Oodles of fun activities await families this mid-November weekend! Among the great choices for indoor activities are Science Saturdays at the Cambridge Library, LEGO® Star Wars Days at the LEGOLAND® Discovery Center in Somerville, and an Art & Theatre Workshop at the Arsenal Center for the Arts in Watertown. For a last fall evening in the great outdoors, bring the kids to hunt for constellations at Under the Stars in Lincoln.

The performance calendar is overflowing this weekend as well, with something for everyone. It's the last chance to catch Alice at the Wheelock Family Theatre. For the younger set, Raccoon Tales hits the stage at the Puppet Showplace Theatre and Vanessa Trien sings at the Coolidge Corner Theatre. Older children will enjoy a production of Pippi Longstocking by students at the Arlington Center for the Arts or Seussical: The Musical at the Concord Youth Theatre.

Also on Mommy Poppins this week:

• In First Thanksgiving Recipes to Make Today, we share tips and recipes from Plimoth Plantation to get kids involved in preparing the big meal on Thanksgiving.
• Visions of candy canes are dancing in our heads as we round up Nutcracker performances.
• Michelle finds five unique movie theaters where the birthday child gets the star treatment.
• The Polar Express chugs into town, and tickets are going fast. 
• These holiday craft fairs are the antidote to big box blahs when it comes to holiday gift shopping. 
• Find out how to make your own I Spy book with your preschool kids in Stephanie's WeeWork activity.

Enjoy your weekend and don't forget to check out the full events events calendar!

Science science science! We are going to fill you with the smarts this weekend, as LA becomes the most sciency town this side of that comet that ESA just landed on. (And that's 300 million miles away, so not so good for weekend plans.) We have a S.T.E.A.M. Festival on Santa Monica Pier to thrill and inspire your kids. The science-heads at UCLA share their enthusiasm for our universe and all things in it at the annual Exploring Your Universe event. (Do you think anyone told them about the comet?)

But perhaps the biggest science news we've got is the opening of the new Discovery Cube LA. That's right, Orange County, you don't own discovering any more. (Don't worry, we still love you, never change.) We got a sneak peek at the new Discovery Cube over the weekend, and let me tell you, it is kid heaven. Just the right mix of techno-gadgety interfaces, attractions that keep kids actively engaged, and the sheer exhilaration of natural and engineered wonders. This is no gimmick: true science is taking center stage here.

Some science is best left to the parents, though. Specifically, coffee, and the mystical timey-wimey alchemy that turns caffeine into pure happiness. Starbucks Holiday BOGO is back. Keep your paws of my chestnut praline latte and no one gets hurt.

Keep reading for our favorite picks for the weekend. 

Mid-November is the time of year when multiple seasons seem to collide in Westchester. The weekend ahead features the continuation of autumnal events, like Brick House Harvest Festival; preparation for Thanksgiving, such as Turkey Scavenger Hunt and Gobble Gobble; as well as the arrival of the holiday shopping season, with Santa's Grand Arrival Event and “The North Pole Adventure”: A DreamWorks DreamPlace.

Other themes this weekend are silent movies Charlie Chaplin Shorts and Silent Film Series, as well as culinary offerings with Culinary for Children: Panzerotti and Pie Making. And for stimulating fun that’s FREE, register your kids for Bubblemania or STEAM Fest—but hurry, as space is limited!

While we’re talking turkey, be sure to consult our roundup of Turkey Trots—a listing of Westchester fun runs and walks that help people stay active around feast time and also, typically, support a good cause.

If you're planning on heading into NYC this weekend, 360 Allstars, a thrilling athletic spectacle at the New Victory Theater, opens this weekend. And check out our exclusive Mommy Poppins reader event next Saturday night at the New Victory Theater.

Be sure to peruse our November Go List for our top picks for the month, and visit our Event Calendar for daily listings of great activities for families!

Atlantic Highlands, often referred to as the "Jewel of the Bayshore", is one of New Jersey's most unique small towns. This charming Victorian town on the Jersey Shore overlooks the New York Bay, Manhattan and the Atlantic Ocean. The town's hills include the highest point on the East Coast south of Maine. In addition to its great location and rich history, Atlantic Highlands is home to delightful restaurants, theaters and one-of-a-kind shops. Read on to learn why you should take a day trip to this adorable slice of Victorian America. For even more day trip destinations in Monmouth County, check out our Small Town Posts on Matawan and Aberdeen, Red Bank and Ocean Grove.

The holidays are upon us. Grocery stores have clearanced out fall goodies to make way for winter holiday treats. Malls are playing Christmas carols and setting up Santa's chair for young visitors. And our Mommy Poppins calendar is no different. This weekend, we notice some holiday events creeping onto our pages with many more to come!

However, there are some non-holiday events to embrace before we are immersed in the season. There are Boy Scout or Girl Scout events to help scouts earn badges. If you are looking for a bargain, check out this weekend's consignment sales. Or, channel your artsy side and make a mosaic cookie plate... just in time to leave cookies for St. Nick on Christmas Eve.

Education has been dominating the headlines for several years now. While many are trying to figure out a better way to teach our children how to be the global citizens that their world will require of them, Ross School has been doing it for over 23 years. Our sponsor, Ross School, on Eastern Long Island, offers hands-on learning for children from pre-nursery through grade 12. Mommy Poppins readers can check out Ross School for themselves at two Open Houses on Saturday, November 15, 2014.

Even though Thanksgiving is still two weeks away, many popular annual holiday attractions open for the season this weekend, including the New York Botanical Garden's Holiday Train Show, the New York Hall of Science's GingerBread Lane and the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre's The Three Bears Holiday Bash.

Family not yet in the seasonal spirit? There's plenty of non-holiday fun, too, like Fort Tryon Park's commemoration of the Battle of Fort Washington, a Justin Roberts concert at Symphony Space, a new NYC Children's Theater musical with songs by Laurie Berkner and the New Victory Theater's athletic spectacle 360 Allstars. We're particularly excited about that last one since we're hosting a special Mommy Poppins performance next Saturday, November 22 when you can save 20% on tickets and enjoy post-show activities.

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.