How about this weather we've been having? This weekend is no time to stay cooped up in the house or at your local bounce-play place. Get out and enjoy the weather! There are lots of outdoor activities going on this weekend to enjoy, including a seal cruise and a few other nature-based activities, as well as some indoor events in case the weather turns or it rains, like a Black History Month celebration at the Children's Museum, a LEGO day at the Nassau County Museum, and a concert at the Suffolk Y JCC. Get out and have fun!

Poor Punxsutawney Phil. Whether he or Mrs. G, Drumlin Farm's resident groundhog, see their shadows on Groundhog Day (Feb 2), or not, it feels like we are on the path to an early spring. While this means that some wintry events have been canceled, like the Franklin Park Winter Snow Festival (for obvious reasons), we’ve found great activities for the weekend - and they don’t even interfere with game time!

Also this week on Boston Mommy Poppins:

• With February vacation just around the corner, we’ve highlighted a variety of programs that take place during the break (note that most require advance sign up).
• We continued our summer camp series with a focus on camps that are geared for girls.
• We also got some fabulous tips for choosing the right camp from Samantha Razook Murphy, founder of Curious Jane, coming to the Winsor School in Brookline this summer.
• We've highlighted some awesome places for kids’ arts and crafts.
• Our monthly book corner features Al Pha’s Bet, by Amy K, Rosenthal. Thanks to HugoBookstores for the recommendation.
• And there are still a few hours left to enter to win tickets to Calvin's Monster - just send me an email.

Read on for our weekend picks, and enjoy!

It's the first weekend of February—not that you'd know it from the spring-like weather. In fact it's so warm, the Department of Parks & Recreation was forced to cancel this weekend's annual Winter Jam. But don't worry: There are plenty of other awesome things going on.

Chinese New Year festivities conclude this weekend with Flushing's Lunar New Year Parade, and festivals at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the China Institute and the Asia Society. Looking for a good family flick? The BAMkids Film Festival takes place this weekend, and tickets for March's month-long New York International Children's Festival go on sale today. If music's more your thing, you can catch two of our favorite kid rock acts, Shine and the Moonbeams at Symphony Space and Suzi Shelton at Brooklyn Arts Exchange. The Little Orchestra Society is also presenting West Side Story: Music of the Americas featuring works by famous U.S. composers.

February is also Black History Month and we've highlighted meaningful ways to experience African-American culture with your kids. Many cultural institutions are offering free events in honor of Black History Month this weekend, including celebrations at Harlem's Apollo Theater, the Brooklyn Museum, the Bronx Museum of the Arts and the Schomburg Center.

These are just a few of the great things going on this weekend. Read on for all of our picks and remember, you can find additional ideas in our Winter Fun Guide and our Event Calendar.

Every parent wants his or her child's birthday party to be a special and memorable experience. One way to insure that your child's party will be one that he or she will remember for years to come is to invite some animals, and I don't mean those boys in their class. Kids love animals and there are some really cool birthday party ideas that you can have right in New York City with live animals in attendance.

While some of these parties are admittedly exorbitant, you'll be surprised at a few options that are on par with other birthday parties in New York and won't break the bank. Check out these animal parties that kids will be "eternally" grateful for (for at least a couple of days):  

We've been highlighting Kids Club THIRTEEN events in our weekend posts for a while now. We partnered with the club because its goal is much like Mommy Poppins': To create lasting memories and a sense of community. For $75 (which goes to support THIRTEEN's quality programming), families can attend 13 exclusive events at cool cultural institutions like the Brooklyn Children's Museum, the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theater and the DiMenna Children's History Museum, where they'll meet beloved PBS Kids characters in person, and participate in enriching and entertaining events throughout the tri-state area.

I attended a Kids Club THIRTEEN event with my daughter at the South Street Seaport Museum a few years ago, and she still talks about meeting Curious George and the way the ship swayed on the water as we took a tour of a historic vessel. Read on to find out more about the benefits of joining Kids Club THIRTEEN, plus details on how to save 51% on an annual membership.

This month we've lost a number of venues we've recently written about, like Park Slope's PSbkln and Perch Cafe, and Times Square's Mars 2112. Now we hear Moomah, which we just featured in our roundup of restaurants where kids can play, is also shutting its doors, as is Park Slope's Southpaw. All these closures are bringing up our abandonment issues.

Not all the news this week is bad. We also have info on a free elementary school admissions seminar, a new charter school in the Bronx and a change that will result in a lot less MetroCard waste.

Starting to look at summer camps for your children? We'd like to thank Samantha Razook Murphy, mom of two girls, and founder of Curious Jane, coming to the Winsor School in Brookline this summer, for these tips to keep in mind as you assess the different options for your daughters (and sons!).

Read on for her tips, and read more about her Curious Jane and other camps in our Camps for Girls post.

In summer, Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden are super-popular destinations, with glorious flora and fauna, and lots of free or inexpensive programming for families. But they don't go into hibernation during the winter.

The cool months are actually a great time to visit: You'll find fewer crowds, lower fees (the Garden offers free admission on weekdays through March 11) and plenty of kid-friendly activities and attractions, many of which are inside where it's warm. From indoor exhibits at the Garden and the Park's Audubon Center to outdoor nature walks, here's why you should bundle up the family and hit these green spots in winter.