Fun and Free Things to Do with Kids in Boston - Summer Solstice, RiverFest and More, June 22-23

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Summer officially arrives on Friday - can the start of summer vacation be too far behind? Whether your kids will go to camp all summer (there are still some last-minute opportunities available) or take part in a sports program (Kristin has 10 reasons Super Soccer Stars works for her family), or your family likes to just take it day by day, the next few months offer ample opportunity to explore all that’s going on in and around Boston.

We’ve highlighted a few of our suggestions for the coming weekend below, including The North Shore Music Theatre’s Sound of Music, EurekaFest at the Museum of Science, a birthday bash at Barefoot Books and the three-day RiverFest in Concord. Free Friday Flicks begins this week; read our roundup of this and other outdoor film series. Another sure sign of summer? The multitude of Farmers’ Markets that families can visit. And be sure to check out our 50 Free Things to Do this Summer - great stuff, and all free!

Read on for more of our weekend picks, and be sure to check out our events calendar for more ideas. You can also keep track of all that’s going on this summer by checking our Summer Activities Guide - we’ll be updating it throughout the summer.

Enjoy!

Two Awesome New Exhibits for NYC Kids: Shipwreck! and the Art of the Brick

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While Shipwreck! has closed, The Art of the Brick reopened due to popular demand. This review is from its original NYC run. A few weeks back I highlighted Shipwreck! Pirates & Treasure and The Art of the Brick in my post about the best museum exhibits for kids opening this summer. Now that they're both on view at Discovery Times Square, I decided to check them out with my eight-year-old son. We were so impressed and surprised by what we saw, I wanted to share our experience,

While we definitely enjoyed both exhibits, my favorite was the awe-inspiring Art of the Brick, an amazing collection of statues made out of Legos by Nathan Sawaya. As I suspected, my pirate-obsessed son preferred Shipwreck!, an interactive nautical history lesson that includes lots of info about plunderers and their booty. Since the exhibits are on display through January in the same place, it's easy to see both in one day. Bonus: If you buy a combo ticket to both installations, you save money, too.

Fun & Free Things to Do with LA Kids this Weekend: Monsters University, CicLAvia & LAX Appreciation June 22 - 23

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Okay,  I know I said it was summer last weekend, but now it's really summer. Official like. The whole summer solstice, northern hemisphere most inclined toward the sun*, first-day-of-summer summer. So now you really ought to go out and do summer things. Go on a picnic. (We can help you with that). Go berry picking. (Covered). Frolick outdoors and pop some ollies and grinds on your skateboard,** (you're a bit old for frolicking, don't you think? But we can help with the skateboarding).

In fact, it is so very summer that we are already talking about the Fourth of July.  Did you know you can watch fireworks from boats? Well, you can, and we can help you set sail everywhere from Dana Point to Lake Arrowhead to watch them bright sparklies.

One of my favorite perks of the summer is the many ways to see a movie for free. (Besides sneaking in the exit door, that's not playing fair). We can fill you in on the free (or almost free) kids' matinees, free movies under the stars, in the parks, at the beach and more. There are so many freebies you almost have to wonder why anyone would pay to see a movie. Scratch that, I know why: because Mike and Sully are back!

Keep reading for some of our favorite picks for the weekend ....

Long Island Kids' Activities June 22 & 23: Goodnight Moon, Acrobats Of Cirque-Tacular, Rockville Centre Street Fair

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There's lots of indoor and outdoor fun to be had on Long Island this weekend. In the mood for some live theater? Then head on over to the John W. Engeman Theater in Northport for a performance of Goodnight Moon. Circus fans can see indescribable feats at the Acrobats Of Cirque-Tacular at the Staller Center For the Arts in Stony Brook. For some outdoor fun, head on over to the Annual Rockville Centre Street Fair where you can see artwork and classic cars on display. If hiking and seeing animals in their natural habitat is more your thing, you won't want to miss Family Adventures: Turtles, Snacks, And Frogs, Oh My at the Connetquot River State Park Preserve in Oakdale. Also on tap: Family Fun Day at the Broadway Mall in Hicksville, and Midsummer Night at Old Westbury Gardens in Old Westbury. As always, check our events calendar every day for fun activities for the family.

Fun Things to Do This Weekend with Westchester Kids: Classic Circus Fun, Auto Show, Festivals June 22 and 23

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This weekend kicks off the official start of summer! If the weather cooperates (and it looks like it might!) there are lots of great outdoor activities. All weekend you can check out Animals and Acrobats. On Saturday there's the Annual Yorktown Auto Show and Saturday night there's The Great Library Sleepover in Chappaqua.

Sunday there's the Annual African American Heritage Festival in Valhalla. You can also take a guided tour of Wildflower Island at Teatown Lake Reservation.

Read on for our top picks for this weekend and be sure to check out our event calendar for even more events.

Free & Fun Things to Do this Weekend with NYC Kids: Coney Island Mermaid Parade, Adventures NYC, Historic Ship Fest June 22-23

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Welcome to one of our favorite weekends of the year when summer officially arrives! There are lots of FREE ways to celebrate the new season. Throw on your best sea-themed costumes for the annual Mermaid Parade in Coney Island, board a vintage vessel and hit the water at Tribeca's North River Historic Ship Festival or head to Central Park for some athletic outdoor Adventures NYC.

There's also some great culture on tap for the weekend, like a pair of art fests in Queens—the QAX Block Party in Astoria and the Jackson Heights Arts Festival—plus the kickoff of the Carroll Park Kids' Concert Series with the ukelele stylings of Mil's Trills.

Speaking of cool music, Friday brings Make Music NYC, a one-day festival featuring hundreds of FREE public concerts throughout the five boroughs, including kids' bands and local schools. Browse the full schedule or just keep your eyes and ears open.

And don't forget to book your tickets to Mommy Poppins' special family event next Saturday: Ships, Sails and Tales of the Sea with Bill Gordh & Manhattan by Sail. Join us on a fun-filled 90-minute cruise on New York Harbor with master storyteller Bill Gordh and his banjo, an eye-spy scavenger hunt with the New-York Historical Society's DiMenna Children's History Museum and other enriching fun.

All of our best bets for this weekend are below. You can find additional options in our Event Calendar and our Summer Fun Guide.

Four Fantastic Face Painters for NYC Kids

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Being a diva must run in my DNA: My seven-year-old daughter and I simply cannot pass a face painter without asking to be done up. During the summer, this can become an expensive habit. We seem to run into face painters everywhere, especially at street fairs and festivals and in Central Park.

Sometimes we end up looking pretty fabulous! And sometimes, well, let's just say Bozo the Clown would probably laugh at us. After years of shelling out cash to a wide variety of face painters, I've come across a handful who are truly exceptional. They don't just turn kids into standard superheroes and princesses, they transform them into unique works of art.

Although these face painters aren't the types who set up shop on random city corners, all of them are available for birthday parties. You may also run into a few of them at NYC's top family events, like SummerStage Global Family Day in Central Park. So get ready to be wowed: Here are four phenomenal face painters for NYC kids and adults!

Mostly Free & Fun Things To Do With NJ Kids This Weekend June 22-23: Firefly Festival, Puerto Rico Fiesta, Cinderella & More

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Now that school is officially out for most of NJ, it’s really starting to feel like summer! If you’re planning to stick around town, New Jersey is full of warm weather fun and you’ll find plenty to do in every corner of our state. Check out the Puerto Rico Festival at the Camden Children’s Garden, catch fireflies at Terhune Orchards or sit back and take in a kid-friendly performance of Cinderella at the Washington Crossing Open Air Theater. Read on for our top picks and find a listing of all NJ activities in our Event Calendar.

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