At the risk of being accused of gender-based stereotypes, I believe I have located the exact street address of Daddy Heaven. Don't get me wrong - I thoroughly enjoyed taking my son to the Museum of Flying at Santa Monica Airport the other day, and my son had a great time, too. But the people giving off the true glow of aerial ecstasy at this newly re-opened Santa Monica landmark are definitely the dads. It is, hands-down, the ultimate daddy outing.

Spring has sprung! I won't belabor the fact that it's barely been winter, since lately I seem fixated on the weather in my Mommy Poppins NJ missives, but, seriously, I hope you've left your house these last few months, because it's actually been quite nice out. Moving on. Spring! We're big fans. It's always a pleasure to step out the front door into a perfect 70 degrees, and even after thirty-several years on the planet, there is much delight and surprise in the first pink blossoms fluttering in the wind.

I like to kick off my spring activities stories with a quote, so this one is for my NJ kid, my spring addict, who loves to be barefoot so much, she'll fight about it every day. 

If I had my life to live over, I would start barefoot earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall.  ~Nadine Stair

So go on, there's so much to do. Take deep breaths. Soak it in. Maybe take your shoes off. Here's a list of NJ spring happenings, including hikes, strolls, walks, gardening, and happy discovering.

The Ringling Bros. circus is in town this weekend. My family got a chance to attend opening night, and my husband (who's a pretty tough critic) and I both agreed that this was really the most entertaining circus we've been to. If you get a chance this weekend, go! If the circus isn't your thing, there's lots more going on around the Island for the weekend. The Easter Bunny hits town a little early for breakfast with the tots, it's Waffle Day at the Children's Museum of the East End, the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center is putting on Rainbow Fish, and the Community Synagogue in Port Washington is having a Woodstock-themed family day. Have a great weekend!

Spring has most certainly sprung in NJ, with the high temps (and my kids begging to wear shorts and bathing suits!) This is the perfect weekend to embrace spring fever and get out there with your family. There's something for everyone including kite making, a frog watch, spring beach walk and the popular Family Fun Day at a biergarten. Read on for our picks and remember, you can always find a list of all NJ weekend activities for kids in our Event Calendar. Happy Spring, NJ!

Whether it’s extreme heat, freezing cold, or rain that sends your family running for cover, there’s no need to sit around at home. There are some great places in the Metrowest area for you and the kids to avoid the elements, create something wonderful, and maybe even make some new friends.

Ah, Spring has sprung in the City of Angels. This season always fills me with a sense of anticipation: for the flowers that will bloom, the longer days and sweeter weather, and the hours that will need to be filled while school is on break.

Luckily, Mommy Poppins has you covered, whether you're looking for some awesome spring break camps, or for fun activities you can do as a family. 

What's that ...at the Discovery Science Center? I sense something; a presence I've not felt since... well, since we visited the Jedi Academy at Disneyland. I'm talking of course about the Star Wars exhibit that runs through April 15. The fun and educational exhibit offers great family bonding opportunities over spring break.

Do your vacation plans involve leaving on a jet plane? Boy, do we have a game changer for you. Mommy Poppins has found a service that can match you with nannies or babysitters who are taking the same flights you are. It's worth it just to have someone to answer the 500th iteration of "when are we going to get there?"

For those planning farther ahead we have the latest installment in our LA school series: a primer explaining all the what-when-where-whys of Charter Schools.

And finally, if all this planning is making you hungry, may we suggest a shopping trip to Santa Monica Whole Foods? 5% of all purchases made on Thursday, March 22 will be donated to the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium, (which is an awesome place to take your kids, and worth every penny of our support).

Read on for our favorite picks for this weekend.

Wow! So the sun is shining and the bulbs are blooming. Seems like we skipped the muddy season and went straight into summer this week! Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. This week we were lucky enough to visit the exciting new Chelsea Piers CT which is slated to open in July. We had a hard hat tour and loved every minute of it. Keeping up with summer camp planning, we added preschool camps in Fairfield County to our CT Summer Camps Guide. Easter is early this year and we've posted about Easter activities in the Litchfield County area and in Fairfield County. They are already getting started! We'll be updating our list of 110 Things to Do with Kids in CT Before They Grow Up and adding our readers suggestions soon. Check it out and see if we missed anything else.

This weekend will be a lovely time to go seal watching in the Long Island Harbor. The Picadilly Circus  is showing in Danbury all weekend. Torrington Library is holding a Teddy Bear Picnic and Stepping Stones is teaching about the joys of adopting a shelter dog with Mutt-i-grees.

As the saying goes, ”reading is fundamental”. However, there are children who still struggle to develop reading skills. Reading to a “therapy dog” is a new program has been implemented in many New Jersey schools and libraries. Reading to therapy dogs has helped young students build confidence as readers in an environment free from judgment and criticism. Read on to find out about Therapy Dogs International, located in Flanders NJ, and their program “Tail Waggin’ Tutors”.