Our roundup of weekend events features lots of family shows and concerts including the opening of Arabian Nights, The Trolls and Trees puppet show, and Body Music for All Ages, the Boston Globe Ski and Sports Expo, and a Family Works event with Ben Rudnick and Friends. Read on for details, and remember that our calendar is filled with many more activities.

Also on Mommy Poppins Boston this week:

• We’ve adding to our Winter Holidays Guide with:
  • Boston restaurants serving kid-friendly Thanksgiving dinner;
  • Great ways for children and their families to volunteer together and make a difference this Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas; and
  • The lowdown on local productions of a holiday classic, The Nutcracker.

Plus:

• A list of picture books about Boston by some of our favorite authors;
• A review of the Jamaica Plain group, A Far Cry, which introduces classical music to Boston families; and
• Arts and Crafts Classes for Kids in Boston, five places where kids can find a creative outlet

Enjoy!

The balmy days of early autumn are now behind us and the cooler weather is here to stay. Wondering what to do with the kids now that it’s too cold to hit the playground most days? We’ve got the scoop on super-fun indoor play spaces to help you survive the winter months ahead. From painting pottery to rock climbing to just bouncing around, you'll find a variety of options to suit every child. Read on for our list of eight great locations in Morris County and check out our posts that highlight other spots in Bergen County, Essex County, Hudson County and Warren & Sussex Counties.

Oh, you better watch out, you better not cry, you'd better not pout, I'm telling you why:  A) because pouting is really annoying, right up there with whining, B) because the Caffeine Fairy is coming to town, bringing sugary stimulation to good mommies and daddies everywhere, and C) because you'll scare away the reindeer. (They're a skittish breed, especially when they're hyped up on frappuccinos).

Santa's coming, too, drawn in by the first signs of winter (all that ice and snow we've been having).  As in seasons past, he can be found at tree lightings and breakfasts across the Southland.  Now might be a good time to start putting some check marks in your "nice" column; count on Mommy Poppins to lend a helping hand.

In fact, we want to help you all the way through this holiday season, every Thanksmakwanzakkah moment of it. Take a moment to sign up for our emails (if you haven't already) so you can be the first to get the latest scoop from us....

...such as our favorite picks for the weekend:

If connecting to the internet while on the parental go is the glue that holds your world together, then you probably already know plenty of family-friendly places with free WiFi; we won't waste your time mentioning obvious coffee shops and libraries (right?). You've likely also caught on that many places offering kids' classes let parents catch up on email while little athletes take gymnastics or fencing class. You might even know that several ice rinks and bowling alleys have free WiFi for waiting parents. But how about some fun, unexpected places with free WiFi that you might not know about? Parents on the Westside, in Hollywood, or Downtown will want to know about the internet hotspots below.

There's so much happening around Westchester this weekend, we're not sure where to begin! Ridge Hill kicks off the holiday season with their annual Tree Lighting Celebration on Saturday. Bundle up and enjoy live entertainment, treats, carolers and Santa! Also this weekend, visit the Cross County Shopping Center in Yonkers for Visits and Photos with Santa.

Not ready to for carolers just yet? No worries! Head to North Salem and learn to make an origami ornament at the Hammond Museum or stop by the Ruth Keeler Memorial Library for STEAM Fest, a celebration of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.

If you're feeling musical, Larchmont Music Academy is opening its doors on Saturday for Introduction to Strings. Enjoy faculty performances, learn to conduct, then try out the different instruments and even make your own string instrument to bring home!

In the mood for some outside fun? Make your way to Turkey Day at Muscoot Farm for games, crafts, cider making and fun. For more nature themed fun, go for a Fall Discovery Walk at the Greenburgh Nature Center.

Want to help get your kids into the spirit of giving? We've mentioned a few ways to get kids involved in their communities by volunteering to help other kids. If you're looking for other ways to help, consider checking out Gabi Rocks Neuroblastoma Concert & Fundraiser. The event will feature a children’s concert with a musical performance by L.I. Aardvarks’ Lisa Ammon & Friends and Zev Haber and Pretzelstein along with children’s games and activities. It’s a great way to teach the kids about giving back and helping others.

Read on for top weekend picks. If you see something interesting, click through to the event listing to view full details. Looking for more options? Check our Event Calendar for more fun happening this weekend and beyond. Also, be sure to sign up for our weekly newsletter to stay up to date on all our latest info!

Even though Thanksgiving is still a few weeks away, some of our favorite annual holiday attractions open for the season this weekend. Holiday Train Shows are set to start chugging at the New York Botanical Garden and Grand Central Terminal, and the New York Hall of Science is unveiling its enormous Gingerbread Lane display. Plus, skaters can hit the ice at the grand opening of Williamsburg's McCarren Park Rink.

Another great way to get into the seasonal spirit? Come to our Holiday Photo Event on Saturday. In addition to getting adorable pictures of your kids with Santa or against a seasonal backdrop, there will be crafts, storytime, giveaways and discounts on holiday cards. Sessions are filling up fast, so book yours now.

Of course there's plenty of non-holiday fun this weekend, too, like the dance show Feet Don't Fail Me Now! at the New Victory Theater, a reenactment of the Battle of Fort Washington in Washington Heights and Grammy-nominated rocker Justin Roberts at Symphony Space.

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 Holiday Fun Guide. Before heading out on your adventures, be sure to download our FREE Mommy Poppins Kids on the Go app so you can find the best family destinations wherever you happen to be in NYC.

Classical music can be a hard sell for kids. Heck, it can be a hard sell for some grown-ups! Even if it's not your family's preferred genre of music, there are some wonderful classical pieces that really engage listeners, like Sergei Prokofiev's beloved Peter and the Wolf. One of the few symphonies created specifically for children, Peter and the Wolf is more than just beautiful music: It's a wonderful coming-of-age tale about how a cocky young boy, Peter, and his animal pals outwit a hungry wolf and the consequences of their actions. (Spoiler: In the original version, the duck gets eaten but some productions give it a 100% happy ending with the wolf coughing up the duck alive and unharmed.) The simple story is told through narration and each character is portrayed by the sound of a different musical instrument. It's a great way to introduce kids to classical music. When I was a child, I played my LP so often that it got totally scratched up and no longer worked. (Thank goodness for iPods, right?)

For some reason I can't seem to figure out, Peter and the Wolf has become an unofficial holiday tradition. Every year around this time, there are multiple mountings of the 1936 piece here in NYC. The big annual run at the Guggenheim Museum with Isaac Mizrahi narrating is definitely the best known, but there are other Peters out there. In fact, we've rounded up five different productions to choose from, three over the holidays and two early next year.