We are finally settled into our summer routine, and once again I've been reminded of the value of planning: having a few activities penciled into my calendar (or bookmarked in my browser) gives me a plan of attack the moment I hear that dreaded summer whine, "I'm boooooooooored!" This week there are some terrific activities all over the state, including free concerts, a campfire, and even a luau.  If you're looking to beat the heat, our Summer Fun Guide has lots of great suggestions including a rundown of beach day trips, and our event calendar is updated throughout the week!  Stay cool, and have fun!

As the city hits a full summer boil, many of us are looking for a little escape, preferably one where we can dunk our roasting selves in some sort of body of water. Whether you prefer cool beach waves, an afternoon of kayaking or tubing along the river or maybe dashing down a winding water slide, water features provide instant relief to sweltering summer heat.

While I love getting out of the city for a weekend trip, sometimes all the planning, packing and finagling of kids' sleep schedules can really take a toll. Instead of an extended stay, why not sneak away for a quick day trip? Luckily you don't have to go far. We've rounded up five destinations under two hours from NYC by car, so you'll be back before bedtime!

From tots to teens, New York City is home to kids tennis classes for a wide range of ages and abilities. From outdoor courts to bubbles and indoor options, you can find tennis lessons and youth tennis leagues happening year round.

You can find more tennis classes for kids in our directory of classes and listings. Check our New York City Classes for Kids Guide for more kids’ activities and classes for kids of all ages and interests.

English is a tricky language with a lot of words and a whole heck of a lot of crazy rules (and exceptions to rules) about how things should be spelled. When I watch a kid learning the English language I honestly don't know how any of us do it. It's truly amazing that any of us learn how to read and spell.

Parents can support their kids learning to spell and write in school by spending time with them at home, reading and playing word games. Word games can help early writers just learning how to spell, as well as more advanced writers to increase their vocabularies. I've picked out a few word games that help kids with spelling words and tried them out with my seven year old. Not only have I been impressed with his growing ability and comfort (sometimes that's the most important thing) with spelling words, but we've had a lot of fun too.  And great warm up for back to school.

It’s hot out there. Some people are lucky enough to have central AC and a pool, but if you’re like the rest of us, you’re desperately looking for things to do with the kids that involve air conditioned spaces or splashing around in the water. I’ve mined Mommy Poppins Boston for ways to stay cool during the dog days of summer – read on for ideas aplenty.

It's back to school time and so we are thinking about all those little details of preparing for the school year. Making healthy school lunches and snacks is a big one. We asked the moms of Mommy Poppins what their best tips for easy healthy snack options and school lunch recipes were and they came up with a bunch of really original school lunch box ideas, as well as some old standbys.

Read on to find out what we're putting in our kids' lunch boxes for school lunch and snacks:

There was a wonderful article in the NY Times, “Watch How You Hold That Crayon,” about OT and handwriting. In the article Anthony DiCarlo, a principal stated, “In the last five years, I’ve seen a dramatic increase in the number of kids who don’t have the strength in their hands to wield scissors or do arts and crafts projects, which in turn prepares them for writing."

He goes on to say that while many kids head back to school with accomplishments like music, yoga and sports classes, they may not have logged enough time in open-ended play. “I’m all for academic rigor,” he said, “but these days I tell parents that letting their child mold clay, play in the sand or build with Play-Doh builds important school-readiness skills, too.”

Eons ago (OK, just five years) we did a post on family meal planning. In fact, it was one of the very first things we blogged about here at Mommy Poppins. But a lot's changed since then, and the rise of smartphones, social networks and a gazillion new websites gives us many new options to chew on when it comes to making meals.

You can't overestimate the importance of sitting down to family meals. Studies show that eating as a family benefits everyone, especially children, who are then less likely to become obese, fall into substance abuse or have low self-esteem. Of course preparing dinner (and breakfast and brunch and lunch) isn't always easy to pull off. Happily, there are a slew of online meal-planning sites, mobile apps and meal swapping tools to help get healthy, budget-friendly meals on your table. Here are some of our current favorites.