Wow! So the sun is shining and the bulbs are blooming. Seems like we skipped the muddy season and went straight into summer this week! Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. This week we were lucky enough to visit the exciting new Chelsea Piers CT which is slated to open in July. We had a hard hat tour and loved every minute of it. Keeping up with summer camp planning, we added preschool camps in Fairfield County to our CT Summer Camps Guide. Easter is early this year and we've posted about Easter activities in the Litchfield County area and in Fairfield County. They are already getting started! We'll be updating our list of 110 Things to Do with Kids in CT Before They Grow Up and adding our readers suggestions soon. Check it out and see if we missed anything else.

This weekend will be a lovely time to go seal watching in the Long Island Harbor. The Picadilly Circus  is showing in Danbury all weekend. Torrington Library is holding a Teddy Bear Picnic and Stepping Stones is teaching about the joys of adopting a shelter dog with Mutt-i-grees.

As the saying goes, ”reading is fundamental”. However, there are children who still struggle to develop reading skills. Reading to a “therapy dog” is a new program has been implemented in many New Jersey schools and libraries. Reading to therapy dogs has helped young students build confidence as readers in an environment free from judgment and criticism. Read on to find out about Therapy Dogs International, located in Flanders NJ, and their program “Tail Waggin’ Tutors”.

One doesn’t usually associate the phrase, “fun things to do with kids in NJ” with spring cleaning. However, this beautiful weather has got me thinking about how to combine the two! I have started to clean out one closet a day and I’ve found a great way to get my two kids involved by adding a twist. My daughters sort the piles into ‘donate,’ ‘garbage’ or ‘consign’. Consigning is a great way to repurpose and recycle and save or earn money. With the money we make from consignment shops my kids can either buy a new summer toy/outfit or bank it in our family Disney Cruise fund. They’re so into it, it is getting a bit out of hand- I found my favorite pair of Tory Burch sandals in a ‘consign’ bag!!!!! Here are some of my favorite “green” consignment shops that are merchandised to look like boutiques in Northern New Jersey.

There’s always something new at the Museum of Science to engage you and your young Einstein (or maybe Frankenstein) in scientific inquiry. The place is so humongous, it’s sometimes difficult to choose what to do while you’re there, given the kids’ limited attention spans and basic needs, like snack breaks and naps.

We like to see what’s new first, then visit some old favorites, like the schoolhouse and the Science in the Park exhibit. On our recent visit, we checked out the new gecko exhibit and spent a lot of time in the Discovery Center, which is a great place to go any time you visit with young children.

I spent many moments marveling at our coop preschool teacher's magical (and at times herculean) way of negotiating a conflict between a cluster of adamant four-year-olds who, say, all wanted the same sandbox shovel (or the same wagon, dress-up hat, easel...the list went on). She alighted into their space, fully present, intent upon listening to each desire, confident there was a way through to a peaceful settlement. And there always was.

Cooperative preschools require lots of hard work from both teachers and parents. But oh the rewards! If you're curious about coops, have a look at the lists we've compiled previously - Co-op Preschools and Nursery Schools on the Westside  and in Hollywood & Los Feliz - and if you live in or near the Valleys, read on!