When I was a kid, I dreamed I'd grow up to have a robot maid like on The Jetsons. So far, no such luck. However, there have been some amazing advancements in the robotics field. Thanks to easy-to-use Lego Mindstorms and WeDo robot building sets, my 9-year-old son is constantly making simple automated machines like Lego brick vehicles or motorized coffee cans. He loves figuring out how to put all the pieces together, and I'm always amazed at what he comes up with—perhaps he'll build me that robot maid yet!

If you also have a young robot fan at home, there are some really exciting robotics classes, camps, and events your little tinkerer will want to know about.

Here are 10 classes and camps fit for beginners and beyond, as well as a pair of leagues for advanced robotics builders, and an event sure to inspire builders of all ages and experience. You can find more high-tech entertainment in our Geek Guide.

Find more NYC classes in our Classes Guide and Directory Listings.

2015, what's that? Like, the year it used to be or something? I wouldn't know, because I am super immersed in 2016 culture, the fashion trends, the catch phrases, the emojis... I'm so into 2016, I'm practically 2017 or maybe even 2018. (In hindsight, perhaps I should have said 2020.)

With the New Year, comes a brief slowdown in the pace (just until everyone gets a 2016 calendar, so we're all on the same page). This is not to say there isn't plenty to do. Whether you're playing catch up, last hurrah, or hold the phone what is this new joy, you can entertain yourself twenty ways to Monday and still have more to fill your week.

So sit back, relax, and let the 2016 times roll as you get started on this year's Christmas shopping.  (Or is it just at my house that the new list is already forming? Anyone? Anyone?)

Keep reading for more on all the fresh-off-the-presses awesomeness that is this weekend…

The first weekend in January has arrived, and families throughout Philadelphia are trying to keep to their New Year's resolutions such as exercising more, losing weight, or becoming more organized. However, if your resolution is to experience more of Philly and its surrounding suburbs in 2016, our Events Calendar can help.

Explore the Franklin Institute and learn about Genghis Khan as this special exhibit which concludes this weekend. Catch one of the last performances of Jack Frost Saves Christmas at The Media Theatre. Or, savor the beauty of the duPont mansion as Yuletide at Winterthur finishes another season.

Mommy Poppins Philly is on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest so be sure to follow us. Make sure to sign up for our newsletters which are delivered straight to your inbox on Sundays and Thursdays. Together, let's make 2016 a year full of new and exciting experiences!

Kick off the new year with some wholesome family fun right here on Long Island. Say goodbye to 2015 by taking in some last-chance holiday light shows, train displays and live theater. And if you still need more to do, visit our Holiday Guide.

Don't see your event listed here? Add it to our events calendar. And if you don't receive this post in your inbox, subscribe to our newsletter.

Happy New Year! Like many parents, I'm going to be using this weekend to make sure my family is ready for the return to school and work next week, which means pulling out the backpacks and lunch boxes, getting bedrooms and bookshelves organized with new toys and books, and adjusting to the idea of getting out the door earlier again. At least there's still some time to sneak in a bit more holiday fun before Monday's alarm buzzes. The light displays wrap up this weekend, and families can also catch a special Three Kings' Day celebration to round out the holiday season.

If one of your resolutions this year is to get organized, a winter equipment swap can help you clear out the closet and prepare your family for upcoming winter activities. 

Finally, some great shows going on this weekend feature a pirate princess (pictured), a musical puppet show, a symphony of action & comedy, and some familiar Sesame Street characters.

Also on Mommy Poppins Boston this week:

• Check out these family-friendly New Year's Eve activities.
• Our overview of First Night includes plenty of tips for taking the kids.
• Have family in town for the holidays? Scott shares how best to explore the Museum of Science with kids of different ages.

Enjoy your weekend and don't forget to check out the full Event Calendar!

Hear that? It’s the calm that follows the holiday hullabaloo. This weekend, activities for Westchester families quiet down a notch, so there’s a greater emphasis on R&R than on ultra-stimulating fanfare.

A great holiday antidote might be a Winter Hike to Lost Pond—both to get back to nature and to burn off all that feasting! For some high-flying fun, see a performance of Disney's Tarzan or watch the swooshes and alley-oops of Iona College Women's Basketball. Join in a FREE wood-working project at Home Depot Kids' Workshops or bop along with your BFFs at Teen Movie.

Refer to our Event Calendar for our daily listings, and complete an easy new year’s resolution to take more advantage of all the Westchester and the Hudson Valley have to offer by signing up for our FREE weekly newsletters!

Happy New Year from your mom friends at Mommy Poppins!

Welcome to a new year! The Mommy Poppins Connecticut team wishes you and your family a healthy and happy 2016. We hope that our posts and Events Calendar will provide you with many ideas for enjoying the upcoming months to the fullest, beginning with the January Go List.

If you’re still recovering from festivities, you can take it easy this weekend, which appears to be pretty quiet throughout the state. It’s the last chance this season to stroll through the Fantasy of Lights in New Haven, or the Festival of Silver Lights in Meriden. You can also relax at Maritime Aquarium with a viewing of The Polar Express, showing for the last time this weekend.

Happy New Year! As we say goodbye to 2015 and usher in 2016, there’s plenty of fun to be had around New Jersey while the kiddos are still on winter break. Soak in the last of this year’s Christmas cheer with a Holiday Scavenger Hunt at Frelinghuysen Arboretum or check out the last weekend of the dazzling holiday lights during the Historic Smithville Holiday Light Show. And if you want to include the whole family in New Year festivities, take them to make a New Year’s Ball Craft at Imagine That Children’s Museum, join in the New Year’s Day Party at Kidz Village or lace up your hiking boots for a picturesque New Year’s Family Walk at Pyramid Mountain. Whatever you decide to do this holiday weekend, we hope you enjoy it with family and friends. For additional activity options, check out our Event Calendar.