Taking full advantage of Boston’s location - the Charles River to the west and Boston Harbor to the east - community boating programs provide numerous opportunities for kids and families to learn to sail in Boston. Look a little further to the north and south, and options multiply. From annual memberships to five-day passes to one-day rentals, the following sailing centers offer packages that will fit your budget and schedule. Note that many of the lesson and camp programs fill up fast, so be sure to plan ahead.

Does your child come home from a kindie concert completely star struck by the performer on the stage? Does he know - and sing - all the words to all of Josh and the Jamtones’ or the Jumpin' Monkeys' tunes? Does she want to dress up and perform just like Karen K or Marcie Joy? Would you like to get the award for Best Parent Ever by offering your little musician the opportunity to sing and dance with these stars?

Well, you’re in luck, because quite a few of our favorite local musicians are also amazing teachers, sharing their talents with kids lucky enough to live in the Boston area. (Please check out our other music classes post for more local options.) And for information about watching these musicians performing live, check out our Events Calendar.

Outdoor ice skating rinks are great for some fun, unstructured time, but if your budding skater dreams of forward skating, backward skating, stops, edges, crossovers, turns and Mohawks, some formal instruction may be just the thing. Lessons are offered at most of the outdoor rinks featured in our related post, and three skating schools also provide lessons at indoor rinks in the area. We’ve highlighted these skating schools and lesson options below; schedules, registration forms and pricing details can be found on the rink or school websites.

I keep staring at the calendar and wondering, how can it be August already? That old saying that time flies when you're having fun seems to be especially true in summer when the long days (and even nights) are filled with family adventures. (Already this week my kid and I saw Cirque du Soleil: Varekai at Barclays Center, ate at the legendary Brooklyn Junior's and tonight we're off to see Marvel Universe Live! in New Jersey.)

Of course a new month means a bunch of brand-new Go Lists. We've already published roundups of the absolute best things to do with kids throughout August in NYC, Westchester and Connecticut, and the posts for Long Island and New Jersey go up on August 1. If you're hoping to get out of town for a day trip, these exceptional Go List events make for great inspiration. Or just browse our regional sites for destination ideas, like these five great family campgrounds in Westchester, five things to do with kids in Bridgehampton, Long Island and the top trampoline parks in New Jersey. Or, for a multi-day getaway, consider building a trip around the recently opened Legoland Discovery Center in Somerville, Massachusetts.

We're entering the final weeks of our SUMMER OF PLAY CHALLENGE and we're gearing up to give away our grand prize: all the fixings your family needs to throw the Ultimate Summer of Play Bash including a $200 gift card for Imagine Toys, a $100 gift card for Big Dot of Happiness, and delicious organic snacks from Ella's Kitchen and Earth's Best. So keep posting playful pics on social media and you may turn out to be our big winner! If you need family playtime inspiration, we have hundreds of ideas in our SUMMER OF PLAY GUIDE.

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

You'll feel like you've traveled the globe (and back in time) after attending the events on tap this weekend in Westchester and the Hudson Valley! For starters, the beloved New York Renaissance Faire returns this weekend and if that's not enough Renaissance fun for you, indulge further at Hip-Hop Shakespeare. Also on the global itinerary are the Native American Heritage Celebration of the Hudson Valley and the Indian Heritage Festival. Another throwback this weekend is a showing of the Marx Brothers’ Duck Soup. 

For an entirely different excursion, the Lighted Boat Parade lights up the night in New Rochelle this weekend and Rye Playland is celebrating International Friendship Day with discounted admission, fireworks and more.

Read on for more details on our top weekend picks--many of which are FREE. Be sure to click through to the event listing for full details. Making plans weeks in advance? Check out our August Go List for our best bets for fun outings happening throughout the month. And remember to check out the myriad of weekday and weekend events we've captured in our event calendar--you'll find there's no shortage of fun things to do this summer in Westchester! 

There is so much cool stuff happening on Long Island this weekend, it might be hard to figure out what to do with the family. Be wowed by carnival rides in Glen Cove or Hicksville, an Italian circus in Westhampton Beach or a reptile show at the Long Island Game Farm. Or Let It Go and meet Anna and Else at a Frozen-themed breakfast in Ronkonkoma! There's plenty to choose from on our events calendar--there is no end to this summer of play.

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Does August really arrive on Friday? How can this be?! There are too many things on my family's summer bucket list that we haven't gotten around to just yet, including fishing at some of these fabulous spots near Hartford, blueberry and peach picking, and the outdoor games that my kids still can't believe I played when I was a little girl.

Are you playing along with our Summer of Play challenge? To get started, check out our Summer of Play Guide for hundreds of fun and easy activities that can be played indoors or outdoors or even while doing chores.

If you're planning ahead for the month, check out our August Go List for don't miss activities throughout Connecticut.

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