It's official... an official snow day that is. On Saturday, January 4, the Parks Department is inviting New Yorkers to come out to a neighborhood park for some winter fun. White-capped hills around the city are open for sledding, snowman-making and more. And at five designated locations, the Parks Department will be handing out sleds and free hot chocolate while supplies last from 11am to 3pm.

New is the word of the moment in NYC. We have a new Mayor, a new Schools Chancellor and we're all excited about the new adventures in store for our families in the New Year. To help get you started, all of our sites have posted brand-new January Go Lists highlighting the absolute best things to do with kids throughout the month in NYC, Westchester, New Jersey, on Long Island and beyond. Even though the fun of the holidays is behind us, there are some really amazing activities worth putting on your January calendar, including unique experiences like a family trivia competition in the East Village and a hands-on maker fest in Brooklyn.

With a snowstorm set to hit the city, we're also furiously updating our Winter Fun Guide for the season. Check out our roundup of the best sledding hills in NYC as well as posts on snow tubing, cross-country skiing and downhill skiing in the tri-state area.

Finally, if you're itching to start your post-holiday purge, we have posts about where to donate toys and kids' clothes in New York City and on Long Island, and all the details on how to easily recycle your Christmas tree in NYC.

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

Whoo hoo! It's 2014, baby!  No more of that wishy-washy, so-24-hours-ago, 2013 nonsense. It's 2014 all the way. Because you are not only on top of, but in fact ahead of the curve, we can even let you in on our peek-into-the-future, best-of-what-is-yet-to-come highlights list known as our January Go List. (And for those of you who just wrote the first check of the year with a slash one-three date, all I can say is, really?  Really? SMH and RME.) 

2013 may have gone out like a wrecking ball, but 2014 is starting slow, thank heavens. (Momma needs a break after all the "vacationing" the kids have been up to!). In the meantime, maybe now's a good time to get back on track, tidy up your messes, and follow through on your resolutions. If one of your resolutions was to recycle more, we can help you off to a good start: Mommy Poppins has the low-down on Christmas tree recycling options throughout Los Angeles.

Before you know it, it will be business as usual. Martin Luther King. Jr. Day is just around the corner, and Lunar New Year events are starting to pop up, including this weekend's Oshogatsu Festival at the Japanese American National Museum (they have free pony rides!).  And that's just the beginning of what 2014 has to offer....

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

A Nor’easter - what a perfect way to usher in the new year! With kids home from school a couple of extra days, it’s good to know there are fun things to do this weekend to get families out of the house. Kids can make bubbles with Mike the Bubble Man, see Magician Matias work his magic, visit Frozen Fenway, and more. Our best bets for the weekend are below. Plus, find additional things to do in our Events Calendar, which we add to on a regular basis. And follow us on Twitter or Facebook for the latest updates and more family activities.

Also this week on Mommy Poppins Boston:

• Freebies for the birthday boy or girl: Birthday Clubs for Boston Kids: Free Gifts, Meals and Treats
• Free, snowy fun from our friends at the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Kids Outdoors Boston: Free Snow-packed Family Fun: 6 Creative Ideas for Boston Families
• The newest addition to our Indoor Fun Guide: Arts and Crafts Classes for Kids in Greater Boston
• The newest addition to our Birthday Party Guide: 5 Indoor Birthday Party Places for Active Kids in Boston

Read on for details, and enjoy!

It’s that time again--the start of a new year and new beginnings. The first weekend of 2014 offers lots of family fun around Westchester. Welcome in the new year (and the close of the holiday season) by taking a New Year’s hike or learning about winter animal tracking at Westmoreland Sanctuary. Or explore Stone Barns on a Family Farm Tour.

There are plenty of places to enjoy crafts this weekend. Create unique handmade bowls as a fundraiser in Port Chester or design your own “wild” mosaic at Greenburgh Nature Center. Kids can also make a fun desk calendar at Home Depot, a knickknack key chain at Michael’s Crafts or a party mask at Lakeshore Learning. New Era Creative Space is hosting Family Fun Day with art, music, crafts and performances. 

Read on for our top weekend picks. If you see something that piques your interest, click through to the event listing to view full details. Looking for more options? Be sure to check our Event Calendar for more fun happening this weekend and beyond in Westchester. 

Happy 2014 Long Island families! This weekend, two new shows hit the stage. Enjoy the adventures of Peter Pan & Wendy at the Bayway Arts Center, and Dorothy Meets Alice: The Wizard Of Wonderland at Studio Theatre. Feeling more crafty? Head to the Children's Museum of the East End to make a rubber band powered car, or put those investigative skills to the test and make snow. Get in touch with nature at the South Fork Natural History Museum & Nature Center by discovering how birds use their beaks, or by going on a winter field walk. Ready to make a New Year's resolution of leading an active lifestyle? Then check out the Family & Fitness Open House at the Sid Jacobson Jewish Community Center. As always, check our events calendar every day for fun activities for the family. 

I'm a resolution maker. And the one resolution I've made every year since becoming a parent is to find fun and new activities for my kids and myself that challenge us and help us learn, grow, and enjoy our time together. Mommy Poppins has been a terrific resource for me as a reader and a contributor, and I hope it does the same for you.

Our CT Winter Fun Guide is full of skiing, snow tubing, indoor play and more options for fun this Winter. Perfect timing since we are to get a dumping of snow over the next two days! Stay safe and don't drive unless you absolutely have to.

To get the most out of the site, be sure to follow us on Facebook (make sure Mommy Poppins CT shows up on your feed by including us in your "interests list." To put a page on your "interests list," hover over the "Like" button and you'll see a pull-down menu that offers an "add to your interests lists" choice). Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and be sure to get the weekend round up every Thursday in your inbox.

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter and Pinterest in order to get updates on events, current contests and free giveaways. Our event calendar is updated constantly with fun activities around the state.

Without further ado, here are our suggestions for making the first weekend of 2014 a memorable one!