Update: In lieu of a parade in 2013, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey is hosting an Elephant Dance Party in Dumbo, Brooklyn on Wednesday, March 20. Find the info here. We also have the scoop on eight circus shows playing NYC this spring.

A lot of readers have been asking when Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus plans to parade its elephants across the Queens-Midtown Tunnel and through the streets of Manhattan this year. But for the second year in a row, the Greatest Show on Earth is skipping the city, which means no elephant parade in 2012.

However, Ringling Bros. will be bringing its brand-new spectacle Dragons to nearby suburban stadiums throughout March, and the circus is also hosting a cute promotional event in Grand Central next week to kick off its tri-state area run.

Of course Ringling isn't the only act in town. Read on for other circus performances in New York City, two with elephants (sorry PETA), but many with humans-only casts.

Unless you and your kids have been living under a plastic rock, you know that the animated film Dr. Seuss' The Lorax opens this Friday, March 2. What you may not realize is that Friday is also the late Dr. Seuss' 108th birthday and the annual launch of the National Education Association's Read Across America campaign.

Unlike the 2011 edition of Read Across America, this year's kickoff at the central branch of the New York Public Library isn't open to the public. However, there are still many ways your little Cat in the Hat fanatic can celebrate Seuss’ birthday in New York City. Read on for special storytimes, a super-cool Seuss art exhibit and ideas for marking the doc's big day on your own.

We've had a really busy February break, although it wasn't all work. Yes, we wrote new posts about comedy classes and shows for kids and how to find accurate NYC school zone maps (that second one took us a half a day to research!). But we also spent a lot of time having fun with our kids. Stephanie took her son snow tubing, Anna went on a behind-the-scenes tour of Radio City Music Hall and I sent my daughter to a half-day camp... and she demanded to stay the entire day because apparently the counselors are more fun than I am. (Maybe she was just sick of walking the dogs.)

Our sites outside of NYC have been busy, too. If you're thinking of taking a day trip this weekend, how about visiting one of the many indoor miniature golf courses in New Jersey? Meanwhile, hot on the heels of NYC's Summer Camp Guide come roundups of Long Island summer camps in Suffolk and Nassau Counties, and performing arts camps in Connecticut's Hartford County.

If you want to stay on top of everything that's going on in New Jersey, Long Island, Connecticut, Boston or Los Angeles, you can subscribe to our free newsletters. Read on for everything we covered on Mommy Poppins NYC this week.

You and your family are probably beat from all the winter break fun you had this past week, but this weekend is no time to kick back and relax: There's still so much to do! This weekend will afford us still more opportunities to get out and enjoy this beautiful winter weather we've been having, with lots of outdoor activities. There are also a few events for your budding reader. (Don't forget about Target's Read Across America event celebrating Dr. Seuss's birthday, with readings of The Lorax at all of its local stores.) Believe it or not, it's Maple Sugaring Day and Waffle Day (there's gotta be a way to combine the two!) Also, newsletter subscribers, be on the lookout for a giveaway coming up soon, exclusively for newsletter subscribers. If you haven't subscribed yet, now's the time....

New York City got an F in geography this month as news got around that 311 (the official New York City info line) has been giving out inaccurate information about elementary school zones. Over the past few years, there has been an unprecedented amount of school rezoning due to the introduction of several new schools to help ease overcrowding. Apparently even the DOE and NYC.gov can't keep up with the changes, so what are parents supposed to do—especially with the deadline for kindergarten applications looming?

I spent several hours sussing out where NYC parents can find accurate school zoning maps. It was not an easy task as there literally is no one place to find accurate school zoning maps for NYC... until now. Read on to see how you can get the right information when looking up your zoned schools.

For such a short month, February sure packs a punch with all of its holidays and celebrations. Now that we've said farewell to the 100th day of school, Groundhog Day, Super Bowl, Presidents' Day, and Mardi Gras - oh, what's a family with kids to do!?!? Well, thankfully there's still plenty happening in New Jersey to keep you and your kids occupied until the official spring thaw arrives, such as Science Saturday with Slime, Wetland Habitats, Peking Acrobats, or a Family Winter Nature Walk. Read on for all of our picks and remember, you can always find even more weekend activities in our Event Calendar. Enjoy these last few days of February, New Jersey!

With temperatures reaching the high 50s this week, it has felt at times more like spring break than February school vacation. But no matter what the weather brings, winter break wraps up this weekend, and with it, a full slate of activities for kids and families in Boston. Many of the special events we highlighted in our February vacation roundup continue through the weekend, like A Model of a Good Time at the USS Constitution Museum, Charlestown, Family Program: Mexican Flag Day at the Peabody Museum, Cambridge, and Everybody Loves Pirates at the Puppet Showplace Theatre, Brookline. And read on for more events taking place this weekend, from Family Day at the Mass College of Art and Design to shows like the A.R.T.'s Wild Swans and Wheelock Family Theatre's Wizard of Oz.

If having kids at home this week has started you thinking that you really want to lock in your summer plans now, we’ve added a new summer camp post to our series about local camp options. We also have some ideas of where to go with crafty kids for arts and crafts workshops and classes in Cambridge, Brookline and Somerville.

Enjoy!

Looks like there should be plenty of sunshine this weekend. This Spring like weather has us out taking lots of walks and hikes. We aren't complaining....Check out our post on a day trip to see the Connecticut College Lacrosse Team. This week we also listed performing arts summer camps for kids in Hartford. Planning to take the kids skiing or snowboarding? Check out our lowdown on where to go. Below you will find our event listing of things to do this weekend with the kids all around Connecticut. For a daily listing of events check out our calendar.

Who hasn't seen one of the many "I Spy" books for children? The Bruce Museum has a new exhibit of Walter Wicks' photographs  in large scale. Sure to provide hours of visual entertainment for the kids.  If you are in Litchfield County you won't want to miss the Kid's Expo where you can learn about all of the summer camps and activities available for your children from local businesses. The Harlem Globetrotters are in Hartford this Saturday and you can get $7 off your ticket by using our code. You'll find ice carving, dog sledding and horse drawn wagon rides at the Lyman Orchards Winterfest all weekend. Stepping Stones is having their Winter Wonderland Ball on Saturday night. Why not dress up the kids and take them out for a dance? 

Congratulations to our Harlem Globetrotters and Wizard of Oz Maritime Aquarium giveaway winners! We'll have a new prize from Stepping Stones Museum coming up next. 

Please join us on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. We are always sharing all sorts of great info there as well. Read on for all of the fun events and enjoy this beautiful weekend!