While there are lots of wonderful children's books about New York City, our kids are lucky enough to live here. They don't need to read a book to find out what it's like to play in the street on a snowy day or run amok at the Plaza or visit the Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge.

Yet there are times when flipping through a book about an iconic NYC experience can actually get local children excited for the real thing, like going to an art museum. Recently, Mommy Poppins founder Anna got her nine-year-old psyched for the Gutai exhibit at the Guggenheim by giving him Speeding Down the Spiral: An Artful Adventure, a picture book about visiting the museum that contained a catalog of its permanent collection. He pored over the images and couldn't wait to see the works of art in person.

There are other inspiring kids' books out there about exploring NYC's great art institutions. We're not talking about those general enjoy-the-museum stories that take place at fictitious culture spots. These 10 titles work as primers so your kids will be excited to spend a day at the museum, be it the Met, the Guggenheim or MoMA.

[UPDATED 5/25/2013]

Connecticut will be throwing open the front door for residents and visitors alike to try something new in the Nutmeg State on June 8th.  The State Department of Tourism calls the event 'Open House Day' and 2013 marks its ninth year.  More than 175 art galleries, museums, and parks statewide will offer free or reduced admission, free gifts or special exhibits.  It's the perfect excuse to try out that spot you've been curious about. In Fairfield County, the Open House Day participants list is heavy on the arts, which means lots of free crafts for the kiddos.

What could be better than having access to the Mommy Poppins Connecticut website not only on your computer, but now on your phone? We’re working on developing an app for NYC to launch in June, and with your help, Connecticut's content could follow almost immediately. Read on to find out about how you can help make it happen and the super-cool incentives you can get for helping, like having a photo of your child at their favorite kids' spot represent that location, a ticket to our swanky launch party or having your business be the featured location in your area.

So what would this app do? The Mommy Poppins App will allow you to find all the great places we write about on our sites—spots to create, be active, learn, shop, eat and more—easily on your phone. With the Mommy Poppins App, you'll be able to:

Memorial Day weekend is the talk of the town—and out of town, too. All of our sites have posts about the best things to do over the three-day holiday, whether you opt for a New York City staycation or decide to take a day trip to Connecticut, New Jersey or Long Island. Tri-state area beaches open for the season this weekend, and we've got the scoop on what to expect post-Hurricane Sandy at NYC, Connecticut and Jersey Shores. We also have some great suggestions for day trips, all less than two hours from the city by car. In other words, we've got your entire Memorial Day weekend covered!

Have you contributed to our IndieGoGo Mommy Poppins App campaign yet? We're in the process of creating an app for all of our sites so you'll have our carefully curated content at your fingertips when you're on the go. For as little as $2 you can ensure that the app will be free to all, and we're offering some cool rewards for more generous contributions. Speaking of apps, we're proud to be partnering with family activity app RedRover, which recently relaunched and now includes Mommy Poppins event picks.

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

It’s a long holiday weekend, and there are plenty of fun and free things to do with kids in and around Boston, from Lexington's Discovery Day and the Run to Remember Expo to Play Date at the ICA. And please be sure to see our special Memorial Day activities post for special events happening all weekend long, including an Open House at the MFA, the Garden of Flags tribute on the Boston Common, and the Remembrance Concert at Christopher Columbus Park. Read on for for more of our weekend picks, and be sure to visit our Events Calendar for more ideas.

And if the holiday weekend has you thinking ahead to summer activities, check out Family Friendly Tent Camping, the first post in our new series of guest blog posts on getting outdoors as a family, in partnership with the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Kids Outdoors Boston. We also introduce you to five local children's book authors you might live near, from our newest contributor, Rachel. And the Mommy Poppins App is coming! You can help us launch it and win cool rewards.

Enjoy!

What could be better than the Mommy Poppins Boston website, where you go to find cool things to do with your kids? Having access to everything on the website when you’re at your computer – plus an app for your phone when you’re on the go!  We’re working on developing an app for NYC to launch in June, and with your help, we could have Boston content following almost immediately. Read on to find out answers to your questions about the app, how you can help make it happen, and the super-cool incentives you can get for helping. 

Weather isn't look great this weekend and some of our outdoor event picks may be canceled, rescheduled or move inside. We're doing our best to keep this post updated, but if it does rain on Saturday, Sunday or Monday, be sure to check the events' official websites before going to find out if anything has changed. Memorial Day began as a day of remembrance for the men and women who have died serving our country in the United States Armed Forces.  We mark this day with parades honoring those lost, historical presentations and educational events.  Over the years Memorial Day has also taken on meaning for many as the unofficial start of summer, celebrating with barbecues, beach openings and fairs.  However you choose to observe Memorial Day we've rounded up events happening throughout the state for you to enjoy with your family.