Have you checked out the new playgrounds in Jersey City, Union City and Hoboken?  Hamilton Park in Jersey City and Washington Park in Union City are completely redone, open to the public, and are prime summer destinations for the kids.  That is if you like mini-golf, barbecuing, tennis, and brand new spraygrounds, jungle gyms, & swings!  If you haven't visited them yet, pack your bags (and swimsuits, and tennis rackets, and portable grills) and make it a day at the park! 

We keep pretty busy here with our daily posts on all the cool stuff to do with your kids in the city, but I usually have one or two projects I'm working on in the background to make the site better. This week I'm announcing two that I've been working on for longer than I care to admit, our new Preschool Guide and our new and improved events calendar search function. I hope both these new functions will be big improvements to the site.

Happy 4^th of July! The highlight this weekend no matter where you are is of course - fireworks. In New York City there is the huge annual fireworks spectacular courtesy of Macy’s and if you plan on taking it in make sure to read our post on where to get the best view of the show.  We also have the scoop on the best fireworks displays on Long Island and in New Jersey.  

If you are staying in town this weekend, don’t fret, you don’t need a backyard or beach house to have a lot of fun, there are festive, patriotic and Americana events going on all around town. Dan Zanes is performing a concert in Battery Park where the audience can join in on the big brass parade finale (bring your own horn!) There are fireworks and live music from the Staten Island Philharmonic on Staten Island and an ecologically correct sand castle contest in Coney Island. While you are out on Coney Island don’t forget to check out the other annual 4^th of July event – the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest.

Happy 4^th of July!  Have a great one.

Are you ready for the Fourth of July weekend?  There is much more going on this weekend in NJ than just the family barbecue and watching 4th of July fireworks!  On Saturday you can take a train ride with Thomas the Tank Engine, watch some early fireworks aboard the Battleship NJ, make ice cream from scratch at Howell Living Historical Farm, and decorate & sail a sailboat at the Cooper Grist Mill.  On Sunday you can celebrate July 4th with the animals at the Turtleback Zoo or sign the Declaration of Independence at the Morven Museum & Garden.  If you are lucky enough to have Monday off, spend the day at Montclair's July 5th Parade and Family picnic and the evening at the NJ State Fair at the Meadowlands or at a demolition derby at the Cumberland County Fair.

If your jogging stroller has been doing a lot more strolling than jogging lately, you might want to consider checking out some of these stroller workout classes. I strapped on my sneakers and strapped in my one-and-a-half-year-old to try them out. Here's what we learned about stroller fitness classes in the New York City, what to expect, and some tips for making these workouts work for you and your child:

Until I visited the new Lego Store that opened up in Rockefeller Center last week I never realized just how much New York City needed a store devoted to tiny plastic building bricks. This colorful showpiece of a store has so much to offer brick building kids and their parents, much more than just shopping! It is a total Lego experience from the Lego brick masterpieces throughout the store to the unique products for sale plus occasional events. So get ready for Lego fever!

It is the first weekend of summer vacation for most New York City school kids so let’s start it out with a bang!  There are some big festivals being thrown around town, like the annual Children’s Day at the Seaport with costumed characters, live entertainment and fireworks.  Up in the Bronx it is Family Day with a party featuring cool live music and dancing from BombaYo, Dan Zanes and Baby Loves Salsa, plus there is not one but two different fishing festivals uptown.  Hard to choose, huh? Families can also create their own fanzine, learn about space, check out some cool story times, dance and theater performances or ride on a brand new carousel.  You could also hit up one of the local amusement parks just right for the school aged set.

If you still can’t decide, you may want to visit our Summer Fun Guide or our recent post on 100 free things to do this summer.  And don’t forget the key to the city project. The last day to get a key is the June 27, 2010.

Saturday is a full moon which means if you dress up like a vampire (C’mon Twilight fans) you will get $2 off a ride on The Cyclone from 7 pm to close. (There is a height requirement to ride the Cyclone which means most kids can’t ride– this is for tween, teen and grown up vampires only.)

Read on to plan your great weekend. Happy Summer!