I'll be honest: when my kids were preschool age, I didn't think they needed school yet. I was full-time with them. So, hrmph. What could a nursery school give them that I couldn't? But I now know that whether or not they needed preschool, the truth is I​ needed preschool. Or, more specifically, I needed to be a parent at a coop nursery school. 

Whether or not you think you might, too, we bring you our series of greater Los Angeles cooperative preschools. We start here with the Westside, but we have similar shout outs to coop preschools in the Valleys and Hollywood/Los Feliz.

A kids pool party is certainly not a new birthday party idea, but they are a sure-fire hit with kids, and you can rent out the pool at your nearest Y pretty reasonably (as NYC kid parties go). I always like to do home parties, however. It's not that I'm cheap (well, yeah, maybe a little), but I am also a homebody and a control freak. I like to do everything myself and have it happen under my roof (or on my roof). So pool parties are out, right? Oh, I may be a cheap, homebody, control freak, but I'm no quitter. So, here's how to throw an awesome urban pool party whether you have a pool or not. If you have any kind of outdoor space (roof, terrace, garden, sidewalk in front of your apartment...) you can do this party with a kiddie pool, or even two. Think creatively. Maybe you could even do it in the playground or park. If you don't have outdoor space you can always do your pool party at a public pool. A pool party can be a great, low-stress party. You don't need to hire entertainment and once the kids get going, the adults can just sit back and chill while the kids have a blast in the water.

As there is no shortage of drama in my house (3 girls!), I’ve decided to embrace the theatrics by enrolling them into some drama and dance camps this summer.  Happily I’ve found a number of options for my budding thespians and dancers in the Fairfield County area:

[UPDATED 3/9/13]

There are lots of great summer camps in Litchfield County and Washington Montessori School, a private pre-k through grade 8 school, provides a wide variety of options for different ages. The camps are open to the public and are a great way to meet other children in the surrounding area. There is such a variety that I thought it best to just list them all here in one place. Registration is currently open however some will fill up quickly. Cooking around the world, Camp Lego, Lacrosse and the Artist's Workshop are just some of the offerings. Read more for a full listing of the 2013 WMS Summer Camps.

You know what's funny? I thought I had already been to one of the Toyota Symphonies for Youth. Perhaps what I remembered was a World City, or a Drum Downtown, or one of the other wonderful programs the Music Centers offers for families. But the moment we arrived at the Disney Concert Hall on Saturday morning for Holst's The Planets, I realized that this was an experience I had not had.

As most school-aged children in the area know, the Harvard Museum of Natural History in Cambridge is a great destination for families with kids who are fascinated by animals, dinosaurs, insects, sea creatures and birds. Its exhibits, informative displays, and special programs make it a fun place to explore.

There's a new reason to visit the HMoNH: Mollusks: Shelled Masters of the Marine Realm, which looks at the world of snails, clams, squid and other invertebrates of the marine world.

Whether you dream of outdoing the Cake Boss for your child's next birthday or just want to bake some homemade sweets, there are stores all over the city with cool supplies. If you're ready to move beyond basic techniques, many locations also offer classes on how to ice cakes, make buttercream flowers, work with fondant, and more, though most are geared toward adults and older children. Little ones will still love wandering the aisles and checking out unusual cake toppers, baking tins shaped like their favorite cartoon characters, and sprinkles in every color of the rainbow. And just in case they start begging for their own classes, we included two places that have them specifically for smaller children.

Last year we wrote about the Davis family and their adventures starting a small farm on their property in Washington, CT. They began with a flock of 25 chickens and soon after added a herd of Icelandic sheep and 2 beehives. Right now is maple sugaring season and anyone with some maple trees, an open fire and the time to boil can make maple syrup here in CT. The Davis' tried it out last March and enjoyed it so much that they have upgraded their operation this season. Elliott Davis answered some of my questions: