Outdoor concerts are one of the surest signs that summer has arrived. For our family, West Point’s Music Under the Stars series at Trophy Point is a summer night non-negotiatble. Set on a small point of land extending out into the Hudson, these FREE pack-a-picnic events are a full sensory experience. The music, played by the Unite States Military Academy's West Point Band, is always amazing, the view overlooking Cold Spring is breathtaking as the sun sets, and a breezy wind cools off the point on even the hottest evenings.

One of my favorite things about summer in Fairfield County is the plethora of outdoor concerts at local beaches, parks, and playgrounds—most of them absolutely free. There is music for all ages and tastes, whether you're hoping to catch an American Idol champion or create your own music. As my family discovered last summer, the rise of the food truck means that many of these venues also offer fantastic eats for purchase on-site.

A few tips: not every concert listed here is specifically intended for children, so be sure to check the lineups to determine whether the acts are appropriate for your family. Also, while many concerts are billed as free admission, some (particularly those at beaches) involve a parking fee. Finally, concerts are frequently canceled, postponed, or relocated due to bad weather. Before heading out, be sure to check the concert's official website to confirm it's still happening as scheduled.

I love batik. Or I should say, I love the way batik looks, and I love the idea of making batik, but actual batik is really hard, meticulous and, frankly, kind of tedious to do. I've been looking for a simpler way to make batik and recently shared these batik-style card designs. I think they turned out great, but they are only paper simulations of batik.

But I finally found an easy batik method. Do you know Design Mom? Blogger Gabrielle Blair is one of those people who makes you wonder, "How does she do it?" She is somehow managing to raise six children, run her super website and make everything seem beautiful, graceful and balanced. Luckily for us, she has just wrapped all that beauty and wisdom into her new book, Design Mom: How to Live with Kids: A Room-by-Room Guide.

What I love about this book is that it isn't just about home design. The lovely Gabby shares many of her family's traditions and ways they make living with kids work. These are my favorite parts of the book, and that's right where I found my easy batik technique.

I've adapted Gabrielle's method a bit to make it even simpler so that a little kid can do it. You can literally use this technique on any piece of cotton fabric; we did T-shirts and tote bags.

As a bona fide foodie, I love going on culinary adventures in NYC. My picky 10-year-old? Not so much. There is no way he would ever hoof it through Queens sampling an array of ethnic eats like Anna and her family recently did. A doughnut crawl, however, was a much easier sell! After all, doughnuts are the new cupcakes, with shops ranging from been-there-forever classics to hot new hipster hangouts in far-flung corners of Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Armed with a well-researched list of doughnut shops and a MetroCard, my son, his pal and I set out to sample the city's best rings of fried deliciousness. We hoped to visit more shops, but our goal was bigger than our stomachs. Still, we had a ball trying and will definitely attempt part two soon!

So embrace your inner Homer Simpson and read on to see where we went and how to plan your own doughnut crawl with your family.

My husband and I trekked to the top of the Empire State Building following our City Hall wedding, and we've hauled our entire family up to the Top of the Rock. So when the Freedom Tower unveiled One World Observatory, I jumped at the chance to be among the first to check out its stunning panoramic views.

Mother Nature seemingly didn't share my excitement, however, for we arrived at 10am to see that the top of One World Trade wasn't visible from the ground. Despite this downer, my toddler and I still headed for the entrance and all the way to the top.

Bookstores and libraries abound on the North and South Forks, and some of our country’s most popular writers have called the region home. But while our children may not yet be able to appreciate Truman Capote or Nelson DeMille, kids' storytime sessions offer them an introduction to age-appropriate literature—and a fun one at that. Almost every East End library hosts some manner of children’s storytime, but a handful offer their own unique approaches. We've rounded up our favorites. And for more activities in the area this summer, check out our Hamptons & North Fork Guide.

So, your kids are longing for swimsuits, sprinklers and slides. Make their dreams come true, whether the weather is cooperating or not. Load up the iPod, the towels and the kids and take a short road trip to Sahara Sam’s Oasis in West Berlin, N.J. This (mostly) indoor water park is less than two hours from New York City and the 286,000 gallons of water keep 11 rides and tons of kids wet and wildly entertained, rain or shine!

We traveled with four parents, three boys and three girls ranging from 2 to 8 years old, so believe me, the place was well-tested. The kids were awed into silence (SILENCE, I SAY ) as we stepped through the door. But after those two seconds, they immediately got busy.