Activities To Get You Out of the House This Weekend in NJ

Submitted by Laurie Rein on

Climb high at Clayton Park, where Monmouth County Parks pulls out its portable 25-foot climbing wall for visitors to scale.

Happy Earth Day, New Jersey. This weekend features a slew of ways to celebrate Mother Nature. Enjoy an Earth Day walk in Monmouth County Parks, make furry friends at Grayrock Farm, and witness sheep shearing at Longstreet Farm.

For a less-structured outing, you can get outdoors for nature-focused fun at New Jersey's botanical gardens and arboretums or explore the Pine Barrens.

Of course, you should bookmark our always-updated Event Calendar, which includes a roster of upcoming spring festivals for New Jersey families. Last, don't forget to book those summer camps. You can learn more about local and virtual options with our upcoming Online Camp Fair, where you're invited to visit virtual booths and watch live camp demos.

Best Things to Do This Weekend in NYC with Kids: Street Arts, EarthFest, Holi!

Drew Kristofik's picture Submitted by Drew Kristofik on

Alex Da Corte’s Enchanting commission As Long as the Sun Lasts is now open on The Met's rooftop garden. Photo courtesy The Metropolitan Museum of Art by Anna-Marie Kellen

Happy Earth Day, everyone! The official day is Thursday, but plenty of events are running on Saturday, including the Street Arts celebration, taking over West 103rd Street with music and dancing, Brooklyn Downtown's car-free bonanza, and the Bronx Zoo's annual Run for the Wild fundraiser. The American Museum of Natural History's Earth Day celebration is an all-online affair but action-packed as ever.

Kids Take Over Camp is designed to help kids build financial savvy and is offered at all three NYC Camp stores Saturday. You can toss some color around at the Brooklyn Children Museum's Holi celebration or enjoy the return of live art programs at Wave Hill.

For more outdoor art, check out Rock Center's Life Forces immersive installation, The Met's Sesame Street/Calder mashup, As Long as the Sun Lasts, or nature's own contribution to impressionism, the Randall's Island's cherry blossoms.

For more ideas, sprint over to our Event Calendar, check out our April GoList, and don't miss our spring day trip ideas.

Remember, it's time to book summer camps, and you can learn more about local and virtual options at our upcoming Online Camp Fair, where you can visit virtual booths and watch live camp demos from the comfort of your couch.

Activities To Get You Out of the House This Weekend on Long Island

Jaime Sumersille's picture Submitted by Jaime Sumersille on

Enjoy some hands-on, outdoor, springtime exploration at CSTL's family-friendly programming. Photo courtesy of CSTL

Outdoor adventures are calling this week, and Long Island families have their choice of inventive springtime programs to enjoy. Wander the trails by lantern light at Heckscher State Park, explore in broad daylight with Ranger Eric at the Sands Point Preserve, or clean the seashore during National Junior Ranger Day at the Fire Island Lighthouse.

You'll find more seasonal happenings in our roundup of 25 fun things to do this spring, plus our Event Calendar and Spring Fun Guide get constant updates as we learn of new family-friendly happenings.

Of course, summer will be here before you know it, so don't forget to book those summer camps. Slots are going fast for the 2021 season! Learn more about local and virtual summer camps with our upcoming Online Camp Fair. Visit virtual booths and watch live camp demos.

5 Things To Do on a Day Trip to Croton Gorge Park

Submitted by Marisa Iallonardo on

Croton Gorge Park is a gorgeous destination in any season.

From excellent playgrounds for little ones to wonderful destination parks, there are plenty of reasons for Westchester families to head outside year-round. One of my personal favorite outdoor destinations is Croton Gorge Park, a 97-acre county-owned gem on Route 129 in Cortlandt. It's home to the Croton Dam and a huge, cascading waterfall, one of the park's defining features.

These days, there’s lots for families to do while visiting Croton Gorge Park. We’ve rounded up our top five ways to spend the day. If you're looking for even more outdoor fun, check out these easy state park hikes nearby and the seasonal activities in our Spring Fun Guide.

Things To Do in Los Angeles this Weekend with Kids: Earth Day, Oscars, Getty Villa Reopens

Submitted by Toby B on

Let's go fly a kite! Photo courtesy of Ascot Hills Park

We here at Mommy Poppins are all about mothers, and this week we’re celebrating the biggest mother of them all: Mother Earth. While Momma E has appreciated the improved air quality from us all staying home for the last year, she is happy to welcome us back for in-person, with-people events. Top options for in-person Earth-Daying include the newly reopened Heal the Bay Aquarium and the kite-flying celebration in Ascot Hills Park.

If you're not ready for the up close and personal, virtual options still abound, and not just for Earth Day. This week we have virtual celebrations of Cherry Blossoms, the continuations of the LA Times Festival of Books, and a birthday bash for the Bard. And let us not forget the Oscars, which I will watch this year from home, in order to reduce my carbon footprint and because I wasn't invited. 

You know where I have been invited? The Mommy Poppins LA Online Camp Fair, and you're invited, too. Our virtual expo starts on April 26 and offers a one-stop-shop for virtual tours and face-to-face sessions with the best camps in town. And it's totally free!

You are invited to keep reading for a motherload of activities you can do with your family this week...

World's First All-Accessible Splash Park Is at Morgan's Wonderland in Texas

Carrie Taylor's picture Submitted by Carrie Taylor on

You read that right: the world's first water park made entirely for guests of all abilities is a short drive away from Houston, in San Antonio, Texas. Of course, Houston kids are already fortunate to have a whole bunch of exciting water park options nearby, not to mention several local splash pads for a hot summer day, but for some kids these may be hard to access or even a little overwhelming. So how lucky are we to have the innovators at Morgan's Wonderland right in our back yard, creating the magnificent and unique Morgan's Inspiration Island—and providing it free of charge for kids with special needs?

Harry Potter New York Sets June 2021 Opening

Jody Mercier's picture Submitted by Jody Mercier on

The world's largest Harry Potter store finally has an official opening date. Harry Potter New York debuts on Thursday, June 3, 2021.

Muggles and wizards alike can circle a magical date on the calendar: Harry Potter New York has set its opening for Thursday, June 3, 2021. The flagship store, in the heart of the Flatiron District, transports visitors to the Wizarding World with 15 different themed areas spread out over a sprawling, three-floor, 21,000-square-foot-retail wonderland.

The opening is one of our most anticipated family-friendly debuts of the year. Read on for more magical details and a sneak peek at the shop's interior.

Bookworms Rejoice: LA Libraries Are Reopening!

Submitted by Meghan Rose on

Can't wait to curl up and read at the Beverly Hills Library. Photo by Meghan Rose

One of the things my family has missed most this past year has been visiting our favorite local library. It’s where kids can play when it’s too hot to go outside. It’s where the whole family can enjoy a free storytime that was guaranteed to be age-appropriate (turns out, librarians know books!). It’s where parents can pick up a steady supply of new books. Books to read at bedtime, books to read together, books for kids to read to themselves, and books parents could curl up with after a long day.

Sure, LA’s libraries compensated with curbside pickup, virtual events, and even dial-a-story offerings, but it just wasn't the same. Finally, many LA public libraries are ready to open their doors. So check out when you and your kids can book it to the library...

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