Every camp-planning season, we here at Mommy Poppins scour the city looking for enriching new summer programs for our been-there, done-that kids. To help you make an informed decision about the new camps on the block, we've rounded up nine of the most promising programs set to debut this summer. Some are brand-new, others are places that are significantly expanding their already awesome offerings.

In addition to these newbies, it's good to check out our best new camp roundups from 2014, 2013 and 2012. Most of those programs are still going on and continue to offer top-notch programming. You can also browse our Summer Camp Guide for additional options or use our Camp Directory to search for programs by interest, age and location.

We're big fans of kid-friendly STEM activities and anything FREE. So put them together and you've got an event that we want to shout about. New York City's Brain Week 2015 kicks off today and offers neuroscience programs throughout March. Most of the kid-friendly ones take place this week and next, and include family favorites like the BioBus (of Ultimate Science Street Fair fame), and educational expos such as the NYU Brain Fair. Programming occurs in various locations (mostly Manhattan), and while almost all events are FREE, preregistration is often required. We've got the scoop on the top Brain Week events for families.

Swimming sharks, stingrays, and penguins are the main attractions at Jenkinson's Aquarium, a small but charming aquarium that offers a glimpse of life under the sea. Located on the Point Pleasant boardwalk, the aquarium is a perfect respite from the noonday sun, or a way to combat boredom on a rainy day.

When my oldest was 3, I signed him up for the creative movement classes at our local dance studio in Fairfield County that many of the kids from his preschool also attended. As he got older, he continued to love dance class--he didn't (and we parents didn't) have any Baryshnikov delusions--but he was always happy to boogie.  Every year there were fewer and fewer boys in class and though he was always welcome in every class, he started to feel more and more self-conscious until finally he decided to quit.

He got busy with other things, and I let it go as just one more thing he had grown out of, but one weekend after a particularly intense round of Just Dance on the Wii (which I totally owned, by the way), I asked if he wanted to find another dance class. The search was on.

(Note: Generally boys are welcome in dance classes at all studios even if the class description does not specifically mention boys; however, for the purposes of this post, we are focusing on classes with particular features or pricing for boys.)

Don't faint--the dead of winter is when parents start thinking and planning for (gulp) summer camp. Lanyards, hand games, swimming, s'mores... if you’re wondering where your kids are going to be doing these things in the hot, school-less weather, check out an upcoming Summer Camp Fair or Open House. Whether you want to stay in NJ, venture into NY or try a sleep-away camp out of state, a camp fair or open house will allow you to meet camp directors, chat, tour the facilities and make an educated decision. Considering that New Jersey has about a billion (only a slight exaggeration) camp options, hopefully this  list will help you narrow it down. We will be updating our NJ Summer Camp Guide throughout the winter, so stay tuned!

New York City is filled with world-famous museums offering art and cultural experiences for visitors of all ages. But while most people know about MoMA and the Metropolitan, we enjoy shedding light on under the radar museums you may not be aware of that are fun for families, like the Sketchbook Project in Williamsburg.

Originally started in 2006 in Georgia before moving to NYC in 2009, the Sketchbook Project's Brooklyn Art Library features more than 30,000 books submitted by artists from all over the world. I recently visited with my five-year-old son and we enjoyed discovering a wide variety of offbeat art for FREE since there is no admission charge.

Summer camp is something of an investment. When families plan to spend hundreds of dollars on something, they like to do research to make sure they are making a good choice for their money and of course for their child. There are plenty out there to choose from, and if you want to know what you're getting before you plunk down a deposit, several Connecticut contenders will be hosting open houses in the coming months.  Make sure to check out our lists and reviews of summer camps in our CT Summer Camp Guide too.