This weekend, enjoy a show filled with a variety of live animals at the Extreme Raptor Project at the Long Island Game Farm. In the mood for a festival, or two? There are three to choose from: Annual Sayville Summerfest, The Church Of St. Rocco The Best Feast In The East in Glen Cove, and the Our Lady Of Mercy Family Festival in Hicksville. Have a budding scientist at home? Head over to the Brookhaven National Laboratory and learn all about atoms. Enjoy a girly spin on the nautical theme at the Mermaid Tea Party at The Whaling Museum and Education Center of Cold Spring Harbor. Also on tap: Mid-Tide Splash at Jones Beach State Park, and a Juggling show by Ray Grins at Valley Stream State Park. As always, check our events calendar every day for fun activities for the family.

My eight-year-old has been obsessed with Smurfs since the age of two, and has been counting down the days to the release of the second Smurfs movie all summer. So, imagine our delight when we were invited to a screening of Smurfs 2 in 3D at the Regal Fenway theaters. Although only one of us has a bizarre affinity for the little blue people, the whole family went to the show – we all liked the first film, and we were actually looking forward to the second one, too. Did Smurfs 2 live up to our expectations? Find out from my kids first, and then read on for my take on the film as a parent. If you decide to see Smurfs 2 with your kids, consider making a night of it at one of the drive-in theaters near Boston. You just might feel like a kid again yourself.

Long Island has lots of great fairs and festivals for families to enjoy this summer. Celebrate the season with live music, carnival rides for the kiddos, and plenty of delicious food. From festivals celebrating world cultures to fairs displaying local arts and crafts, there's lots to keep everyone busy all summer long. Read on for our roundup of the best festivals around, many of which are featured on our August Go List.

Once again we have a rainy weekend on our hands and as such, some of our outdoor picks may be canceled or postponed. Before you head out, check the event's official website to make sure it's still happening. It's the first weekend of August and while some New Yorkers are leaving the city for far-flung destinations, we're planning a fun-filled staycation for the rest of the summer. This weekend brings lots of FREE fun including the first installment of Manhattan's car-free Summer Streets; the activity-packed Kids Rule Weekend in the Bronx; and no-cost admission to the Children's Museum of Manhattan on Friday evening, the Brooklyn Museum on Saturday evening and the Brooklyn Children's Museum on both afternoons.

We're particularly excited about our Mommy Poppins Family Cruise on Sunday. Join us for a fun New York Harbor voyage on Manhattan by Sail's Clipper City Tall Ship with master storyteller Bill Gordh and other boat-themed kids' activities. There are still tickets available so book now.

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 Summer Fun Guide. And if you're looking to plan out your entire month, check out the new edition of our NYC Go List, which highlights the absolute best things to do with kids throughout August.

Hello August! Ready to make the most of the last month of summer? Let the kids burn off some energy at Dino Trux Weekend at Field Station: Dinosaurs or Block Party at the Liberty Science Center.  If you’re looking for outdoor adventure, head to Cape May Point State Park for their Pond Life Animal Show or catch your first fish at Turkey Swamp Park. And remember, you can find a full list of weekend activities in our Event Calendar.

America's pastime is alive and well in Hudson Valley! If you're looking for a family outing that won't break the bank (like major league games can easily do), Dutchess Stadium (affectionately known as The Dutch) offers fun for the whole family. In addition to catching a game starring resident minor league team, the Hudson Valley Renegades, there are lots of other kid-friendly programs and events at The Dutch. We briefly mentioned the Hudson Valley Renegades in our post about minor leagues in the NY metro area but it's definitely worth mentioning again, especially since this week is Kid's Week, which means kids 12 & under get free admission to games this Tuesday-Thursday! Read on for more details about Dutchess Stadium, the Hudson Valley Renegades, free entry for kids this week and other events happening this season and year round.

When I'm shlepping myself and two kids to NYC, I gird my loins for a hot descent into the PATH, a motion-sickness-inducing ride on the bus or mind-numbing traffic in the tunnel. But recently I met a friend to take the NY Waterway ferry to mid-town Manhattan and the experience was as different as, well... the difference between a nauseating bus ride and a lovely, fresh-air boat journey. Read on for the wonders of NY Waterway and their Summer Special for travel out of Port Imperial in Weehawken.

We finish up our month-long focus on Washington Heights and Inwood with a roundup of three great outdoor adventures in the area. Upper Manhattan is famous for its many hilly green spaces, like Fort Tryon Park and Inwood Hill Park, both great for city hiking. But there are three specific destinations where kids can learn a bit about NYC's past while enjoying a stroll through urban nature.

For this guest post, we turned to local parents Cheryl and William de Jong-Lambert, who regularly blog about their excursions at the Appalachian Mountain Club's Kids Outdoors New York City. Kids Outdoors is a FREE online community for families filled with ideas on alfresco activities in the NYC area and expert advice on how to get started. The Jong-Lamberts and their children, ages 7 and 10, explored a trio of neighborhood attractions: a Colonial-era farmhouse, a famous red lighthouse and a great gray bridge, all enriching summer staycation destinations in Washington Heights and Inwood.