This weekend is book-ended by the quirky International Pi Day on Friday and St Patrick’s Day on Monday (celebrated in Boston on Sunday with the traditional South Boston Parade, starting at 1pm). In between, we’ve got the Boston Flower Show in Boston, a Maple Sugaring Festival in Ipswich, a book launch in Dedham, Purim carnivals, and plenty of other events and activities for Boston families.

Also this week, our first roundup of 2014 April Vacation Week camps highlights programs that get kids outdoors, exploring nature. These camps also give campers a preview of the traditional summer camp experience. Looking ahead to summer? Be sure to check out our new and improved Camps Directory, offering multiple ways to search for quality camps in and around Boston that your child will love.

Enjoy!

Holy Hamantaschen: it's St. Patrick's Day! That doesn't sound quite right... Let me try again. Erin go Purim. Okay, that's even more mixed up. I'm dressing up as Esther for the St. Patrick's Day Parade, and chowing down on corned beef and cabbage for the many Purim Carnivals around town. Now shake your noise maker at that pesky leprechaun, and let's get to partying, because this holiday weekend is two- two - two holidays in one!

Not to mention the imminent approach of spring. Only days away, and well-deserved after the thrashing we received this winter (need I remind you it rained that one time?). The onset of spring means summer can't be far behind. Check out our new 'n' improved Summer Camp Guide, now with minty fresh search features.

As usual, there is plenty of non-holiday-affiliated fun to be had as well. You can check out art at the airport, monsters at the zoo, say farewell to a local favorite, and look at a really big plant. You might even find that pot o' gold at the end of the rainbow.

Read on for our favorite picks for this weekend…

With the warmer weather descending upon us and St. Patrick's Day being celebrated across Long Island, it's the perfect opportunity to break free from the snow boots and down jackets and bask in the sunshine. Of course, if you're still waiting for the mercury to rise a bit more, there are plenty of indoor activities for the whole family as well, such as a LEGO sculpture event at the Heckscher Museum of Art or Incredible Kid Day at the Long Island Children's Museum. 

Here's a guide for this weekend's happenings across Long Island. Don't see your event listed here? Add it to our events calendar. And if you don't already receive this post in your inbox, subscribe to our newsletter.

Last fall, we asked our readers to take a short survey and share their thoughts about how to improve our Summer Camp Guide. Overwhelmingly, we heard that you wanted a combination of our editorial recommendations, plus the ability to search listings and find recommendations from other parents.

So we're happy to debut our newly updated Camp Guide and our Camp Directory, now featuring an improved search, parent reviews and star ratings, and other enhancements. Even better: Our overhauled Directory isn't just for camps. We have listings for party places and services, enriching classes, indoor play spaces and special needs services, too.

Read on to find out more or head straight to our Day Camp Guide, Sleepaway Camp Guide and Directory to browse the listings and leave reviews for your favorite programs.

Last fall, we asked our readers to take a short survey and share their thoughts about how to improve our Summer Camp Guide. Overwhelmingly, we heard that you wanted a combination of our editorial recommendations, plus the ability to search listings and find recommendations from other parents.

So we're happy to debut our newly updated Camp Guide and our Camp Directory, now featuring an improved search, parent reviews and star ratings, and other enhancements. Even better: Our overhauled Directory isn't just for camps. We have begun bringing you listings for party places and services and enriching classes, too.

Read on to find out more or head straight to our Day Camp Guide and Directory to browse the listings and leave reviews for your favorite programs.

It's a busy season for cool kids culture. Four of our top family event picks for March take place this weekend: the premiere of Vital Children Theatre's new page-to-stage musical Peace, Love and Cupcakes, the 20th anniversary revue by the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus, the annual Purim carnival at the JCC in Manhattan and the second weekend of screenings at the New York International Children's Film Festival.

And that's not all! Other highlights include family-friendly St. Patrick's Day parades in Brooklyn and the Bronx, additional Purim celebrations at Jewish culture spots throughout Manhattan, a Baby Loves Disco dance party, plus The Queens Courier's FREE Girls World Expo in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, where the Mommy Poppins gang will be giving away summer camp sessions.

These are just a few of the great things going on this weekend. All of our best bets are below. You can find additional options in our Event Calendar.

Before heading out on your adventures, be sure to download our FREE Mommy Poppins Kids on the Go app—now also available for Android—so you can find the best family destinations wherever you happen to be in NYC.

Our series of posts about Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill and Boerum Hill continues with a roundup of family-friendly restaurants in the neighborhood. From a preliminary list of about 30 delicious eateries, we whittled our favorites down to 15, including old-fashioned soda fountain Brooklyn Farmacy, retro Italian eateries and some of the best burger joints in all of Brooklyn. Did your top spots make the cut? Read on to see our 15 picks and then share your family's regular haunts in the comments.

Goodbye polar vortex, hello daffodils.  Spring really is on its way, bringing warmer breezes and school break.  If you are planning a vacation, there are good deals on family getaways to Boston, Washington, D.C., Saugerties in the Hudson Valley, Dallas, Virginia and Charleston. More exotic locales such as Playa Mita, Mexico and Costa Rica are also on sale.  If you’re a fan of the films Frozen or Rocky , try your luck and enter a sweepstakes to win an escorted Adventures By Disney trip to Norway or a trip to Philadelphia.