Julie A. Ross, our guest writer and the Executive Director of Parenting Horizons, is a mom and the author of three parenting books. She runs numerous parenting workshops and events throughout the metropolitan area.

For many children, going back to school evokes a mixture of feelings: anticipation, excitement and apprehension, among others. As school approaches, we need to help our children make the transition with as little stress and anxiety as possible.

Small Factory Productions is a little studio nestled in Fair Haven, NJ that is producing some of today’s most innovative work in art, design and animation, even winning an Emmy in recognition of their efforts. So what makes them different from other television or music studios? At Small Factory, all of the directors, producers and designers are children. This unique facility allows kids to create music, art, cartoons and more through interactive programs that spark the imagination. Read on to learn more about Small Factory and how you can receive a special discount at one of their upcoming Factory Nights.

We soaked up a lot of sun and cool culture this week (that's my daughter posing on a giant arachnid at the American Natural History Museum's awesome Spiders Alive! exhibit). But we also started to prepare for the new academic year. We just launched our Back-to-School Guide, which includes healthy breakfast and lunch ideas, cool kids' clothing websites and even do-it-yourself back-to-school fashion and supply projects.

If you're still in vacation mode, our Travel site continued its focus on Brattleboro, Vermont with a roundup of the best things to do and places to eat and stay with kids. Closer to home, our New Jersey bloggers took a fun-filled spin around the Pole Position Raceway in Jersey City while up in Connecticut we spent a day at the New Britain Youth Museum. And if you're looking for a great end-of-summer weekend getaway, consider a last-minute trip to the Jersey Shore or hitting one of the many New York State fairs happening this month.

Here's what else we shared this week on our NYC site.

The Wiggles are in town this weekend! And It’s said that their Celebration Tour will be the last time that all of the originals will be performing together, so if you’ve got little ones, and if tickets are still available, we’ve got the ‘fo for getting discounted tickets. Also, BACCA is hosting its Long Island Bluegrass Festival this weekend, and there’s  Live Endangered Animals Presentation at the Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum.

Have a great weekend!

Looking for something to do that final week of August before school starts? Not able to get time off work to hang out with them that week? Kids bored at home and need one last week of fun and enrichment? New Jersey kids are in luck! There are still camps open and ready to register new campers for that last hurrah. Check out our list of summer camps with availability for that pesky week of August 27 to the 31st!

Families can find a full slate of summer festivals in the Boston area this weekend, from the Boston GreenFest on City Hall Plaza and the North End’s Fisherman’s Feast to the West End Children’s Festival and Verrill Farm’s Corn and Tomato Festival. There’s also a Marine Encampment at the Charlestown Navy Yard, with special events throughout the weekend. Read on for details about these and other weekend activities, and be sure to check our Events Calendar for more ideas.

Is your family is trying to get the most out of the last few weeks of summer vacation while dealing with back-to-school jitters (kids and parents!)? Check out our Back to School Guide for ways to help ease the transition, including Tara’s own DIY Fashions and Supplies post.

Enjoy!

Cinderella, a robot, and a dinosaur walked into a bar… it sounds like a joke but it’s just business as usual here in LA, where the air is so thick with things to do that they’re calling in a smog alert. Seriously, you can follow two different roads to Oz,  embark on cultural expeditions to learn about Hopi art, Korean dance, or crafts from Papua New Guinea,  build a school organizer, a crawly caterpillar, or a chalk work of art. You’ll be so busy, you won’t even notice that school is starting… NYAH NYAH NYAH I CAN’T HEAR YOU MY FINGERS ARE IN MY EARS, NO SCHOOL HERE.

After all, maybe it’s true. Maybe you’re one of the lucky ones who has one or two or maybe even three weeks of summer break remaining. (If you’re not sure, check here). Maybe you don’t need our tips on how to keep the summer going because for you, summer’s still in full swing.  Maybe you’ll glance at our back to school guide with polite interest, instead of the frenzy of a drowning man reaching for a life preserver.

Whatever your story, remember this: they may rule your Monday through Friday, but the weekend is all yours, baby. And with that in mind, may we suggest our favorite picks for your weekend...

Don’t let the back-to-school madness bum you out. There are three more weekends of summer break to go, so there's still time to hit the beaches, the pools and the sprinklers, and enjoy other seasonal fun. This weekend brings the New York Botanic Garden’s Global Gardens Harvest Celebration, Riverside Park South's annual kite festival FlyNYC and the final Summer Streets (that’s my boy pedaling up Park Avenue at last Saturday's installment). Other family fun includes annual favorites Great Jazz on the Great Hill and Harlem Week.

That's just a bit of what's going on. All of our best bets for the weekend are below. You can find additional options in our Summer Fun Guide and our Event Calendar.