Long Island Kids' Activities March 14-15: St. Patrick's Day Events, Irish Festival, Center for Science Teaching & Learning Open House & More

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Now that we've had a taste of (hopefully) warmer temps to come, perhaps the whole gang can enjoy some outdoor St. Patrick's Day fun. Build a Leprechaun Trap at the Maritime Explorium or learn about Irish pirates and create your own Jolly Roger at the Whaling Museum. Craft lucky finger puppets at the Long Island Children's Museum or party it up at As You Wish in Bellmore or Darlings & Divas in Amityville.

Don't see your event listed here? Add it to our events calendar. And if you don't receive this post in your inbox, subscribe to our newsletter, which now also includes a weekday roundup of activities for Long Island kids running Monday-Friday.

Weekend Fun for NYC Kids: Pi Day, St. Patrick's Day, Passover, Pinocchio March 14-15

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It's a busy weekend for cool kids' culture in NYC, with five of our top family event picks for March taking place. Radio City's New York Spring Spectacular and the New Victory Theater's moody adaptation of Pinocchio both kick off this weekend, plus the Paper Bag Players perform at the Jewish Museum. Meanwhile, the Irish Arts Center celebrates St. Patrick's Day and the soon-to-close Streit's Matzo Factory's marks its final Passover on the Lower East Side.

These are just a few of the great things going on this weekend. All of our best bets are below. You can find additional options in our Event Calendar.

Weekend Fun with Westchester Kids: St. Patrick’s Day, Sugarfest and More, Mar. 14-15

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At long last, the temperatures are rising, the snow is melting and spring is in the air--just in time to get out and enjoy all the fun activities that Westchester has to offer this weekend, including some great outdoor events.

Though St. Patrick’s Day is practically a month-long event around here, things heat up this weekend with several parades, including the Annual White Plains St. Patrick's Day Parade and the Annual Eastchester St. Patrick’s Day Parade. There are also shows that are relevant to the theme, like Caladh Nua: St. Patrick’s Day Celebration, Family Concert for St. Patrick’s Day and Song of the Sea. Plus, as feasting is a big part of holiday celebrations, get your preparations done at Let's Cook Together!

Other highlights this weekend: She Did...and So Can You! A Celebration of Women's History Month, an interactive commemoration and inspiring event; the continuation of maple-sugaring events like Sugarfest and Sugarin' Off; and for sports fans, The East Coast National Baseball Card Show.  

Read on for details and consult our March GoList and Event Calendar to plan every day of the month! 

Mostly Free and Fun Things to do With Kids in CT This Weekend, March 14-15: St. Patrick's Day, Parades, Maple Fest, Theatre & More!

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You don't have to be Irish to appreciate St. Patrick's Day. The green clothes, crafts, decorations and treats will bring out the leprechaun in all of our lads and lasses. There are a ton of events happening this weekend around the March 17th holiday. Some of them are listed below, and check out our posts on Things to do for St. Patrick's Day in Fairfield County and Hartford County. Of course, not everything will revolve around St. Pat's and we've listed those events too.

Hartford will be busy this weekend with the St. Patrick's Day Parade and the Men's AAC Basketball Tournament in town, so plan your trips accordingly.  

Summer will be here before you know it, and our Summer Camp Open House post is a valuable resource for planning ahead. 

There will be rain all day Saturday so please check your venue before heading out to make sure that they haven't postponed or canceled their event.

Like us on Facebook (make sure Mommy Poppins CT shows up on your feed by including us in your "interests list." To put a page on your "interests list," hover over the "Like" button and you'll see a pull-down menu that offers an "add to your interests lists" choice). Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and be sure to get the weekend round up every Thursday.    

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter and Pinterest in order to get updates on events, contests and giveaways. Our event calendar is constantly updated with the best activities around the state.

Here are some suggestions for the weekend ahead! 

Cinderella Parent Review: A Traditional Live-Action Retelling Enlivened by a New Frozen Short

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I admit, as the mom of a tweenage daughter, I usually like my princesses to have a bit of feminist pluck. But you won't find that quality anywhere in Disney's new live-action Cinderella. This traditional adaptation of the oft-told fairy tale is as old-school as it gets, with a lovely, kind and passive heroine (played by Lily James of Downton Abbey fame) who saintly suffers the abuse of her evil stepmother (Cate Blanchett, stunning in haute-couture outfits) and her ridiculous stepsisters until her goofy fairy godmother comes along (a blonde Helena Bonham Carter, playing against type) and helps hook her up with a cute prince (Richard Madden). Directed by Oscar nominee Kenneth Branagh, it's got a fine pedigree and is completely ravishing, from the lush production design to the divine costumes to the gorgeous cast, but it's never surprising.

And perhaps that's the point. Fractured or modernized fairy tales have been all the rage for a while now—Cinderella in particular has been reinvented multiple times to reflect a more contemporary outlook (see Into the Woods, the movie Ever After and the recent Cinderella musical on Broadway). So Disney makes quite a statement going back to the basics with no major twists, tweaks or politics. Whether or not you think that's the right message, the fact is, young kids are going to be clamoring to see Cinderella, especially since it's paired with a wonderful new Frozen short, which screens before the feature. So here's what to know before you go.

Learn-to-Paint Studios for Long Island Families

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While painting parties are all the rage for ladies' night out, kids can also get in the act (minus the wine, of course). Channel your entire family's inner artists to create a masterpiece worthy of your living room wall. All you need to do it is pick up a paint brush and learn how to paint "happy little trees" and more at these Long Island studios/businesses that offer art lessons for families.

And take a look at our guide for other classes, programs and enrichment activities on Long Island. 

Mostly Free & Fun Things to Do With NJ Kids This Weekend March 14-15: St. Patrick's Day, Train Show, & More!

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Ahhh! Feel that, New Jersey? Those milder temps and the sun shining down have everyone in the mood to get out and about! For a dose of fresh, early spring air, head to Manasquan Environmental Center for their Monarch Butterflies program, take a Winter Weekend Scavenger Hunt at the Frelinghuysen Arboretum or lace up your sneakers for a Family Woodland Hike at NJ Botanical Gardens. And of course, St. Patrick’s Day festivities are in full swing! Check out annual parades in Atlantic City, Morris County and Bergen County. For even more weekend fun, check out the full list of weekend activities in our Event Calendar.

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