How stressful is the end of the school year? Let's count the ways. Oh sure, there's the silver lining of not having to get the kids to school or argue about homework for the blissful weeks of summer; but blissful loses its luster pretty quickly in the face of, "What are we going to do today?"—particularly if you know that what YOU have to do doesn't involve sprinklers or beaches. We know we should have figured out summer camp by now, really we do. We have a stack of flyers for neat-o programs that are probably already filled up with kids whose parents got on this weeks (or months) ago.

Summer vacation may be staring you in the face, but there's no need to panic; every one of the great summer camps listed below still has space available as of this publish date.

As wonderful as New York City is with its slew of museums, theaters and eateries, it can sometimes feel overwhelming. Naturalist Steve Brill (a.k.a. "Wildman") can help slow things down a bit, though. For more than three decades, the famous Wildman has been taking New Yorkers including school-age kids on foraging tours in every borough and beyond. In fact, people come from far and wide to experience his quirky charm.

Locations that piqued my family's interest included Greenwood Cemetery, Inwood Hill Park and Sunken Meadow Park on Long Island. We ended up deciding on an edible plant adventure in Central Park. With about 30 other folks, we set out for a new foodie experience, sans the plate and utensils!

Children are born inventors and explorers; that's why STEAM subjects (science, technology, engineering, art and math) are so popular. Whether it’s digging through muddy streams to see what lives there, building and battling Lego robots, or writing nature-inspired poetry, the best STEAM-focused camps know how to engage kids by always keeping things fun. (Summer break is no time for worksheets.)

A few weeks ago, we rounded up STEAM classes and camps in Westchester; now we’re examining the offerings in the lower Hudson Valley area. Don’t forget to browse our Summer Camp Guide to find out about additional enriching programs.

Keeping kids clean is a constant chore—they seem to be magnets for food, markers, play dough, dirt and other messy things. But it's important to drop the wipes every once in a while and head outdoors for some down and dirty fun. The sensory experience of putting their hands in the mud and dirt (and not getting in trouble for it) is liberating for little ones. And don't worry moms and dads—you can hose them off later.

Here are six places where kids can have a blast getting grimy on Long Island this summer. For more seasonal activities, check out our Summer Fun Guide.

Man, do I miss the spur-of-the-moment, after-work, happy hour drop in. What joy was had from discounted drinks and finger foods that involved no cooking or washing dishes when finished. In my hunt for ways to revive my pre-kid life that was—at times so spontaneous and uncomplicated—I found that I can still work in an occasional happy hour weeknight... with kids!

The happy hour concept is generally associated with a younger, rowdier crowd that does not want to wait for the weekend to have drinks with friends. Why should anyone wait? Happy hour can mean more than just cheap booze; it also offers a bargain menu of small portions of food that may be the perfect-size meal for little ones. Why not include your family in the pre-dinner hour fun, which often commences early enough for an after-school special? To that end, we present the sequel to Mommy Poppins' Westside Happy Hours post: Silver Lake joints for snacks and drinks that aren't just for the over-21 crowd.

The end of the school year is near and summer fun is heating up. This weekend, get a dose of maidens and minstrels at the popular New Jersey Renaissance Fair or take your little swashbuckler to the annual Privateer & Pirates Fest at the Tuckerton Seaport. For some indoor amusements, enjoy a page-to-stage adaptation of the popular children’s book Miss Nelson Is Missing at the Paper Mill Playhouse or don your cape for a Superhero Breakfast at the Imagine That! Children’s Museum.

Whatever you decide to do this weekend, we hope you enjoy the wonderful weather with family and friends. For even more activity options, check out our Event Calendar.

Things tend to be quiet on the East End in early June. With another few weeks until schools close for summer break, parents have to search just a bit harder this weekend for kid-friendly activities on the North and South Forks.

But fear not: There's still plenty to do in this culturally diverse region. This weekend, you'll find theater shows, agriculture programs and historical offerings sure to educate and entertain little and not-so-little ones.

Whether you’re here for the weekend, the whole summer or call the East End home, you’ll want to check out our Hamptons & North Fork Guide. And for fun on the rest of the island this month, take a look at our Event Calendar and June GoList.

New York City overflows with art. From world-class museums to offbeat public art installations, you can find creativity all around town. But there's one place you might not think to look: the playground. Turns out a handful of famous NYC artists designed permanent play structures and murals for some local playgrounds. While I'll admit they're not necessarily active play destinations, these romping spots are definitely worth a visit if you want to snap a few amazing, only-in-NYC pics of your kid in front of works by the likes of late graffiti great Keith Haring and sculptor Tom Otterness.