Every year around this time I start to feel like I'm the only New Yorker left in NYC. I was on a Fifth Avenue bus yesterday and it sounded like the Tower of Babel (even more so than usual). My family and I actually love sticking around the city in the summer because there are so many wonderful things to do, many of them FREE. And I was reminded of that as we put together our Free in NYC Kids Guide this week. This brand-new guide lists no-cost things to do and places to go in the five boroughs throughout the year, but the section on free summer fun is particularly robust. So the next time you're trying to plan a no-cost NYC outing, you know where to look.

Of course I can't deny the appeal of a quick summer getaway. In addition to checking our NYC Day Trips Guide for inspiration, it's worth perusing our regional sites for ideas. Our Westchester site just rounded up 25 things to do in Pelham; our New Jersey site profiled the Watchung Reservation; the annual Sailfest hits the water near New London this weekend, Connecticut and blueberry picking is on at farms throughout the tri-state area. If you do go out of town, be sure to download a few of these apps to keep preschoolers busy in the car, on a plane or even if you just need a few minutes to yourself at home.

And a quick shout out on behalf of our Long Island site, which is on the hunt for a few good bloggers. If you're an LI expert who fits the bill, we encourage you to apply!

Here's what else we covered on our NYC site this week, including details about a new drop-off summer playdate program by Project Playdate that Mommy Poppins is co-sponsoring.

You know the worst thing you can do to someone right in the middle of a four-day holiday weekend? Give them a really long post to read. But don't worry: We'll be brief today since it's been a pretty quiet week for all of us at Mommy Poppins as we transition from school to summer, and enjoy our four-day 4th of July weekend.

Since it's a new month, we posted a new NYC Go List, highlighting the absolute best things to do with kids throughout July, including three awesome picks for this weekend. If you're going out of town for the holiday, be sure to visit our regional sites since Long Island, New Jersey, Connecticut and Westchester all published July Go Lists, too. Even if you're planning a 4th of July holiday staycation, you may want to check the posts out: After reading about the Hudson Valley Balloon Festival on our Westchester site, I'm thinking of taking a last-minute day trip with my family. And if you're on the hunt for a proper vacation, our Travel site rounded up a bunch of midsummer getaway deals.

We're also giving away four tickets to one of our July Go List recommendations: Monkey: Journey to the West. The multimedia show is best for tweens and up so consider your child's age before you enter.

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

It was a week of happy endings and exciting beginnings! Our kids finished up at school and are all now enjoying summer break and camp. (My daughter sang and danced all week at TADA! Youth Theater which, coincidentally, is doing a great giveaway with us this week.) Public pools opened for the season and—thanks to supportive readers like you—our Mommy Poppins App IndieGoGo campaign was fully funded! We're putting the finishing touches on the app as I type, and we'll have more info about the rollout later this season.

Right now all of our sites are in full-on July 4th mode. We've got posts about explosive Independence Day celebrations on Long Island, in Westchester, New Jersey and, of course, Macy's 4th of July Fireworks right here in NYC, which you can watch for FREE from land or, if you're feeling flush, on a Hudson River cruise. Whatever you do over the holiday, there are lots of NYC staycation activities in our Summer Guide and ways to keep cool in our Water Fun Guide.

Meanwhile, if you're looking to get away for the holiday or anytime this season, be sure to check our Travel Guide for vacation inspiration near and far. We just added a roundup of six spectacular family resorts in Virginia, and the site has lots of other posts about family travel in the U.S., the Caribbean and Europe.

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

Summer truly is the season of FREE NYC fun, especially for families. So far we've told you about free film screenings, free kids' concerts, free play streets, free sports programs and even free camps. Now we've got a new summer freebie to add to our ever-growing list: free classes for middle school students through the Manhattan Youth Downtown Community Center in Tribeca.

While these programs—which run the gamut from performing arts to sports to science and math—give priority to students at I.S. 289, the organization believes there will be space for children from other NYC schools. Read on for details about all the FREE activities on offer, and how your rising sixth to ninth graders can apply for a spot.

Water was our theme this week in NYC—specifically sailing on it. We posted about this weekend's FREE North River Historic Ship Festival in Tribeca, where you can tour and ride on vintage vessels. For landlubbers there's the new Shipwreck! exhibit at Discovery Times Square filled with interactive stations that give kids a peek at historic life on the high seas. And of course we're particularly excited about the very special family cruise we're hosting next Saturday, June 29. Join the Mommy Poppins gang on the Clipper City Tall Ship as we sail through New York Harbor and enjoy songs and stories by Bill Gordh, an eye-spy scavenger hunt led by educators from the DiMenna Children's History Museum and other nautical activities. Space is limited so book now. Bonus: If you buy your tickets by Monday, June 24, you'll be automatically entered to win great prizes like passes to the Liberty Science Center and a family four-pack to Wanda's Monster the Musical.

Outside the city, we were all about summer fun. Our brand-new Westchester site posted about a series of FREE summer block parties in Mamaroneck, while our Long Island site uncovered cool kid-friendly activities at grown-up destinations like the Belmont Racetrack and South Fork Wineries. Of course you can find plenty of other seasonal inspiration on all of our sites and in our NYC Summer Guide.

It's your last chance to enter this week's giveaway, which is particularly awesome: Four orchestra tickets to A Christmas Story the Musical at the Theater at Madison Square Garden. I saw it with my seven-year-old last year and it's great fun even if you've seen the movie a million times. And there's just a few more days to contribute to the Mommy Poppins Kids' Activities App. We're 60% funded and, if everyone who reads this contributes $2, we will make our goal. Donate more and you'll earn some really cool rewards like brand-new Mommy Poppins T-shirts and tote bags.

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

Father's Day was the theme this week on all of our sites with posts about the best ways for families to celebrate in NYC, Westchester, Long Island and beyond. Our Boston site also shared four easy-to-make treats kids can prepare for dad. Moms don't have the monopoly on dining in bed, you know.

If you're still searching for the perfect NYC day camp, our summer deals post has a bunch of great options, including discounts to chess, language and circus programs. And we've got the exclusive scoop on how to snag a coveted spot in the NYC Parks Experience Summer Day Camp which, at $500 for the entire summer, may be the best deal around.

Our crowdfunding campaign for the Mommy Poppins Kids' Activities App hit the 31% mark! You've got two more weeks to contribute $2 to help us make this app FREE for all. Donate more and you can earn some really cool rewards. There's only one more day to enter this week's giveaway: a Shark Sonic Duo Floor and Carpet Cleaner, a $250 value. (Getting someone else besides you to use it: priceless.)

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

With so many great summer day camps in NYC, finding a good one isn't an issue, but it's hard to find a camp that's as great a deal as NYC Parks Experience Summer Day Camp at just $500 for the entire summer. Usually parents have to enter a lottery to get a place at these coveted camps, but the Parks Department has given Mommy Poppins the inside scoop that there are some select spots still available.

Run by the New York City Parks Department, this seven-week program has multiple locations throughout the five boroughs. Campers enjoy outdoor adventures like hiking in local parks, a variety of sports including swimming, as well as educational activities like field trips to museums and other cultural destinations.

You can no longer apply through the Parks' Department website. The only way to snag one of these spots is with the information in this post. So read on to find out about NYC Parks Experience Summer Day Camp locations with availability, and how you can register your child.

Or check out other hot deals on cool summer camps where kids can engage in a wide range of activities, from chess to pottery to language immersion to circus.

Summer is heating up, which is why we're bringing you the coolest Mommy Poppins deals on top of the best seasonal activities. We reached out to some fun and enriching NYC summer camps and getaway spots (and one fantastic family photographer) and asked them to extend discounts to our readers. The result is a dozen awesome offers for kids that you won't want to miss. Save big bucks on language immersion camps, a dude ranch, circus camp and more!