[UPDATED: February 24, 2013]  What to do with preschoolers during the summer can be even harder to figure out than for older kids. Especially if you have older kids who are in day camp, entertaining toddlers and children that are too young for most day camps can be challenging.

You might want to start by looking at the summer programs offered by preschools in your neighborhood, but we've found a few interesting summer camps for preschoolers that offer something a little different than the average preschool summer program.

How often do NYC kids get to hang out with pigs? Well, real pigs. At two New York summer camps, NYC kids can get a taste of real farm life with real animal chores and hands-on gardening experience. There are two different farm day camp experiences NYC kids can try that take them to a world completely outside of NYC, even if they are in NYC.

We're teaming up with Stepping Stones Museum to offer one lucky family a set of four tickets to spend the day trying out kung fu, rock climbing and even surfing - all indoors! What a great way to keep the kids active while having some fun now that temperatures are dropping outside. This new special exhibit, Run! Jump! Fly! Adventures in Action, opens January 21st and runs through April 29th. The exhibit aims primarily at children ages 5-12.

The kids just went back to school and already we have a three-day weekend. (Not like anyone's complaining!) Of course, it's not any old holiday weekend. Since Monday is Martin Luther King Day, it's the perfect time for families to celebrate his life and legacy, and even volunteer with kids.

There will also be plenty of time for non-MLK Day fun, too. It's your last chance to catch the New York Botanical Garden's Holiday Train Show (yup, it's still chugging along) and Carsten Höller: Experience at the New Museum. As you can see from the photo, my daughter and some friends went last weekend, and those Upside Down Goggles are seriously cool (I totally lost my sense of balance and fell over, but the kids ran around without a problem).

You can also start planning some fun winter outings with your family. We rounded up family skiing and snow tubing spots in New Jersey, and indoor fun like seasonal cooking classes and puppet shows in New York City.

And that's just a bit of what's going on. Here's what we covered this week on Mommy Poppins in NYC, New Jersey, Long Island and Connecticut, as well as selected stories from our sites in Boston and Los Angeles.

The kids have an extra day off from school this weekend, and while they're looking forward to it, you're thinking, "What am I going to do with them?!" In addition to most indoor play spaces, bowling alleys, ice- and roller-skating rinks being open, there are several activities going on around town to keep your children busy, no matter their age. We've got you covered. Also, look to our guide to commemorative events and celebrations if you're looking to honor Dr. King's legacy with your children on this National Day of Service.

I'm a lifelong foodie. Before I had my son, I even worked at the Food Network. I've been dreaming about taking him to a cool kids' cooking class since I was pregnant. While there are certainly lots of wonderful places where children can take cooking lessons in New York City, they tend to be really expensive, around $60 or more a pop. I understand why: Ingredients don't come cheap and you need access to a kitchen. Still, at those prices, I figured my kid would have to learn to cook in the kitchen of chez moi.

But I started to do some research to see if I could find any (relatively) inexpensive cooking classes for kids in NYC. And guess what? They actually do exist. Most of these cooking programs cost $30 or less per session, and a few are actually totally free. Plus, New York City's first-ever Kids Food Festival hits Bryant Park later this month with hands-on activities and classes for families. Time to get cooking!

Don't forget about MLK Day coming up! But before we get to Monday, there's a whole weekend of good times to be had. Between a pajama party, a winter carnival, some Fuzzy Lemons and a musical celebrating the Big Red Dog, there's a lot to celebrate the next few days.  Stay warm indoors and catch a movie at the Y or take a walk on the wild side and see how the animals do winter.

The three-day MLK weekend that comes so early in the year is always a welcome treat, and Boston offers plenty for kids and families to do. In addition to special concerts, tributes, open houses and workshops that all pay tribute to Dr. King (highlighted in our separate post), families can visit a model train and toy hobby show, take in a SteveSongs concert, celebrate the Chinese New Year at the zoo, and more.

We’ve also launched our series focusing on Summer Camps 2012 with a collection of camp fairs taking place in the next few months. And if you have a favorite camp you’d like us to consider for inclusion in our camp roundups, please let me know.

Enjoy!