Are you ready for some good news? How about lots of it? In this edition of our biweekly links post we've got nothin' but happy tales, including the scoop on the New York Aquarium's fancy upcoming shark exhibit, water-conserving playground sprinklers (about time!), a free night of comedy and cocktails for NYC moms, and the strange world of denim jeans for mamas—a must-read before your next fall shopping trip.

4 hours and $200 for 18 holes of golf in Fairfield County? Who’s got the time or money for that? Nope, mini-golf is where it’s at. Truth be told, we have only recently discovered how fun mini-golf is…and now that we have, our girls can’t get enough.

Try out some of these area courses before they close for the season:

The back-to-school season is filled with all kinds of chores like things to buy, lunches to pack and clothing to label. But what really stresses elementary schoolers (and, let's face it, their parents) out is the prospect of transitioning into a new grade or going to school for the very first time.

Is it any fun at all? Will I make friends? How much homework will I have? Those are just a few of the questions kids have as the first day of school looms. A great way to ease their anxiety is to read a picture book about what it's like to go to school. So for this month's Little Lions post, Stephanie Whelan, the senior children's librarian at the New York Public Library's Stewart Park branch, shared her favorite kids' books that help kids transition into kindergarten or any new elementary grade.

The Appalachian Mountain Club recently launched Kids Outdoors Boston, a free online community designed to help parents get their kids outside. The site is packed with over 100 thoroughly described, close-to-home trips, which include maps, driving and public transportation directions – making planning a breeze for moms and dads.

Kids Outdoors Boston is based on a guidebook recently published by AMC, Outdoors with Kids Boston. Today in partnership with the AMC, we highlight five picks from the book, chosen by the author’s daughter.*

I'm the worst mother on the planet (well, maybe just in NJ), because I basically packed the same school lunch for my daughter 180 days in a row: PB & J, cheese stick, juice box, fruit and 2 cookies.  So, after looking at Mommy Poppins' great school lunch article from last year, Get Packing!, and our terrific Back to School Guide, I decided to try some new stuff. This year when my daughter opens her lunch box, she'll be in for a surprise!

With a son who is totally into ballet, it wasn't long before his little sister wanted lessons, too. While I try to be fair when it comes to extracurricular activities for my kids, enrolling in multiple classes really adds up, especially with dance, which can quickly go from once a week to twice a week to oh my God, we're living in the studio!

As a result, I'm always on the hunt for the most reasonably priced dance classes in New York City. And today, I'm sharing what I've found with all of you.

For several consecutive years, almost 50 percent of children in certain NYC neighborhoods have managed to score in the top 10 percent on the Gifted & Talented test. In an attempt to level the playing field, the Department of Education has announced that it's replacing one section of the exam—the Bracken School Readiness Assessment, which tests kids on their knowledge of colors, numbers and shapes—with the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test, which covers visual reasoning skills and abstract logic. The DOE claims this change will make the G&T test more difficult to prep for but is that actually the case?