Last night, we piled into the car (along with our lawn chairs and lots of bug spray) and headed out to the Mendon Twin Drive-In to see a double feature: Turbo and Monsters University. We enjoyed both movies, and all around it was a fun family night out.  Our friend, Toby, at Mommy Poppins in LA has already written a review of Monsters University, so I’m focusing on Turbo, the tale of a snail with an impossible dream. For parents, the big question is always: Is it really a good film for kids? Read on to find out.

Whoever said summer is a slow season clearly wasn’t talking about New Jersey! There’s a ton to do in the Garden State this weekend, from big family fun at the QuikCheck Festival of Ballooning or the New Jersey Peach Festival to educational outings like Grossology at the Liberty Science Center or Open Cockpit Day at the Aviation Hall of Fame. And remember, you can find a full list of weekend activities in our Event Calendar.

If your family harbors a Shakespeare aficionado, then summer just isn't summer without a dose of Midsummer. For families who approach classical theater more hesitantly, A Midsummer Night's Dream performed among the trees and the owls may be the perfect introduction, and Shakespeare Center LA's annual summer stint in the VA's Japanese Gardens delivers all that Shakespeare in the park should . 

Now there's yet another reason to spend time in NYC's fabulous parks and playgrounds: Free Wi-Fi! We've got the details on that plus an old-new independent bookstore in Washington Heights, a new robot shop in the East Village, fresh Summer Streets attractions and the last strike at a family-run Brooklyn bowling alley.

You may have seen our post on language immersion preschools in Los Angeles and wondered how to find options like these in Orange County. Well, don't worry! The OC has plenty of choices for bilingual education as well. Whether or not a bilingual immersion elementary school is in your child's future, a second language is within reach.

Back on June 29, we hosted a special Mommy Poppins family cruise on the Clipper City Tall Ship with Manhattan by Sail. The sold-out voyage was such a huge success that many readers asked if we could do more cool New York Harbor trips. Ask and ye shall receive: We are thrilled to be partnering with Manhattan by Sail for our new Mommy Poppins Family Cruise Series.

We have four fun-filled sails coming up between now and October, each with a different theme and enriching kids activities to enjoy while cruising around the harbor (including a festive Halloween sail!). Take a look at some of the photos from our June excursion and read on to find out more about our upcoming sails and how you can book your tickets.

It's hot in Boston, and we're hopeful that our Cape trip in August will be sunny and warm, and just a tad cooler. But we're bringing a few rainy day toys with us, just in case, packed alongside coolers and camp chairs, sunscreen and bug spray. Maybe we won't need them, but one thing I've learned from traveling with a two year old is that it's better to be prepared, for sunny days and not-so-sunny ones. Here are six great indoor activities around the Cape to help you weather the storm, or at least buy you some time until it stops raining.