The Strandbeests are coming! Two sneak peaks of these wicked cool contraptions (pictured) are coming up this week, including one at the sculpture-friendly Rose Kennedy Greenway. The full exhibit opens at the Peabody Essex Museum in September, but if you're like me and can't wait, grab the kids and check out one of these free pop-ups. While you're at it, this week is a good time to hit one of the local farmers' markets or have the little ones learn about food we can grow at home before summer turns to fall.

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden has been offering city kids a chance to get their hands dirty in educational programs for more than a century. And now there's a fresh family attraction to explore at this urban oasis: its just introduced Discovery Garden. Part of the BBG's massive South Garden revitalization project, the one-acre space invites children to learn about plants and ecosystems through hands-on activities. With special sessions just for toddlers, discovery stations for older kids and frequent Family Discovery Weekends, the Discovery Garden promises an immersive nature experience for all ages.

It's not easy being tween, especially when you're looking for something cool to wear. Luckily, Greenwich has a lot of choices that are just right including Splendid, which has their only Connecticut retail location right on Greenwich Avenue in Fairfield County. The Splendid store is in great company with all of the other boutiques and restaurants that make Greenwich a world class shopping destination, even if you're just doing some world class window shopping. It's time for a journey up and down the avenue to check out all of the best tween shopping in town.

There are a lot of family friendly steakhouses in Greater Hartford, including restaurants where you can bring the whole gang without worrying about breaking a wineglass (or the bank). Below I’ve rounded up steakhouses for the whole family and another list for those special date nights out. You might even want to start a steakhouse tour -- write back and tell us your favorites! (For other dining options check out our list of Greater Hartford restaurants.)

Across Litchfield and Fairfield counties, several family-owned farms and orchards offer pick-your-own fruit opportunities. Most offer many other attractions, as well: other kinds of fruits or vegetables, a neat, little farm store stocked with delicious goodies, farm animals, playgrounds or a variety of farm-themed programs. Some are especially good if you have toddlers in tow. Whichever place you choose to visit, you are guaranteed to find tasty, fresh fruit and memorable experiences appealing to everyone in the family and don't forget to check out our Fall Guide for more great fall ideas! 

How are you spending the last few weeks of summer break? My family and I are furiously crossing outings off our seasonal bucket list. We hope to still make it out to the Hamptons, Rye Playland and over to Brooklyn Bridge Park to experience the interactive installation Please Touch the Art before it gets too cold to enjoy those rooms made of water.

Of course, so many new attractions have opened recently, it's hard to keep up! The Battery's SeaGlass Carousel just started spinning, a new indoor play space in Woodside, Queens looks like a great bet for a rainy day and a Thomas the Tank Engine theme park in Massachusetts is weekend-trip-worthy for young train fans. But don't let the kids dictate all your destinations: family-friendly vineyards and wineries in nearby New Jersey offer plenty of activities for children and adults alike.

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

New York City has long been home to a dozen carousels, but the brand-new SeaGlass Carousel in downtown Manhattan stands apart. 

More than a decade and $16 million in the making, this custom-designed ride that opens to the public August 20 is part of the Battery's ongoing overhaul (currently it's a bit of a construction zone), and its sea theme is a nod to the site's history as the original location of the New York Aquarium. No horses going round and round here; instead, riders step into 30 tall (some up to 13 feet!), iridescent fish that seem to swim inside a giant nautilus shell thanks to a quartet of rotating turntables. Glowing lights, soothing classical music and aquatic sound effects complete the virtual underwater experience.

While every news outlet has been raving about this just-opened, one-of-a-kind attraction, only Mommy Poppins has the scoop on everything families need to know before planning a trip to the SeaGlass Carousel, including tips on stroller parking and bathrooms, along with video that gives you a sense of just how special it is.