There is so much cool stuff happening on Long Island this weekend, it might be hard to figure out what to do with the family. Be wowed by carnival rides in Glen Cove or Hicksville, an Italian circus in Westhampton Beach or a reptile show at the Long Island Game Farm. Or Let It Go and meet Anna and Else at a Frozen-themed breakfast in Ronkonkoma! There's plenty to choose from on our events calendar--there is no end to this summer of play.

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Does August really arrive on Friday? How can this be?! There are too many things on my family's summer bucket list that we haven't gotten around to just yet, including fishing at some of these fabulous spots near Hartford, blueberry and peach picking, and the outdoor games that my kids still can't believe I played when I was a little girl.

Are you playing along with our Summer of Play challenge? To get started, check out our Summer of Play Guide for hundreds of fun and easy activities that can be played indoors or outdoors or even while doing chores.

If you're planning ahead for the month, check out our August Go List for don't miss activities throughout Connecticut.

All of our best bets for the weekend are below. You can find additional options in our Event Calendar.

My husband and I recently attended “Curriculum Night” at our son's elementary school, and we were blown away at the level of coursework being done by these young kids. We even joked that we might need to take some classes if we wanted to help him with his homework. With the introduction of Common Core Standards, students are under intense pressure to excel, and it's not uncommon (no pun intended) for them to need some extra help. Our sponsor JEI Learning Centers in Lynbrook helps students reach their fullest potential with a variety of after-school programs and classes. 

Oh, August. On one hand, you mark the beginning of some of our favorite summer events: The Getty Center and its free Garden Concerts for Kids. The Actors Gang with free Shakespeare in the park made accessible for kids.  (How accessible? Try this year's My Little Pony theme!)

But oh, August. August which used to mean halfway through summer. You now put us in a short countdown for Back-to-School. If you haven't yet, I suggest you check out our round-up of Academic Year Calendars, and try not to weep when you discover your district's first day of instruction. (Spoiler alert: for some it is as early as August 11!)

No matter how much time you have left, there's plenty of fun to be had. County Fairs in Ventura and the OC, festivals for Surfing and Crawfish, a legendary circus, a princess sing-a-long and Hair with an all-star cast (including Kristen "Princess Anna" Bell!). There are still lots of under-the-stars screenings and oodles of outdoor concerts. It ain't over 'til the school bell rings.

Keep reading for our it's-still-summer picks for this weekend ....

It is hard to believe we are ushering in August already.  Don't worry--we haven't seen the last of summer festivals yet! This weekend take your pick of the Yankee Homecoming Family Day, Salem Maritime Festival, the Water Street Wing Fling, or Pet Palooza.  Summer movies series keep going through August too. This weekend check out Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Despicable Me 2, Big, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, or a documentary about breastfeeding called Breastmilk: The Movie. For live entertainment don't miss Alastair Moock in concert for free on Georges Island, the Okee Dokee Brothers at the Regattabar, and the Puppet Showplace Theatre's production of The Jungle Book: The Story of Mowgli's Fire.

And since summer isn't over yet, there is still time to enter our Summer of Play challenge! Just share photos of your family at play with us on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook with the tags #summerofplay or #playmatters. One photo will be drawn every Friday until August 15 to win great prizes from Kaboom. Need ideas? Check out 6 ways to play together as a family while doing chores, or explore our Summer Fun List Generator.

Also on Mommy Poppins this week:

• Tara gives us the inside scoop on Legoland Discovery Center.
• Ally reels in the creativity with Fish Printing and Bubble Painting, part of our Wee Work series.

Enjoy your weekend and be sure to check the calendar for all the great things going on!

Princess and Pirates Sing-a-long, the new show from Lythgoe Family productions has everything you could hope for in a children’s theater event:  princess after princess (as well princes and pirates), high-spirited dance numbers, fun, silly comedy, and rousing sing-a-longs. If you're wondering whether this summer show is the right one for your family, read on!

It's the first weekend of August and while some New Yorkers are leaving the city for far-flung destinations, we're planning a fun-filled staycation for the rest of the summer. This weekend brings lots of family fun including two of our top event picks of the month: Manhattan's car-free Summer Streets and an interactive display of vintage wind-up circus toys in Coney Island. There are some great FREE events, too, like a Hindu Lamp Ceremony in Brooklyn Bridge Park and the activity-filled Kids Rule Weekend in the Bronx.

However you spend the weekend, remember to share photos of your family's adventures on social media for a chance to win our SUMMER OF PLAY Grand Prize: Everything you need to throw the ULTIMATE SUMMER OF PLAY BASH, including gift cards for toys, tableware and decorations, and healthy snacks. If you need playtime inspiration, we have hundreds of ideas in our SUMMER OF PLAY GUIDE.

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 and our Summer Fun Guide. And if you're looking to plan out your entire month, check out our new NYC Go List highlighting the absolute best things to do with kids throughout August.

My daughter and I recently found ourselves with several morning hours to pass in North Salem, and as we hopped from place to place it was clear that the best word to describe the character of this northern Westchester town is peaceful. Children played tag and basketball in the parks, leafed happily though books at the local library, licked ice cream cones in the painted Adirondack chairs outside the farm markets and watched for brightly colored fish in burbling gazing pools. We wrap up July’s spotlight on North Salem with a look at where local families and visitors can play, learn, relax and explore in this sleepy suburb.