Best New Swimming Pools for NYC Kids Summer 2008

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Last summer we posted a great list of the best free and cheap swimming pools in New York City for kids and toddlers. That post is one of our all time most popular posts and it's still a great list. But, there are some new pool options this year and we wanted to share them with you. Find out where the floating barge swimming pool will be docked this summer and two other beautiful brand new places to swim in New York this summer:

Come Out And Play! Street Game Festival

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Experience Random Acts of Fun at this street game festival. Come Out & Play, the all-free event which runs from June 6-8 turns the city into a playground with everything from massive multi-player scavenger hunts to real life video games to competitive picnicking. Their call is to rediscover the city through play and their lineup is wacky and really fun to read.

This would definitely make a memorable early Father's Day activity for any New York City dad. But, since some games start at 9pm and others include skills you may not be ready to have your kid learn, we have some suggestions for the kid friendly games:

Little Naturalists: Tragedy for Red Tailed Hawks

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Mom in New Nest

This year, as Mother’s Day dawned I awoke with a sense of anxiety. The red-tail hawk babies had not been seen in the nest for 2 days. I received email after email Saturday afternoon and evening from hawk-watching friends that the parents were bringing food into the nest, but no little white heads popped up; no perfect little hawk-shaped beaks opened. I emailed my friends Lincoln Karim and Beth Bergman, both professional photographers and passionate hawk and nature watchers, saying that I would run to the nest early Sunday morning. At 7am I raced out of the boat with my binoculars and up to Riverside Park to the nest tree, a honey locust standing along the on-ramp to the northbound West Side Highway. There I ran into Cal Vornberger, a renowned urban wildlife photographer (The Birds of Central Park). Together we looked up and saw the mother hawk but no babies.

Top Posts for May

This month we added our Mommy Poppins Slacker Camp Guide to our growing roster of guides including our Camp Guide and Preschool Guide. If you're still looking for a camp for this summer, check out the listing of camp openings and our listings of amazing art camps, which includes performing arts camps as well.

More Top Posts for May were:

Updated Listing of NYC Moms Groups

Luxury Dresses for Old Navy Prices on Etsy

Little Naturalists See Nature All Around

Top Resources for Family Travel

Father's Day Giveaway - Monkey Museum Portrait

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Back when we were doing our Mother's Day Giveaway, we asked our readers what they wanted for Mother's Day and one post totally cracked us up. It was from Kate, who wanted a fake LeSport Sak bag and a Monkey Museum portrait. We are all too familiar with fake bags, but we had to go check out what the Monkey Museum was.

It turns out it's this really awesome art and we immediately wanted some too. So Kate, thanks for sharing this idea with us so now everyone can have the chance of getting a Monkey Museum piece for Father's Day with our Father's Day Giveaway!

Community Spotlight: Elephant Ensemble Theater

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Our Community Spotlight is a monthly feature where we talk to a local mom who is making a difference in the community or otherwise deserves to be celebrated and supported. We also offer free Community Spotlight ads to small local mom-owned businesses. If you know of someone who should be profiled or would like to apply for a free ad, drop us a line.

Free Exercise Spots in NYC

Exercise. Something you know is good for you, but yet, so easy to avoid. And, when you have to pay through the nose for a gym or yoga class it can feel like adding insult to injury. But, no more excuses, here are some great free exercise opportunities all over the city, so - just do it! Bryant Park Free yoga and tai chi on Tuesday mornings and yoga on Thursday evenings. Make a whole day of it; bring your laptop and enjoy the free wireless before or after your downward dog!

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