Taking the kids to DC doesn't seem like such a great idea, what with the crowds, the temperatures, not to mention the stroller ban. But that doesn't mean you have to miss the opportunity to be part of Barack Obama's historic Presidential Inauguration live event. There are places all over the city to watch the Inauguration in a group setting so you get that live experience, but with heat and subway access.

Word spread fast to downtown families about the ice skating rink at the South Street Seaport finally opening up. When we went on Sunday afternoon, it was already comfortably crowded. The rink is fairly small, and the pavilion is not as nice as the one at Bryant Park, but with a predominantly downtown family crowd and no speeding teenagers, it was a great place for kids to ice skate.

Because I care, really, here are some interesting things to check out after the caffeine has begun its Monday morning magic.  So get a cup of coffee, sit down, relax and take ten minutes to consider the important issues, like last night's Golden Globes, waxing pros and cons, the end of free wi-fi in NYC parks, NYC's $384,371 square meter of real estate, and whether kids should really be using that crazy penis slide. Yup!

Dunkin' Donuts is trying be buyin' your business with free MetroCards. For the next 4 Mondays, they will be handing New Yorkers their morning commute at a different station each week.

Between 6:30 and 9:30 am look for your free Dunkin' Donuts metrocard at these subway stations:

Today is the 8th Annual No Pants Subway Ride hosted by improv everywhere. Participants (or should that be particiNOpants) will be meeting at Foley Square at 3pm and hopping onto the trains from there. So if you happen to see a bunch of people riding the subway in their skivvies you'll know why.  

In Pennsylvania you can go to the Crayola Factory Tour and see how crayons are made, but in Brooklyn you can tour the UrbanGlass workshop and see how local artists create beautiful objects out of glass. UrbanGlass regularly holds free open house tours that show visitors the process of creating a handblown glass object. This weekend is a Sketch and Sculpt Open House where they will select a submitted drawing and bring that object to life (The date for submissions has passed, sorry).

You can also take glassblowing workshops and classes at UrbanGlass and even bring your own recycling to turn into something new. The great thing about a glassblowing class is you can create a paperweight or a cup to take home in just one workshop.

The temperature is heading south again this weekend so it might be a good idea to take advantage of the 2 for 1 entries at most NYC museums this weekend thanks to The New York Times Arts and Leisure Weekend. Read on for the best (mostly) free kid events for this weekend from the juvenile humor of the Striking Viking Story Pirates to the high brow classical Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concert.

The South Street Seaport has been working hard at revitalizing itself. Earlier this Fall there was news of a new ice skating rink similar to the pop-up sink that appears at Bryant Park. The opening date was pushed from November to December, and now they are saying will open on Friday, January 10. We shall see.

Meanwhile, Seaport Revitalization Take Two is Seaport Semester, a diverse group of family friendly programs including classes, theater, workshops and a author reading series. If all goes well, this may lay the ground for a community center bringing much needed family programming over to the Seaport area.

The Seaport Semester programs kick off January 12, 2009 with a week of free trial classes. After the trial week, classes will continue for 6 months and cost $15-$20.

Some highlights include: