Keeping kids clean is a constant chore—they seem to be magnets for food, markers, play dough, dirt and other messy things. But it's important to drop the wipes every once in a while and head outdoors for some down and dirty fun. The sensory experience of putting their hands in the mud and dirt (and not getting in trouble for it) is liberating for little ones. And don't worry moms and dads—you can hose them off later.

Here are six places where kids can have a blast getting grimy on Long Island this summer. For more seasonal activities, check out our Summer Fun Guide.

Man, do I miss the spur-of-the-moment, after-work, happy hour drop in. What joy was had from discounted drinks and finger foods that involved no cooking or washing dishes when finished. In my hunt for ways to revive my pre-kid life that was—at times so spontaneous and uncomplicated—I found that I can still work in an occasional happy hour weeknight... with kids!

The happy hour concept is generally associated with a younger, rowdier crowd that does not want to wait for the weekend to have drinks with friends. Why should anyone wait? Happy hour can mean more than just cheap booze; it also offers a bargain menu of small portions of food that may be the perfect-size meal for little ones. Why not include your family in the pre-dinner hour fun, which often commences early enough for an after-school special? To that end, we present the sequel to Mommy Poppins' Westside Happy Hours post: Silver Lake joints for snacks and drinks that aren't just for the over-21 crowd.

The end of the school year is near and summer fun is heating up. This weekend, get a dose of maidens and minstrels at the popular New Jersey Renaissance Fair or take your little swashbuckler to the annual Privateer & Pirates Fest at the Tuckerton Seaport. For some indoor amusements, enjoy a page-to-stage adaptation of the popular children’s book Miss Nelson Is Missing at the Paper Mill Playhouse or don your cape for a Superhero Breakfast at the Imagine That! Children’s Museum.

Whatever you decide to do this weekend, we hope you enjoy the wonderful weather with family and friends. For even more activity options, check out our Event Calendar.

Things tend to be quiet on the East End in early June. With another few weeks until schools close for summer break, parents have to search just a bit harder this weekend for kid-friendly activities on the North and South Forks.

But fear not: There's still plenty to do in this culturally diverse region. This weekend, you'll find theater shows, agriculture programs and historical offerings sure to educate and entertain little and not-so-little ones.

Whether you’re here for the weekend, the whole summer or call the East End home, you’ll want to check out our Hamptons & North Fork Guide. And for fun on the rest of the island this month, take a look at our Event Calendar and June GoList.

New York City overflows with art. From world-class museums to offbeat public art installations, you can find creativity all around town. But there's one place you might not think to look: the playground. Turns out a handful of famous NYC artists designed permanent play structures and murals for some local playgrounds. While I'll admit they're not necessarily active play destinations, these romping spots are definitely worth a visit if you want to snap a few amazing, only-in-NYC pics of your kid in front of works by the likes of late graffiti great Keith Haring and sculptor Tom Otterness.

Outdoor concerts are one of the surest signs that summer has arrived. For our family, West Point’s Music Under the Stars series at Trophy Point is a summer night non-negotiatble. Set on a small point of land extending out into the Hudson, these FREE pack-a-picnic events are a full sensory experience. The music, played by the Unite States Military Academy's West Point Band, is always amazing, the view overlooking Cold Spring is breathtaking as the sun sets, and a breezy wind cools off the point on even the hottest evenings.

One of my favorite things about summer in Fairfield County is the plethora of outdoor concerts at local beaches, parks, and playgrounds—most of them absolutely free. There is music for all ages and tastes, whether you're hoping to catch an American Idol champion or create your own music. As my family discovered last summer, the rise of the food truck means that many of these venues also offer fantastic eats for purchase on-site.

A few tips: not every concert listed here is specifically intended for children, so be sure to check the lineups to determine whether the acts are appropriate for your family. Also, while many concerts are billed as free admission, some (particularly those at beaches) involve a parking fee. Finally, concerts are frequently canceled, postponed, or relocated due to bad weather. Before heading out, be sure to check the concert's official website to confirm it's still happening as scheduled.

I love batik. Or I should say, I love the way batik looks, and I love the idea of making batik, but actual batik is really hard, meticulous and, frankly, kind of tedious to do. I've been looking for a simpler way to make batik and recently shared these batik-style card designs. I think they turned out great, but they are only paper simulations of batik.

But I finally found an easy batik method. Do you know Design Mom? Blogger Gabrielle Blair is one of those people who makes you wonder, "How does she do it?" She is somehow managing to raise six children, run her super website and make everything seem beautiful, graceful and balanced. Luckily for us, she has just wrapped all that beauty and wisdom into her new book, Design Mom: How to Live with Kids: A Room-by-Room Guide.

What I love about this book is that it isn't just about home design. The lovely Gabby shares many of her family's traditions and ways they make living with kids work. These are my favorite parts of the book, and that's right where I found my easy batik technique.

I've adapted Gabrielle's method a bit to make it even simpler so that a little kid can do it. You can literally use this technique on any piece of cotton fabric; we did T-shirts and tote bags.