January weather may be a bit dreary, but New Jersey is still full of fun, whether you’re looking to stay indoors or out. So get out of the cold and take in a weekend show, like Fancy Nancy and If You Give a Pig a Pancake, or put on your coat and head outside for some winter fun with an Owl Prowl or Hot Chocolate Hike. Read on for our top picks and you can find a listing of all NJ activities in our Event Calendar.

As editor of New Jersey Mommy Poppins, I'm very excited to tell you about something a little different today: I will be assistant-directing the second annual production of "Listen To Your Mother" in NYC! We are looking for tri-state area writers, performers and storytellers to audition for this very special show that will take place on Mother's Day, May 12 at Symphony Space in Manhattan. But what in the world is "Listen To Your Mother"? Read on for all the fantastic details!

As a proud Queens native, I'm always looking for new ways to encourage others (including my own family) to explore my home borough. And since it's famous for being culturally diverse, a do-it-yourself food tour is a great way to get a taste of all the different neighborhoods.

Queens boasts some of the best kid-friendly restaurants in New York City—and I'm not just saying that because I was raised here. You can introduce your children to a wide variety of authentic cuisine at reasonable prices, and the portions are so big you always end up with leftovers to take home. Plus there are off-the-beaten path gems that have incredible kid appeal, like coffee house Waltz-Astoria and its family concerts and old New York soda fountains Eddie's Sweet Shop and Jahn's.

I thought about all of the places I've eaten in Queens over the years and came up with my personal list of the top ten restaurants, bakeries and ice cream parlors that are all worth schlepping the kids to, even if you live in another borough. See if your favorites made the cut and feel free to share your additions in the comments as I know there are many, many more.

Children are natural inventors. They're always creating, building and tinkering, and coming up with inventive ways to solve life's problems. Take my oldest son, who after watching me scramble for his little sister's discarded sippy cup for the umpteenth time proposed that we add pop-out wings to her stroller to catch whatever she chucked.

While he never did figure out how to develop that product, he's certainly kept busy over the past few years inventing all sorts of other things at a variety of creative places. Here are eight NYC spots where your budding Benjamin Franklins can be inspired to make robots, model buildings, video games and lots of other cool stuff.

Last Sunday, my daughter and I waited on a long line to see the awesome swings installation at the Park Avenue Armory, which was closing that day. It was one of those unforgettable, offbeat experiences that we love sharing here on Mommy Poppins, and I was so happy that we didn't end up missing it. Now there's an easy way for your family to stay on top of cool, one-of-a-kind events like that exhibit: Mommy Poppins' brand-new NYC Go List, where we highlight the absolute best things to do with kids every month. January is usually slow in terms of family happenings and yet we found 15 events worth putting in your calendar. We can't wait to see what kinds of can't-miss experiences the warmer months bring!

While it looks like we won't be sledding in NYC anytime soon, nearby skiing and snowboarding spots are open and making their own snow. And if you're searching for a great seasonal getaway for the Martin Luther King Day holiday weekend, our Travel site has profiles of three family-friendly Massachusettes ski resorts. You can find lots of other day and weekend trip ideas in our NYC Travel Guide.

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

Jack Hanna's in town this weekend (LOVE that guy!) at the NYCB Theatre at Westbury. Also going on: A fun family day at the Sid Jacobson JCC called Shabbat Stop, including a concert from Mama Doni, Disney on Ice at the Nassau Coliseum, a Family Adventure at the Connetquot River State Park Preserve, and a fun Flying Model competition at the Cradle of Aviation Museum. As always check out events calendar every day for fun activities for the family.

It’s time to hunker down with calories. Oh sure, some of us might be slipping into a bathing suit over spring break, but that’s ages from now. We need comfort! I’m offering up a mix of slow cooker magic and recipes that require a little more attention, but are worth it for a day of cooking while the kiddies play in the snow. Dig in friends, because soon I’ll be swooning over ramps and chanterelles! And check out last year's hunkering-down recipes as well.