Even though we have a few weeks of summer break left in NYC, the back-to-school season is in full swing in many other parts of the country. That's why we're launching our big back-to-school giveaway next week. Starting on Wednesday, August 28, you can enter to win a bunch of awesome prizes including two Schwinn kids' bikes, $150 worth of personalized school supplies from My Chronicle Books, a Disney Junior package that includes bedding and a backpack, and more. Bookmark the page or keep an eye on your inbox next week. We'll be sending out an email when the giveaway launches.

Meanwhile, for New York City public school students, there are two more weeks and three full weekends (including a holiday one!) before the first day. Time to full up your calendar with free and fun things to do in NYC and beyond. We've got day trip suggestions, a list of New York State county fairs, Labor Day weekend getaway deals, house-swapping info or, if you're stuck working, a roundup of day camps running the last two weeks of summer break. Plus our regional sites have all kinds of cool out-of-town activity ideas like scenic cruises or zip-lining in New Jersey, mini-golf on Long Island (sure we have a bunch of courses in NYC but the ones on the isle are much more elaborate) and kid-friendly hiking in Westchester.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

My family and I are making the most of these last few weeks of summer break and we hope you are, too. On our agenda this weekend: a FringeJr. show, a trip to Rockaway Beach and dressing up for the Jazz Age Lawn Party on Governors Island. We're the family that never sleeps.

In anticipation of the back-to-school season, we updated our Classes Guide this week. We've got the scoop on some of the coolest kids' programs around, from sports (basketball, tennis) to enrichment (Spanish and Chinese language, animal care) to the offbeat (trapeze, DJing), and even FREE classes. If you're looking for extracurricular activities this fall, the guide gives you a multitude of quality options.

We're also gearing up for our next Mommy Poppins Family Cruise next Tuesday, August 20 and if your kids are pirate-obsessed you won't want to miss it. In addition to enjoying incredible views of New York Harbor on Manhattan by Sail's Clipper City Tall Ship, families will be treated to David Engel's uproarious interactive show Pirate School!, where he teaches kids how to walk, talk and act like buccaneers. We have two sails from South Street Seaport on Tuesday and we hope you can join us. Click here to book tickets.

Our regional sites are full day trip inspiration like the best places to get wet in Westchester, great places to camp in central Connecticut and the top parks on Long Island. Much as we're addicted to NYC, there's nothing wrong with going out of town for a day or two.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

We had an awesome time at our inaugural Mommy Poppins Family Cruise last Sunday. That's my daughter in the pic, helping to hoist the sails of Manhattan by Sail's Clipper City Tall Ship. (She turned eight that very day so I figured it was time to put her to work.) We put up a photo gallery on our Facebook page of all the fun we had, including face painting, Bill Gordh's sea songs and incredible views of the Statue of Liberty. Our next cruise is coming up on Tuesday, August 20 and it's got a pirate theme! Read our post for all the details and to book tickets.

It's the last full month of summer break so there's no time to waste: NYC's beaches and pools close on Labor Day. If you're in need of childcare those last few weeks before school starts, check out our post about late-August/early-September camps—we keep adding new programs as we hear about them. Or if you're looking for day trip ideas, check out our regional sites for inspiration. Westchester's August Go List includes one of my family's summer favorites: the New York Renaissance Faire in Sterling Forest. Much as we love NYC's free public pools, city kids really get a kick out of taking a dip in natural swimming holes like these ponds and lakes in Connecticut and New Jersey. Or stick close to home and explore the "forgotten borough:" We're highlighting the best things to do in Staten Island throughout the month.

Finally, if you're thinking about taking the kids to one of the big summer family flicks, our Boston site has parent-child reviews of Smurfs 2 and Turbo, so you can get opinions from both sides!

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

This morning my daughter ripped the July page off her calendar with a mix of excitement and sadness. She was giddy because she turns eight this month but she was bummed because she realized that summer break is halfway done. That's why we plan to make the most of the next five weeks by crossing off items on our summer bucket list like hitting Rockaway Beach, going on rides at Coney Island and getting out on New York Harbor for a sight-filled sail.

We're actually doing that last one this Sunday at Stories & Songs of the Sea, the first in a series of Mommy Poppins Family Cruises we're hosting with Manhattan by Sail. My daughter can't wait to hit the water on the Clipper City Tall Ship for close-up views of the Statue of Liberty, tunes and tales by Bill Gordh, face painting and other family fun. Tickets are still available so book yours now.

While my family has been enjoying our NYC summer staycation, other Mommy Poppins bloggers have been traveling both near and far. Anna and her family got to test drive the 2014 Subaru Forester on their adventures in New England and the Maine. Our Boston peeps shared their picks for offbeat fun on Nantucket and our friends in New Jersey hopped a NY Waterway ferry for the first time.

Since it's a new month, all of our sites shared their respective Go Lists, highlighting the best things to do throughout August in each region. There's lots of FREE fun on tap for NYC this month but it's worth checking our Go Lists in Westchester, New Jersey, Connecticut and even Boston since a really special event might inspire a day or weekend getaway.

This week's giveaway is a bilingual birthday bash by Bilingual Birdies and you still have time to enter. And forgive us if we brag for a second, but Mommy Poppins got a nice shout out in the Huffington Post this week. One day you'll get to say you knew us when.

Here's everything else we covered on the NYC site this week:

Once again we have a rainy weekend on our hands and as such, some of our outdoor picks may be canceled or postponed. Before you head out, check the event's official website to make sure it's still happening. It's the first weekend of August and while some New Yorkers are leaving the city for far-flung destinations, we're planning a fun-filled staycation for the rest of the summer. This weekend brings lots of FREE fun including the first installment of Manhattan's car-free Summer Streets; the activity-packed Kids Rule Weekend in the Bronx; and no-cost admission to the Children's Museum of Manhattan on Friday evening, the Brooklyn Museum on Saturday evening and the Brooklyn Children's Museum on both afternoons.

We're particularly excited about our Mommy Poppins Family Cruise on Sunday. Join us for a fun New York Harbor voyage on Manhattan by Sail's Clipper City Tall Ship with master storyteller Bill Gordh and other boat-themed kids' activities. There are still tickets available so book now.

These are just a few of the great things going on this weekend. All of our best bets are below. You can find additional options in our Event Calendar and our Summer Fun Guide. And if you're looking to plan out your entire month, check out the new edition of our NYC Go List, which highlights the absolute best things to do with kids throughout August.

The big news this week (besides the fact that we no longer feel like we're melting) is the announcement of our new series of Mommy Poppins Family Cruises—and we have you to thank for it! Back in June, we hosted an outing in New York Harbor on Manhattan by Sail's Clipper City Tall Ship. Tickets sold out quickly and many readers were disappointed they got shut out. That inspired us to organize four additional fun-filled family cruises, each with a unique theme and enriching kids' activities. Check our post for more info and if a sail piques your interest, book your tickets so you don't miss out this time around.

Summer fun continues to be our primary focus on all of our sites. In NYC, we rounded up restaurants with backyards where kids can play. New Jersey's got a list of natural swimming holes and a post about this weekend's awesome-sounding hot-air balloon festival (both things you can't find in NYC). Our Boston site has a parent review of DreamWorks' new animated flick Turbo, and if you're off to the Hamptons, our Long Island site has lots of great weekend event picks as well as the best places to catch family theater in the area.

Since the big vacation month of August is coming up, be sure to check our Travel site for inspiration. We just posted about the fabulous Fairmont Southhampton family resort in Bermuda. If you can't get there for summer break, there's always the holidays.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

With the city constantly texting me about heat and air quality advisories, I'm starting to feel like I have a second overbearing mother. (For the record, my mom still calls me on an almost daily basis to ask if my daughter and I are dressed appropriately for the weather.) My family and I have been attempting to keep cool by trying some of the picks in our Water Fun Guide like great public pools and popular water-filled playgrounds. If you just can't bear to be outside, our Inside Activity Guide has many fun indoor options including drop-in play spaces, and there are lots of kid-friendly exhibits in our Museum Guide.

For the most part though, we haven't let the high temperatures slow us down. This week we explored a couple of new must-experience summer attractions: the Bronx Zoo's awesome Dinosaur Safari and the absolutely magical Fête Paradiso on Governors Island. Meanwhile our Long Island peeps put together a list of the top 25 things to do on the North Fork with kids, our Connecticut bloggers shared the best places to go blueberry picking in New Haven County and New Jersey highlighted the state's best water parks and offbeat summer festivals, including next weekend's Hot Air Balloon Festival at the Warren County Farmers' Fair.

And don't forget to enter our current giveaway, which is aimed at kids and parents: a pair of OnBroadway Performing Arts Training Program master classes for four (two children and two adults). We think moms and dads deserve to win something, too.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

Looks like the heat wave is going to break just in time for the weekend. And even if it rains that will be a relief! Regardless of what the weather brings, my family and I are excited to go on a FREE boat tour on Saturday as part of the City of Water Day festivities on Governors Island, and we plan to stick around to hit the rides at the awesome Fête Paradiso.

Other fabulous FREE fun this weekend includes the art-filled New Museum Block Party on the Lower East Side, top-notch entertainment at SummerStage Kids Queens Family Day in Long Island City and TheatreworksUSA's brand-new educational show The Civil War in the West Village.

All of our best bets for the weekend are below. You can find additional options in our Event Calendar and our Summer Fun Guide, including our favorite FREE places to cool off like public pools, beaches and water playgrounds. And if you're craving air conditioning, check out our Indoor Activity Guide for great ways to beat the heat.