It is time to start planning your weekend and you have come to the right place,  we have the scoop on a ton of free and inexpensive events and activities going on in every corner of the city. Families can hit the annual Ninth Avenue Food Festival or one of the many other street festivals taking place this weekend. Or get crafty with enriching art projects at The Armory, The Jewish Museum, Flushing Town Hall or The Center for Architecture.  

You can also get outside this weekend, May is Bike Month here in New York City and there are lots of rides, events and even "how to ride" classes planned for kids and adults. The parks rangers are also offering some organized fishing, hiking and birding events in the parks.  Or take your kids to a fun field day on Randall's Island at the NY Road Runners Youth Jamboree.

If you are looking for a deal, Saturday is Super Science Day at New York Hall of Science with extra special programming like games and prizes, but, best of all – kids get in free with an adult admission. 

Read on and get planning. Have a great weekend no matter what you decide to do.

It's no secret that pirates are fond of dapper duds—frilly shirts, satin sashes, gold hoop earrings. And when it comes to playing dress up, the Striking Viking Story Pirates have the best stash in town. Rastafarian headdress, smoking jackets, leopard loin cloths and more are tucked away backstage, making each show feel like a great big game of pretend all hopped up on apple juice and pixie sticks.

Tuesday, May 18th is International Museum Day where many museums fling open their doors and invite the public free of charge or at discounted admission. 13 NYC museums are participating, although some of them are taking part on different dates. Take advantage of free admission at some of NYCs best museums this weekend and next week.

Here's a list of participating museums and what they're offering:

[UPDATED: December 1, 2012]

When you think of Williamsburg you may think more about hipsters and hangouts than babies and binkies, but it may be time to rename this hood babyburg, cause it has sprouted some of Brooklyn's best baby and toddler stores all within a few blocks of each other, giving Park Slope a run for its money.

Read on for the scoop on these baby boutiques and some exclusive discounts just for Mommy Poppins readers.

Ex-Governor Corzine isn’t the only New Jerseyan who feels a need for speed! At these racing venues, check out everything from punch buggies and monster trucks to jet cars and hot rods.  Ready to let the kids rev up on their own?  Hit the go kart tracks for some family racing rivalry–but remember, buckle up for safety!

If your cubs crave comic books or are aficionados of Japanese animé, you’ll definitely want to head on over to the incredibly cool Graphic Heroes, Magic Monsters show at Japan Society.  What you get to see is the amazing artwork that inspired modern-day animé, the likes of Mothra and Godzilla, and much of what we recognize as classic comic book graphic style, as well as popular tattoo art and manga.  All the bold, colorful works are by one incredible artist, Utagawa Kuniyoshi. One more thing. He lived from 1797-1861. (Totally true.)  Read on to find out more about this fantastic show  with tips on how best to view it.
 
 

No matter what age they are, kids really have good theater in this town. New York City is uniquely set up to provide top quality children’s entertainment, thanks to its host of actors, musicians, puppeteers and storytellers happy to perform for the little ones. Better yet, these productions are created to specifically engage a young child and many of the shows are interactive, usually about an hour in length and generally affordable.

The season is starting to wind down so if you haven’t taken your child to a theater performance yet this year – now is a good time to do it – there are plenty of great shows this spring - even some that are brand new.

Below is a pretty comprehensive list of what is playing around town for in the next few months, sorted by borough.  You will be able to find this list and all our cool kid culture finds in our Culture Guide.

Photo of the Week: My daughter walked on stilts at the Tribeca Family Festival, the Tribeca Film Festival's annual street fair, handing out cards for her tumbling class. The Family Festival was better than ever this year, spidering out onto several adjacent blocks because there were so many different activities and booths. The ESPN zone was particularly a big hit with the kids as well as mini-golf, imagination playground, hair spraying, and a free screening of the film Snowmen. While the fair was unbearably crowded right in mid-day having he activities on the side streets helped bring some relief.