Spooky, dark tunnels; creepy animals; bugs, beasts...hey! You’d think it’s Halloween in New Jersey this weekend! But it’s all in fun, and you know the ick-factor scores big with the kids. The super-popular, pitch-black, crawl-through Touch Tunnel finally makes its return to the Liberty Science Center; check out beasts on-stage or in a museum; or learn about “unhuggable animals.” Not into the darker side? There’s t-shirt bags to be sewn, Renaissance art to be re-created and birdhouses to be built. And if you're looking for something to do for President's Day on Monday, check back in tomorrow for a special Prez Day list of events. (Gotta give our Chiefs their props, right?)

I admit, before becoming a stay at home mom, I bought all of my books from the local bookstore or online.  Who had time for the library?  Now, I take my toddler to the library on a weekly basis, if not more.  And I learned that its definitely more economical, and space saving, to keep a rotating collection of library books for both him and myself in our apartment.  But the New York Public Library offers a lot more than just books, including ways to make borrowing a lot more easy than I remember it being.  Here are 10 things this mom has learned about the NYPL that may be useful to you.

As usual, you don't have to travel further than maybe the outerboroughs for some good family times this President's Week break. There's plenty to do right here in New York City, like animated movie shorts, circus events, fun in the parks (even in the cold!) and more museum events than we bet you can handle. And while there is no need to go anywhere else, you could still skip town and try some of our suggestions for fun day trips (even some you can do without a car) in our Travel Guide.

Read on for 25 Things to Do Over Winter Recess

Valentines Day is Monday and if you still need to pick up some sweets for your sweetie try checking out one of these local chocolate purveyors or get the scoop on where to buy great baking supplies to help your little sous-chef bake something yummy for their valentine.  And, if your cupid needs a valentine for his loved ones there are quite a lot of Valentine-making events in our calendar.  

Don’t forget The Little Club Heads Valentine's Day Dance Party is Sunday and it sounds like a blast! Over at Poppins Perks we are selling tickets like mad for 50% off!  $15 gets you 2 tickets to this fun event and your purchase helps PS 371 in Brooklyn buy some much needed books for their kindergarteners.  

My New Years resolution of being hyper efficient has come to a screeching halt.  Thanks to a collision between my knee and an ice packed mountain last weekend, I am having a hard time doing, well, anything.  Especially walking and I am really bummed out that I have to miss the Panorama Explorer’s Day at the Queens Museum and all the other cool stuff going on around town this weekend. But this helps me to remember just why I love living in NYC. There are always cool things to do and always another weekend to do them.

Read on for the best bets for this weekend and have a great one.

Thank goodness Valentine's Day is nearly here, all this snow is driving me to chocolate, and it's nice to have an excuse. If you feel the same way we have some chocolate themed activities this weekend, and a Sweetheart Party at two different Gymboree locations. If you are doing a better job than I am sticking to those resolutions, we also have a ballet, a puppet show and some music for you and family to enjoy this weekend. Read on for all the fun.

Animal lovers, this weekend is for you! The Turtleback Zoo has a family program on animal tracks, you can see animal shows at the Super Pet Show in Edison, the annual Great Backyard Bird Count takes place nationwide, and the Newark Museum has elephant art as part of their circus science weekend. And for those who are not animal lovers, get ready for Valentine's day! There is chocolate tasting, chocolate making, maple sugaring, and plenty other of sweet events going on!

We've updated our camp guide, with over 100 noteworthy Summer Day Camps in New York City or the surrounding areas for kids of all ages. Plus this year we've added a new page just for Sleep Away Camps. In our guides you'll find tons of great camps, dates for open houses, tips on how to save money on Summer Camp, and even some free camps and summer programs.

If just thinking about spending a few hundred dollars to take your three year old to see a Broadway show puts you in a cold sweat, have no fear. One of the fringe benefits of living in a theater town is all those actors who gravitate to Broadway, but might just be paying their rent by performing as Cinderella in a kids' show around the corner. Think of it as Trickle-Down Theateronomics. There is so much great theater for kids in New York City, performed by Broadway quality actors and it won't cost you your rent money to take your kids.

Behold!  Twenty children's shows (in every boro!) you can see right now (or very soon) for $20 or less: