With the arrival of another polar vortex, you may not feel like leaving your house. If you have run out of ideas to keep the little ones busy, Mommy Poppins is here with WeeWork Kids Craft Series; Free Daily At-Home Projects . We hope these simple, free crafts and games will inspire some bonding time and help the days go by a little faster. You can subscribe and  get WeeWork delivered to your inbox. 

Once you feel like venturing out, we've got you covered with plenty to do. For starters, check out our CT Winter Fun Guide , Indoor Play Places for Big Kids in Hartford County, and guide to Winter Break Activities in Fairfield County. 

We continue to explore the state, bringing you the best recommendations of activities. Want to visit a new town? Consult our posts on 25 Things to Do and See with Kids in New Canaan and Simsbury. We also have neighborhood guides for West Hartford and Ridgefield. These towns are CT treasures and chock full of fun! 

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and you'll receive the weekend round up every Thursday. Follow us on Twitter and Pinterest to get updates on events, contests and free giveaways. Our event calendar is updated constantly with the latest happenings.

Here are some suggestions for this weekend. 

The last weekend in January is here and if you’re looking to get out of the house and find some fun for the family, Westchester has it. Celebrate the Chinese New Year at the Pelham Art Center with family friendly activities or make a Chinese New Year Dragon Puppet at Lakeshore Learning to ring in the Year of the Horse.

It’s the last weekend to catch Shrek The Musical put on by The Players Theater in White Plains. Westchester Community College is hosting The National Player’s in their version of the Odyssey. Throughout the weekend, visit St. Matthew’s Church in Bedford for The 41st Annual Art Show.

There are always plenty of activities available for the nature enthusiasts. This weekend let the family get some fresh air and check out It’s A Hoot, Waterfowl and Eagles, Tracks and Scats, and Winter Walk. If you’re looking to send your children to camp this summer, check out the 32nd Annual Westchester Camp and Activity Fair at the Crowne Plaza in White Plains to see what options are available for your family.

Read on for our top weekend picks. If you see something that piques your interest, click through to the event listing to view full details. Looking for more options? Be sure to check our Event Calendar for more fun happening this weekend and beyond.

We continue our month-long focus on Battery Park City with a look at the best places to play in the neighborhood, both indoors and outside. This tiny sliver of southwestern Manhattan is just 92 acres but 36 acres of that is parkland, mostly along the Hudson River. It's no wonder BPC is famous for its parks and playgrounds, like the attraction-filled Rockefeller E. Nelson Playground, Teardrop Park's grotto-like water play area and massive slide, and the stunning Esplanade, which runs the whole length of neighborhood along the waterfront.

BPC is also home to lots of indoor places where kids can drop in and play, including Manhattan's first green library, a pair of museums with frequent kids' programs, and the Winter Garden at Brookfield Place. If you're looking to spend a day romping around, BPC is the place to be.

It appears that we may break out of the teens this weekend (!), but even if we don't, there're plenty to do with kids in and around Boston, inside and out. From the opening of Wheelock Family Theatre’s production of Hairspray, the Musical on Friday to a Wingmasters Birds of Prey demonstration on Sunday, we’ve got you covered.

Families can enjoy other events like the Rock ’n’ Romp Rock Show and International Film Festival on Saturday and a chocolate festival in Harvard Square on Sunday. Read on for all our picks for the weekend, and visit our Events Calendar for other events.

Also this week on Mommy Poppins Boston:

• Chinese New Year celebrations begin this weekend;
• A heads-up about Classes and Camps for Boston Kids during February Vacation;
• Learn all about Visiting the Museum of Science with Kids;
• Catch Olympic fever with special events hosted by several area museums; and
• We’ve launched our Wee Work Series with four fun, simple projects for parents and kids to do together - let us know what you think

Enjoy!

I can't put my finger on it, but there's something different about you. You seem somehow...craftier. Hey, you've been dabbling in our WeeWork projects, haven't you! What's been your favorite so far? The Martin Luther King, Jr.  Dream Mobiles? Indoor bowling? I'm guessing it's not the ice lanterns, unless, to quote my favorite snowman, you wanted to finally learn what frozen things do in summer.

If you’re craving more inspiration, a score of Los Angeles area museums are free on Saturday. Seriously, the Hammer, the Skirball, the Pacific Asia Museum. Free, free, and totally free. You know what inspires me? Free. (Word to the wise: only those museums that are on the list are free. Don’t try waltzing into any other ones without paying. That’s called breaking and entering.)

Frankly, I don’t know how you can get any more inspired than by watching the exaltation of the human form that is the latest edition of Cirque du Soleil: TOTEM. (And it even gets bonus points for being spitting distance from Santa Monica Pier.) Leave the kids home if you have to. (You don't have to; they'll love it. But you might "have to." Because, you know, kids turn into pumpkins if they stay out too late. Or something like that...)

Keep reading for some of our favorite picks for the weekend, none of which will turn your kids into a winter squash...

Are you a savvy shopper looking to save a few dollars? It seems every day a t-shirt is covered in paint or a hemline is just a little too short. Either way, I am running out for new clothes at least once a month. A budget-friendly and eco-friendly option is to visit our local consignment shop.These unique stores offer families a way to purchase gently used clothing without breaking the bank. Consignment shops also allow for you to make money by giving clothing a second life. Every store has selling rules (dates, number of items and payback features),so make sure to check each store’s website for complete details. And check out Kids' Consignment Shops in Northern NJ, as well!

We’ve kissed the holiday season goodbye.  Whether you stayed home and are craving a getaway, or need a vacation from your vacation, the dark days of January present some bright family vacation ideas.  If your family skis, there are discounts that make this expensive sport more affordable.  New York State has some particularly attractive ski discounts, so this could be the year to give skiing a whirl. Virginia may not seem like a ski destination, but The Homestead in Hot Springs has a cut-rate family ski package. If an urban getaway better suits your family, Washington, D.C. has some steeply discounted rates and dozens of free activities.  Go farther north and spend a few budget-friendly days in Montreal for a soupçon of Gallic flair. If you’ve already had it up to here with the cold and snow, warm weather destinations in Florida and Royal Caribbean cruise itineraries are on sale.  If luck is on your side, you might just win a free trip to Disney for your family of four.