It almost doesn’t seem fair that the kids are all back in school when there are free desserts available. Ben & Jerry are giving away their annual cone, and Sprinkles is celebrating its ten-year anniversary with free cupcakes. But wait, there’s more. The Autry and the Japanese American National Museum both have free days this week. There’s a Star Wars convention in Anaheim and kids under age six are free; everybody else pays the big bucks, but Luke and Leia (Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher) will be there so it’s worth it.

Now that spring has sprung, it’s the perfect time to explore the great outdoors. Nature activities abound this week, including Awesome Animal Artists, Sprouts & Seedlings: Seed Spectacular and Croaks, Trills and Splashes. You can also enjoy free fun at Holmdel Library’s Story & Science program, Freehold Library’s Read to the Dog event and Barnes & Noble's Monkey & Duck Quack Up! Storytime. Don’t forget to check out our Event Calendar for even more options.

Spring break is over, yet we still seem to be waiting for springlike weather to arrive. At least there's plenty of fun stuff for the kids to do during the week. From roller-skating to free storytimes, there are events to keep the little ones entertained during the day and older kids occupied after school.

Keep in mind that this list is just our top picks—be sure to check our Event Calendar or more options. To receive posts like this in your inbox, sign up for our free newsletters, which go out twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays.

There's nothing like a real taste of spring to get your family outdoors. Little ones can learn about animals they may encounter this season at the Little Naturalists: Ducks and Vernal Pools programs. Young scientists will also be happy to know that the Cambridge Science Festival opens this Friday.

The African Adventure Tales puppet show is our live performance pick of the week. If your kids would rather get in on the act, two great options are the Roslindale Open Mike and the Muppet Movie Sing-along. Read on for our picks of the week, and don't forget to check out our full Event Calendar!

Many districts are on spring break so there are plenty of activities going on this week. This post only highlights one pick per day, but you can find lots of other suggestions in our Event Calendar, our April GoList, and our Connecticut Day Trips Guide. Also, although it's not quite beach season yet, many shores will begin staffing their gatehouses this month; parking stickers or daily parking fees will be required.

Although Easter and Passover are behind us, there are still plenty of fun family activities for Westchester families this week. You’ll find diverse offerings in our Event Calendar, including our top picks, like the start of the New York International Children’s Film Festival: Westchester, a 10-day cinematic sensation featuring movies from all over the globe. Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom Ha Shoah) is sure to provide a provocative reflection on a dark time in history, with lessons and reminders for family audiences. April is also National Poetry Month, and we found a fun celebration that focuses on children’s books written in verse.

Remember to check out our April GoList for the best things to do throughout the entire month. If you haven't already, subscribe to our FREE newsletters to get posts like this delivered right to your inbox.

The kids head back to public school this week, but you can still carve out a little time for fun. Head to the American Museum of Natural History to see its latest exhibit, Life at the Limits, or enjoy the Brooklyn Museum's play workshops with Imagination Playground. There's also some awesome family theater on tap, like the acrobatic spectacle Séquence 8 at City Center, Egg and Spoon at BAM and The Earth and Me at Brooklyn College.

Although we only highlight one event per day in this post, you can find plenty of other options in our Event Calendar and our Spring Fun Guide.

One of NYC's best known spring events, the Tribeca Film Festival, is set to take over downtown from Wednesday, April 15 through Sunday, April 26, and as always there are lots of awesome FREE activities for families. The main kids' event, the Tribeca Family Festival Street Fair, takes place on Saturday, April 25. While the crowds are huge, there are tons of surprises, cool experiences and great entertainment that make it a must-do.

In addition to the Family Festival Street Fair, there's Tribeca/ESPN Sports Day, plus a series of outdoor "drive-in" movies, an indoor screening of Back to the Future and other family fun—all 100% FREE.