While child rearing, you come to learn all the places you can take your toddler to blow off steam.  Some are free.  Some are not.  Some of you don't discriminate because you're just deliriously happy you're over the stomach bug.  The library, Stew Leonard's, Kids U, Fairfield's Playscape, the mall, Westport Y, Next Dimensions Gymnastics, the Bruce Museum, they're all fair game.  But what if there was a place you didn't know about? One with coffee. Are you leaning into your screens wondering if this is a joke, or rather, the entrance to nirvana??  Alright, I'll stop teasing.  Introducing Insports Trumbull's Wild Cat Play.

Looking to cure the winter blues? A mid-season getaway may be just the trick to keep you going until spring. Thankfully, there are lots of discounts during the upcoming school break. If your family craves the excitement of a theme park, Downtown Disney in Orlando has excellent rates. East Coast families could consider an urban escape to Baltimore or for something with a small town vibe, head to Freeport Maine, home of L.L. Bean. How about a yoga and massage weekend retreat for parents, with childcare for the kids, in the Berkshires? If your family feels like frolicking in the snow, many ski resorts are offering discounts. Adventurous types can head west to Yellowstone National Park for spectacular wintery scenery and no crowds.

Well that was a wild week! Although Tuesday's snow day was milder than predicted, like most NYC kids, my daughter had a fun day off from school hitting our favorite sledding hills and doing some cool crafts at home. Clearly winter is going to keep us on our toes this year, regardless of what the groundhogs tell us on Monday.

Sunday marks the first day of February so we posted a brand-new GoList highlighting the absolute best things to do with kids throughout the month, including annual favorites like Chinatown's Lunar New Year Parade. February also brings midwinter break for NYC public school kids. If you're thinking about a family getaway, we have lots of ideas on our Travel site like skiing and snow tubing in the Adirondacks near Lake George, plus our Snow Sports Guide featuring resorts throughout the tri-state area.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

My daughter had just turned two, and naturally we wanted to do something special to celebrate. But when I started to research venues to rent, I realized that we were looking at $300-plus for a few hours of toddlers smashing frosting into things--and that was just to rent the space! I couldn't justify the expense, especially her young age.

But how could we have a party at home in our teeny, tiny 1.5 bedroom apartment? Well, we found out and we've lived to tell the very successful tale. Here are 10 simple rules to follow when you want to host a budget birthday in a small space.

So if a Southern California groundhog sees his shadow, does that mean we have six more weeks of... the same sunny weather we always have?  Because, no offense to anyone who might be snowed in, but even the coldest days of our winter are oddly lacking in winter-like qualities. (Except for all the snow.)

But the winds of change are blowing, because hello! Blink and it's February. Our shortest month is also chock full of holidays, with Lunar New Years, Valentine's Day (get your kid started on your presents at the free workshops this weekend), Presidents Day, and a whole month of African American History.

Then again, we may be skipping spring altogether, because this weekend we get a visit from the boys of summer:  your Los Angeles Dodgers are inviting folks over for a baseball love fest. So, in keeping with the season, why not get a move on and enjoy the great outdoors? Unless it rains, in which case you should totes stay inside.

Keep reading for some of our most seasonal picks for this weekend...

After the blizzard forced most Long Island families indoors for several days this week, you're probably itching to get out of the house and shake off that cabin fever. We have you covered with live theater, science experiments, detective work and edible workshops.

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.

Especially after this week's blizzard, you and your family might be hoping for an early end to winter. Ironically, the Groundhog Day Extravaganza in Topsfield scheduled for this weekend has been canceled due to the winter weather conditions. However, kids can search for signs of other animals at Fun With Animal Footprints and Signs in Natick or explore the sculpture park and exhibits at ARTfull Explorations at the deCordova in Lincoln. If you're not ready for winter to end just yet, the annual Snow Festival in Boston offers tons of fun activities in the snow.

Some great events going on indoors this weekend include the Big Family Quiz Thing and a free Play Date at the ICA, featuring the museum's annual children's film festival. In performances this weekend, families have their pick between Stuart Little, Gustafer Yellowgold's Show (pictured), Sleeping Beauty, and more local favorites.

Also on Mommy Poppins Boston this week:

• We hope the ideas in our list of 40 Snow Day Boredom Busters came in handy!
• If you're north of the city, you won't want to miss our roundup of 7 Fun Indoor Playgrounds for Kids North of Boston.
• This week is a very good time to try melted ice art, a science project perfect for preschoolers. 
• February is already here! Check out our top family fun picks for the sweetest month in Boston. 

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