The Museum of Science recently sent me tickets to check out the 4D movies it is currently showing: Dora & Diego and Happy Feet. My three year old doesn't nap anymore, but every afternoon we have "rest time," when I'll put on a short movie to let her body rest. I was excited to switch it up and go experience something a little different for an afternoon. But let me tell you, it was the opposite of "rest time"! 4D movies feature multi-sensory effects to provide a thrilling immersion into short films. Sure, I knew this going in, but I thought, "What could be so thrilling about a cartoon penguin and a pre-schooler?"

Everything's coming up autumn on all of our sites this week. In NYC, we officially launched our Fall Fun Guide with new posts about the best museum exhibits for families this season, and harvest festivals, pumpkin patches and even a giant corn maze right here in the Big Apple.

Speaking of apples, we added a bunch of new posts to our Pick Your Own Guide including apple orchards on Long Island and in New Jersey (even low-spray ones), and pumpkin patches in Connecticut. Long Island also highlighted ten fall foliage nature walks, although you don't need to leave NYC to see cool colorful leaves.

If you're looking for a culture-filled destination for one of the upcoming holiday weekends (public school kids have four days off for Rosh Hashanah and three days for Columbus Day), our Family Travel site just shared a great three-day itinerary for Montreal. Fall is a wonderful season to visit before the winter chill sets in, although the city is quite beautiful around the holidays.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

We're entering peak season for festivals in Westchester and the Hudson Valley and this weekend is rife with the first batch. This weekend marks the return of Oktoberfest at Bear Mountain, where you can join in the celebration of all things German. Another returning cultural celebration is the Holy Trinity Greek Festival, running through Sunday, with food, dancing, rides and games.

Also back this year are the American Gold Cup, Fall Crafts at Lyndhurst, the Armonk Cider & Donut Festival and the Arts on Third Festival. Also, a new festival is making the scene this year--the first annual Tribes Hill Music Festival at John Jay Homestead, featuring a long lineup of musical performers, a jam session and other fun features.

Two film events are worth noting, both of which run all weekend: The Alamo Plays the Hits Film Series, where you can get jazzed by a big-screen showing of Singin’ in the Rain, and Patema Inverted, a Japanese animated film about friends with opposite gravities.

Read on for details on these and other great events happening this weekend. If you see something that piques your interest, be sure to click through to the listing for full details. And don't forget, our Event Calendar has even more fun happenings this weekend in Westchester and the Hudson Valley.

With two weeks of school underway and sunny skies ahead, September is ripe with family-friendly activities. Arts are also on tap this weekend with a kiddie concert in Huntington, Family Hour at Heckscher and outdoor film in Long Beach. Fall fairs, festivals and feasts are also kicking off this weekend across Nassau and Suffolk, so check out our guide for where to go and when.

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The chill of fall may be in the air, but there is still time to get out and enjoy outdoor festivals. Arlington and Brookline both celebrate their town days this weekend with local artists, children's activities, and more. Assembly Row in Somerville (pictured) celebrates RiverFest with food trucks, a kids' area, and fireworks, and South Boston has its own street fair this weekend. You can even participate in a "pi" eating contest at Mathapalooza in Framingham.

Of course, we all have school on our minds this time of year. If you are considering private school options, check out the Innovation Education Fair. If you have a little one starting kindergarten this year, celebrate with the Kindergarten Playdate at Einstein's Workshop in Burlington. The Boston Center for Youth and Families will be giving away school supplies at their Free Basketball Tournament on Sunday afternoon.

Do you know a kid who is doing great things for the community? A kid who goes way out of his way to make a difference - organizing food drives, raising funds for a local nonprofit, volunteering with a charity organization, dishing it up at a soup kitchen - in short, a kid who really rocks? NOMINATE THAT KID NOW for the Kids Who Really Rock contest and she could win a $500 donation from Mommy Poppins for her favorite nonprofit organization!

Also on Mommy Poppins Boston this week:

• Tara gives you the low down on Corn Mazes in and Around Boston.
• Fall means apples. We'll show you where to pick your own!
• Find out what you need to know before you go to King Richard's Faire with kids.

Be sure to check our calendar for more great events and as always, enjoy your weekend!

Is it hot in here, or is it just me? (Because, you know, I’m a mom who’s got it going on like that.)  But no, it’s That Hot, as in You Might Even Think It’s Still Summer hot (which technically I suppose it is, but no it isn’t because Back to School and Labor Day.) You might want to consider some indoor, AC-assisted events for the weekend. You can let down your hair with Rapunzel in the breezy El Capitan,  stroll with Dinos at Staples, and jam with Mickey and Minnie at the Terrace Theatre in Long Beach. You can also learn a thing or two at the Green Festival (like maybe a way to cut back your global-warming carbon footprint so we can lower the temps a degree or two).

Of course, there’s plenty of outdoor activities that are worth going out for. The lobsters and puppets are hanging out close to the water; I’m guessing they got a tip that it’s cooler there.  If you wait until the sun goes down, you can party with Bart Simpson or the moon. And the LA Zoo wisely scheduled its Cool at the Zoo event for this weekend, with ice sculptures and misters and free treats to keep things copacetic. (Coincidence or evil genius plan?)

Whatever you do, be sure to wear sunscreen and drink lots of water. (I may be a hot Mom, but I’m still a mother!) 

Keep reading for our coolest picks for this weekend....

The idea of a gated playground is quite appealing. Sometimes we need the boundaries we set to be literal. Containment, especially when you’re dealing with toddlers, is the name of the game. That said, my daughter was a runner and no park fence would have been enough to keep her nearby if there was something on the horizon that caught her attention. Nevertheless, for some families a closed gate is all it takes to make a park visit work; and for the rest of us it is occasionally nice to have at least the illusion of security that an enclosed playground provides. Here are a few nice ones in the Valley (to add to our popular list of Westside gated playgrounds):

Due to expected rain on Saturday, some outdoor events may be canceled or rescheduled. Before you head out, check the event's official website for updates. One of fall's biggest and oldest celebrations, the 88th annual Feast of San Gennaro, takes over Little Italy this weekend with rides, vendors and delicious food. Meanwhile, you can go fly a kite at the annual fest in Brooklyn Bridge Park, sample delicious sweets at Rockaway's NYC Honey Fest or find out about everything the 92nd Street Y has to offer families at its StreetFest on the Upper East Side.

There's some great culture on tap, too, including the National Ballet of Canada’s interpretation of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland at Lincoln Center, a FREE screening of Dolphin Tale 2 in Soho and an awesome $20 ticket deal on some of the best Off-Broadway shows for kids.

All of our best bets for this weekend are below. You can find additional options in our Event Calendar and our Fall 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.