As fans of movies from Studio Ghibli, particularly those directed by anime master Hayao Miyazaki — Ponyo, Kiki's Delivery Service and Castle in the Sky so far — my daughter Violet and I were excited to see The Secret World of Arrietty (opening today in 9 NJ locations). Arrietty is written and supervised by Miyazaki, but directed by first timer Hiromasa Yonebayashi. The film's glorious color palette, attention to nature, and charming details are enchanting, particularly since Arrietty (voiced by Bridgit Mendler) is a Borrower, and very tiny. The pair of earrings used as climbing tools, sticky double-sided tape for scaling a cupboard, and rain drops that cling to Arrietty's clothes like snow globes, are quite captivating, as is Arrietty herself, with her scrappy personality, cute dresses and Julia Roberts' hair. The story, however, never brings the magic.

Is it just us, or is the lead up to the three-day weekend going really slowly? We can honestly say that we're looking forward to the holiday even more than our kids (who, let's face it, have more fun at school than we do at work... oh how I wish I could have recess).

Not that we didn't have any fun this week: We continued our focus on Jackson Heights with posts about great places to eat and play in the neighborhood. And in anticipation of next week's public school break, we rounded up the best things to do over midwinter recess.

Outside of NYC, our New Jersey site is giving away a family four-pack to Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey's brand-new circus spectacular Dragons, which is playing three tri-state area venues. Our Connecticut site rounded up the best indoor play spaces in Hartford County. And all of our sites have roundups of great activities to do over Presidents' Day weekend in case you do a day trip.

If you want to stay on top of everything that's going on in New Jersey, Long Island, Connecticut, Boston or Los Angeles, you can subscribe to our free newsletters. Read on for everything we covered on Mommy Poppins NYC this week.

Long Island's museums provide lots of entertainment for the kids this weekend: At the Long Island Children's Museum, there's a puppet show and a great Black History Month program; the Children's Museum of the East End has its LEGO club; and the Nassau Museum of Art has its Family Sunday. There's also a fun program at the Sweetbriar Nature Center.

Valentine's Day has come and gone, but showing your kids how much you care is something you do every day. Just think of all the times you've missed watching Modern Family so you could read your children a bedtime story. Now that's love.

So for our February Little Lions post, we decided to focus on books about the unbreakable bond between parents and children. NYPL senior librarian Auria Morales, who recommends books in Staten Island's Todt Hill-Westerleigh Library’s Children’s Room, shares nine of her favorite love stories.

February school vacation kicks off this weekend, and Boston offers plenty of ways to keep kids busy throughout the break. Options this weekend range from special movie events like the annual Bugs Bunny Film Festival at the Brattle Theatre and a sing-a-long Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Regent to a kid-friendly tour of the 19th-century Gore Place and a model train show at the National Heritage Museum in Lexington.

National Engineers Week is this week; check out the special events that will keep kids interested in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) disciplines. We’ve also highlighted over 25 events and activities taking place during February School Vacation Week.

If you find yourselves looking for a new dining option over the break, please see our review of Burton’s Grill - an allergy-friendly restaurant that welcomes kids! And if there’s a birthday girl or boy to plan a party for, Part I of our birthday party series - 5 Great Indoor Birthday Party Places - may just offer the perfect solution.

Read on for things to do this weekend, and be sure to visit our calendar for more ideas.

Enjoy!

You know what keeps me up at night this time of year? Summer camp. Every February I feel like I have to start the whole process over again. It's tough to find a program that balances my child's interests with my strict budget, which is why I've spent many a winter asking friends for recommendations, hitting camp fairs and, when I was really desperate, googling.

I know I'm not alone. All moms and dads go through this seasonal stress. That's why we created the Mommy Poppins Camp Guide, to help parents like you (and me) find the programs that best fit our families. Here's some of what you'll find in our 2012 Camp Guide.

It's just our humble opinion, but we think that every kid should see the circus at least once in their lifetime. Even in this age of interactive video games and 3-D movies, the spectacle of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey is surprising and captivating, inspiring a jaw-drop on the most jaded of juveniles. It is our pleasure here at Mommy Poppins to be able to offer a family four-pack of tickets to Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Presents DRAGONS.  Read on for how to enter this great giveaway contest!

Okay so I’ll be honest the first thing that comes to mind for me about President’s Day Weekend is the great sales. Yes, just another excuse to shop. Unfortunately my little girl has not yet developed a shared love for shopping so instead we will be spending the weekend learning about what President’s Day is all about…our great country and the forefathers who have led it. With plenty of fun activities in the Hartford county area we will have no problem staying away from the outlets.  I’m sure my wallet will appreciate that.