When a Jewish teenager turns 12 or 13, they’ll sometimes have a Bar or Bat Mitzvah. (‘Bar’ for a Jewish boy; ‘Bat’ for a Jewish girl). A Bar or Bat Mitzvah marks the transition from child to one who makes more mature, adult-like decisions.  Thus, in Jewish tradition, a boy or girl who becomes a Bar/Bat Mitzvah is now morally and ethically responsible for his or her decisions and actions. Sometimes, a celebratory party will follow the ceremony and that party is also called a Bar/Bat Mitzvah. Five top-notch New Jersey event planners and party experts weigh in on new trends in Bar/Bat Mitzvahs…and ways to keep the whole family stress-free during this exciting time. And for more party ideas and tips, check out our NJ Kids' Birthday Party Ideas Guide.

We wrap up our month-long focus on the Rivertowns with a look at the best places to play in the charming cluster of villages along the Hudson River. So far this month, we've highlighted our favorite coffee shops and eateries in the area. Now it's time for some adventures along the Hudson.

The Rivertowns have beautiful libraries (many with play areas), riverside parks, and nature preserves. For kids eager for structured play, there are classes in art, yoga, gymnastics, and more. Kids can even learn a little history while they play on the grounds at the former home of Washington Irving. Read on for our top picks for places to play in the Rivertowns. 

So, because Connecticut hasn’t been cold enough for our liking this winter (?!?@?!?@?!?), my husband and I thought we’d head to the balmy Canadian border for our kids’ February school break. Despite the chilly temperatures, we had a great time skiing in northern Vermont. The highlight of our trip?  Undoubtedly the full family snowboarding lesson we took with our ever-patient instructor Ian. In addition to being a snowboard instructor in the winter, Ian helps run a summer adventure park in the summertime. His stories of zip lining above the trees for more than 500 yards at a time got us thinking…why not plan a day trip to a nearby aerial adventure park to try this Spring?

As both a mom and a teacher, I truly believe it is just about impossible to overstate the importance and creativity of Dr. Seuss’ amazing books for children. Every year, in early March, schools, libraries, books stores, families and artists of all stripes come together to celebrate Dr Seuss’ Birthday and the National Education Association’s Read Across America Day. This year Dr. Seuss’ birthday falls on Sunday, March 2, and many venues in Westchester County--including several of our recently featured Rivertowns--will be celebrating in his honor. Fry up a batch of “Green Eggs and Ham” and then head out to one of these Seusstastic celebrations! Some programs require advance registration or have residency restrictions so be sure to check in advance!

My family and I recently spent a great afternoon at the Silverball Museum Arcade.  Located on the Boardwalk in Asbury Park, New Jersey, it is home to 200 pinball machines and arcade games. No problem if you or your kid becomes addicted to the flashing lights and the sound of the ricocheting metal ball, because unlimited play is included with your admission.  No quarters are needed at this hands-on museum. You can try as many of the machines as you like, as many times as you like.

March arrives this weekend and there are lots of cool things to look forward to throughout the month, including the (alleged) coming of spring. But since it feels like winter right now, we're continuing to update posts in our Inside Activity Guide, like our comprehensive roundups of drop-in indoor play spaces in Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn.

Skipping ahead to summer, camp seems to be all anyone is talking about (I made the mistake of trying to involve my eight-year-old in the camp choosing process this year—it's taking forever!). If you're still figuring it out, too, our Camp Guide is here to make your life easier. We just relaunched our new and greatly improved camp directory, where you can browse programs by type (arts, sports, sleepaway, etc.), location and age range. It really helps you sort through all of the amazing options out there. Find a camp that piques your interest? Be sure to check our lists of camp open houses in NYC, Westchester, New Jersey and on Long Island—meeting the directors and seeing the programs in action is quite informative.

And a few other posts from across our sites that may be of interest to NYC folk: Our LA site has a lovely review of the Oscar-nominated animated family film Ernest & Celestine, which happens to be one of the offerings at this year's New York International Children's Film Festival that starts next weekend. Long Island has a roundup of awesome museum sleepover that are a lot less pricey than their NYC counterparts. And New Jersey has a post on dine-in movie theaters—the Dunellen Cinema Cafe, which is about an hour by car from midtown Manhattan, looks particularly spectacular.

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

Outdoor activities like maple sugaring and outdoor scavenger hunts are starting to make their way onto our Events Calendar. Does that mean spring is soon to follow? We’re ready! If it still feels too much like winter to plan on outdoor activities, there’s plenty going on this weekend for Boston families indoors, too. Kids can enjoy music with Little Groove, a performance by Riverside Theatre Works, a puppet show with Applause Unlimited. Read on for details of these and other events.

Also on Mommy Poppins Boston this week:

• Tara has the scoop on Winter Hikes With Kids in Rhode Island and
• Kristin finds Kid-Friendly Restaurants in South Boston

Finally, we’re pleased to announce the launch of the Mommy Poppins Camp Directory. The Mommy Poppins Boston editors have chosen quality camps in and around Boston to include in the directory, and there are multiple ways to search for the right camp for your child. Read Tara’s tips on how to get the most out of the Directory, and happy camping!

Enjoy the weekend!

It's happening again. One of those weekends when there's just. Too. Much. To. Do. We've got whales, and more whales.  And if whales are too big we've got fish. We've got Mardi Gras, more Mardi Gras, a spectrum-friendly Mardi Gras, and Woofstock. We've got lots and lots of Seuss.

Ernest & Celestine opens this weekend; the French animated tale of mouse/bear friendship is nominated for an Oscar. Which reminds me, the Oscars are this weekend! You know, that event you used to build your weekend around before you had kids? (Or was that just me?)

Of course, if this rain turns out to be as big a deal as they're saying, movies could be a good idea (we've got 'em from dust bunnies to Pirate Fairies). Or a play (White opens this weekend, too). Or a concert. But plenty of the celebrations you can attend this weekend offer great indoor options, too; there's a free Family Arts Festival, a St. David's Day Festival, a celebration of Persian New Year, a celebration of Women's History Month, a celebration of play. Sounds like this weekend, LA is one big celebration of ... celebrating.

And now we celebrate some of our favorite picks for the weekend...