Sunday is Earth Day and you can celebrate nature in our urban jungle at lots of outdoor festivals like Grand Central Terminal's Earth Day Fair, the art-filled St. George Day Festival on Staten Island and the first-ever Harlem Earth Day, which takes place at four of the neighborhood's gorgeous green spaces.

Two annual family favorites also kick off this weekend. The Tribeca Film Festival has free outdoor movie screenings and Saturday's Tribeca/NYFEST Soccer Day, which promises clinics and matches for kids. At the Bronx Zoo, families can enjoy the first weekend of Animal Tales Extravaganza, featuring visits from Curious George and the Yo Gabba Gabba gang.

All of our best bets for the weekend are below. Remember, you can find additional ideas in our Event Calendar and our Spring Fun Guide.

Update: As of Thursday, the forecast calls for rain all weekend. Assuming it does pour, outdoor activities may be cancelled so be sure to check each event's official website for confirmation. We've also clearly marked which events are indoors.

Taking your child or children on a trip without benefit of another adult can be a daunting task. However, with the right approach, traveling alone with a baby or small child can be done and done successfully.

I am a veteran of two solo trips with my preschooler. It hasn’t been easy, but the benefits have certainly outweighed the obstacles. Going on trips alone with my child created special memories that only we share together and, perhaps it's like being in the trenches together, a special bond from our trips.

It wasn't always easy. Traveling alone with a child is always an adventure, but it is possible. Consider the following helpful hints when planning and taking to travel alone with a baby or child.

Last week when I posted about the best stage shows for families this spring, I intentionally left out the New York Children's Theater Festival. That's because I felt a venture like this deserved its own dedicated post.

While we're lucky to have the New Victory and lots of local family troupes, and the Fringe Festival offers a handful of FringeJr productions every year, this is the first time anyone has launched an entire theater festival aimed specifically at kids in New York City. Pretty hard to believe when you consider that NYC is a mecca for theater (not to mention families).

Who finally came up with the idea for the New York Children's Theater Festival? A mom of course, who also happens to be an actress, and two other industry professionals with a background in kids' theater. Over the next three weekends, the fest will present a trio of family musicals on the Upper West Side. We've got the scoop on the shows and how the NYCTF may improve NYC's children's theater scene.

For anyone who has spent time in Harvard Square over the last few months, it has been hard to miss the activity going on at 1 JFK Street. Large, colorful pictures of Curious George lifting up a curtain and peeking out the store window should have been enough to pique any child’s - or adult's - curiosity.

We were definitely curious to know what was behind the curtain, and were lucky enough to have a behind-the-scenes tour of the store. We also met with Adam Hirsch, who, with his wife, Jamie, is responsible for all the activity. Even though the grand opening was still three weeks away at the time of our tour, it was clear that the World’s Only Curious George Store, Harvard Square is going to be an exciting place for children, one that both local families and out-of-towners will want to visit frequently.

Have you ever noticed (of course you have) how vibrantly and easily children move? Throughout their active days they run and glide and bend and fall - all with such freedom and grace (and, unlike us, they're not stiff the next day). Many of us creaky parents (me) seek yoga to settle our minds and loosen our shoulders. It's high time we invited our wee Gumbys to try it, too. Kids may not have our low back pain, but they will no doubt appreciate the other benefits this gentle practice offers. You're never too young (or too supple) to start yoga. Read on for places that will most definitely delight our little yogi-kids.

Flowering trees, babbling brooks, and baby animals, Oh My! Are you up for some free outdoor fun with your NJ kids? Located in scenic Allamuchy right off Route 80, Stephens State Park is a hidden gem in Warren County.  About an hour's drive from most NJ locations, it is toddler/kid friendly and offers nature fun for everyone. There are six miles of marked trails ready for walking, hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. Bring your jogging stroller, butterfly nets, and baby backpacks!

It's back to school this week and ironically, we have no school news this time around. Instead, we've got the scoop on new zoo animals, including one seriously coo-worthy giraffe, free comic books, toy recycling and more. Plus one scary article that struck fear into my heart about 10-year-olds and puberty, two things that definitely should not go together.

Over the past several weeks, Mommy Poppins has delved into the mysterious and at times overwhelming world of public school choices available to families who reside within the boundaries of LAUSD (the Los Angeles Unified School District). We've sung the praises of great neighborhood schools, given an overview of options if the assigned neighborhood school is not a great fit for your family, and taken a closer look at the history, philosophy, and reality of independent public charter schools. Today we look at the attraction of the magnet programs, and what you need to know to get your child into one.