Summer, summer, summer, so much to to do! Not only does this weekend offer the OC Fair, Ringling Brothers Circus, fútbol, and dinosaurs; we have an outrageous assortment of movies and concerts under the stars, free Shakespeare and theater for kids, drumming, and dance and the chance for your kid to become a star (or at least get tattooed like one). I know I say this every week, but we can only fit so many events in our newsletter, so be sure to check out our events calendar to make sure you don't miss anything because there is just so much going on and... 

Hello? Are you listening to me? Oh, really? Then what did I just say? Mm hmm, that's what I thought! You should.... (I'm not going to say it for you)... check out our... (you're on your own here, buddy!)... it's that thing with dates on it... (so close!)  Events calendar! Check out the events calendar! (That's it!) And what will your reward be for clicking through? Insight into kids clubs, and art projects, and kids clubs with art projects. The scoop on train rides, and fishing classes, (but no train rides that are fishing classes, though that sounds pretty cool).

And oh yeah,  there are those freebies coming up that might, say, give you a sugar-fueled brain freeze, or leave you looking like a million bucks. Those are the kinds of gems our calendar is filled with. If you like that sort of thing. (And I bet you do!)

Keep reading for some of our favorite picks for this weekend ....

What’s that you’re doing? Are you… working?!? Stop that! Stop that right now! It’s summer, missy. S-U-have some fun-MER. We at Mommy Poppins take summer frivolity very seriously, and we want to make sure you do the same. Starting now, we declare this to be the Summer of Play. So what are you waiting for? Get out there, make playhouses out of cardboard, count birds and flowers on your street, paint masterpieces with sidewalk chalk, and turn your lawn into a gameboard. Looking for some inspiration? We can get you started with a list of 100 Ways to Play.

Now, play is its own reward, but there’s no reason we can’t sweeten the pot.  Share your summer fun ideas, photos, and tips on social media and we just might return the favor with some fun-makin' gear. Let the hashtags begin!

Whatever the season, your source for weekly activities remains the same: our ever-expanding calendar of events. This weekend alone, we can entice you with birthdays (Kidspace's, faeries' and our country's), ceremonies honoring ancestors and a new library, celebrations of Shakespeare, and sanitation, and open air concerts and movies.

Keep reading for some of our favorite picks for this weekend...

Well look at what the sun is up to! Staying out super late, giving us the longest day of the year (and shortest night), and all around putting the sol back in solstice. Our favorite star is leaving no doubt that summer is here.  (And in case you needed any reminders, how about the seemingly endless stream of outdoor concerts and moonlit movie screenings that pop up for the season.)

Though why you would need a reminder with your kids lazing around the house filling your days with sunshine is beyond me. You can fill their days with sunshine (and water play and bike rides) with the sweet summer activities listed in our Summer Fun Guide. 

Those school-less Mondays through Fridays are going to leave you with a lot more hours to enrich. Hey, what’s that Mommy Poppins has in our magic bag of tricks? Ho ho here you go: our new weekly feature that highlights the best of our, say what, Monday to Friday events. It’s like we read your mind.

Keep reading for some of our favorite picks for this weekend...

My birthday’s coming up. Not this weekend but soon, and I want you to be prepared. We’ve already shared cool places to have a party, and that’s great and all, but let’s face it: birthdays are about getting stuff. I’ve cleared out the shelf space for the tie-dyed socks, corn husk dolls, and milk jug piggy banks you are no doubt already hard at work creating. But that’s only going to get you half-way there. I want free stuff. I want ice cream and shrimp and ye old joust, and our list of birthday freebies has ‘em all (but you may need to convince them that I’m 12 or under).

There’s another freebie coming up, and it doesn’t even have to be your birthday! Friday is National Doughnut Day; otherwise known as hand over my Krispy Kreme and no one gets hurt. I'll take mine with sprinkles, please.

And, of course, every weekend is a gift here in sunny So Cal, with events aplenty and many of them free. Highlights this weekend include Club MomMe’s Spring Family Fest, the Pacific Islander Festival at the Aquarium of the Pacific, and Make Music Pasadena (where a day’s worth of entertainment can be had for a song).

Keep reading for some of our favorite picks for this weekend...

What's that you say? June? Why, yes please!  Bring on the summer! With Memorial Day come and gone, we are now officially in the summer season, which means an abundance of grade A, E-ticket activities. And what better to get you started than the Great Big Family Play Day at Pan Pacific Park? This thing has it all: music from the Beat Buds, Twinkle Time and Rhythm Child, a meet-and-greet with Anna and Elsa, a pump & splash zone, pamper & playtime, and hold the phone, some Weework crafting courtesy of you know us, you love us, Mommy Poppins - and, forget about those Frozen chicks; you can meet a Mommy Poppins blogger! (You can win cool stuff, too, if you're into that kind of thing.)

The summer season is also known as kids out of school season, which is to say, anyone want to watch my kids for me? Not that I've forgotten to schedule a summer full of engaging and enriching activities or anything, but if I had, I could totally check out our round-up of LA Summer Camps that still have openings. (Or I could go with my back-up plan and encourage them to run away with the circus).

And, of course, summer means more time outdoors, especially after that frigid winter we had. (Or maybe heard that other folks did). Luckily, we've rounded up some SoCal-centric fun in the sun. We've got the splash pads to keep you cool; we've got the hikes to help you get back to nature.

And we've got the activities to keep you going whatever the weather may be...

This is getting serious, guys. This is our last weekend before Memorial Day. You know what Memorial Day means? The beginning of summer. (Not in a solstice kind of way, but in an unofficial start to the season way, and a bunch of free outdoor concert and movie series are starting up and I think maybe you can wear white again way.)

But it doesn't feel like summer or anything; nope, no sweltering temps here. Denial may be a river in Egypt, but who needs rivers when we've got the beach, the waves, and delightful sea creatures? Sure, the mercury may be rising so high it'll knock you into the Renaissance era... twice... but we can enjoy it while breakfasting with gibbons and snacking on strawberries. Yes, you may get to the rink and find the ice has melted, but no worries, you can go roller skating!

Then, of course, there's no better way to get your mind off your own steamin' pile o' troubles than to help others. Luckily this is Big Sunday Weekend, so there are projects all around that need your special touch to get them done.

Keep reading for the hottest activities to be found this weekend...

It’s spring, and you know what that means: spring cleaning! Out with the old, in with the new. You can get started with a classic clean, and join in the Earth Day tie-in beach cleanup on Santa Monica Beach. Get those sands sparkling (and what perfect timing: the Annenberg Community Beach House is holding its Anniversary shingdig this weekend as well).

That was inspiring!  Now it's time to clean up our own little neck of the woods and… oh dear. We have quite a lot of trash around here. No worries. Earth Day also marks the start of Sanitation Open House season. Kids can tour sanitation yards, attend recycling fairs, visit landfills, and perhaps commandeer a garbage truck to help Momma haul away a ton or two of refuse.

You know what's not going to end up in a landfill? Cloth diapers. You know who's going to end up in the Guinness Book of Records? Cloth diaperers (assuming enough of them get together this weekend). You know what else is going to end up in the record books? This weekend, because seriously,  there's so much amazing stuff going on that it will definitely be going down in history.

Don't believe me?  Keep reading for a taste of the awesomeness headed your way...

We're sorry. We're really, really sorry. We don't mean to keep doing this to you, honest. But here we go again: There are just Too Many Things to Do. Good things. Excellent Things. More Things than One Family can possibly do in One Weekend. And you are going to have to choose.

The LA Times Festival of Books.  The Puppet Festival at the Skirball. One of the Getty Center's priceless Family Festivals. (This one's about Queen Victoria and Photography). There's the opening day of the Butterfly Pavilion. There's the opening day of the Snowy Day exhibit at the Skirball. There's the opening day of the Wyland Gallery at Sweet! (Whales! And chocolate!)

But that is not all; oh, no, that is not all. Easter is hopping into town with bunnies, bunnies, and bunnies. (Peter, Cottontail, and Easter). There are kites in the sky, singing in the rain, and talking drums. There are infinitely many choices, and all of them are must-see.

Keep reading for way too many things to do this weekend...