburyport to the Dragon Boat Festival in Cambridge and a Food Truck Festival in Boston, the weekend is filled with festivals and celebrations.

Planning ahead for Father’s Day? We’ve rounded up some fun breakfast spots where dads can be treated to a great meal. And it’s still not too late to make your summer plans; check out part 2 of our last-minute summer camps series.

Read on for more of our weekend picks, and be sure to check our Events Calendar for more ideas.