Tucked away in Winsted, Connecticut, sits perhaps one of the best kept secrets in Litchfield County.  My first experience at the Gilson Theatre was during a vacation from college, and some friends and I drove in a massive snow storm, up Route 8, for what seemed like forever, to Main Street in Winsted to check out the burlesque theatre turned dinner and a movie spot.  Back then, the crowds were small and the movies were oldish.  Times have certainly changed at the Gilson, but it's just as fabulous a spot as it's ever been and well worth the trip!

Bonjour! Monday is Bastille Day. Don’t give the enfants a reason to storm out; let them eat cake, or at least brie and baguettes. Enjoy a picnic “en plain air” at a local park or by the light house in Long Beach when you catch a dollar movie. There is lots to do at the library and you can brush up on the French Revolution while you’re there (or borrow some of the books in our DIY Kid Lit Camp). Better yet, sign the kids up for French lessons and listen to them parlez, because our five picks for fun this week all have a certain je ne sais quois.

It wasn't until I recently overheard a group of moms passionately discussing party balloon decorations that I realized what a hot topic it is. A really fabulous themed balloon installation can make a young kids' birthday party seem extra special, and at the end you can give them away as fun favors. Even teens and grown-ups aren't immune to the charms of over-the-top balloon art. Bonus: Unlike flowers, balloon centerpieces won't trigger seasonal allergies (though a sudden pop might scare a tot or two).

While pretty much any old party store carries balloons, if you're looking for something unique or customized (and are willing to pay the price... beautiful balloons don't come cheap), you're going to want to go to the experts. We found eight stores and services in NYC that specialize in balloons for all occasions, from kids' birthday parties to sweet sixteens to bar mitzvahs to weddings.

Coding, movie making, and robotics are all the rage these days, and there are plenty of great STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) camps in and around Boston for kids to learn those skills. But what if you just want your child to get a taste before committing to a full week of summer camp, or those camps don't fit your budget? The solution is here, in this roundup of free summer camps and workshops where kids to learn how to design video games, combine electronics with everyday crafts, make movies, use iBooks, become makers, and more.

This post is currently being updated with information for 2016.

The summer is here and that means plenty of sunny days to spend out on a boat on Long Island's waters. For kids that love the water and enjoy the open ocean, sailing lessons might be in order. And Long Island has five premier sailing schools that teach children to hoist sails, tie knots and steer a sailboat. For more activities and classes this season, check out our Summer Fun Guide.

Cool ways to beat the heat seemed to be the theme across all of our sites this week. (Perhaps it had something to do with how much we've been shvitzing.) In NYC, we rounded up our top 50 places to cool off with kids, both indoors and out. Our Long Island site highlighted five water slides worth the day trip and did a whole post on Splish Splash Waterpark, which is just 90 minutes by car from NYC.

Connecticut, meanwhile, is filled with pristine public beaches to explore as well as many cool isles situated o the Long Island Sound. And in New Jersey, you can go swimming in lakes and watering holes.

If you're looking for more than just a day trip, our Travel site just wrapped up its series of posts about Richmond, Virginia with a list of the best outdoor activities for kids. Or you could hit the amusement park, waterpark and green spaces on Southern NJ's gorgeous Long Beach Island.

Whether you opt to go away this weekend or stick close to home, remember to share your family's playful pics on social media for a chance to win great prizes in our SUMMER OF PLAY CHALLENGE. We've been getting some amazing entries and we love seeing how our readers are enjoying themselves this summer.

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

It can be all too easy to start complaining about 90-degree temps and through-the-roof humidity with July upon us, but now is the time to savor the warm and lazy days of the season before it’s over! For some classic summer fun, head down the shore to the Ocean County Fair, take a guided tour of the NJ Botanical Gardens, or sign up for a Family Campfire & Moon Watch at Stony Brook-Millstone Reserve. And if you’re looking to duck inside away from the heat for a few hours, we’ve got you covered there too: take in a kid-friendly performance of Beauty and the Beast Jr. at Surflight Theatre or belt out "Let It Go" for the hundredth time during the Frozen Sing-a-Long at the Kelsey Theatre. Also, you can check out the full list of weekend activities on our Event Calendar.