I find myself in new summer camp territory this year.  My 9 year old is old enough for sleep away camp, but her mother… ahem…isn’t quite ready to send her off.  But as I think she’s outgrown our local rec camp, I’ve been looking into some different alternatives.  I want her camp experience this year to really be a growing and learning experience for her, a chance for her to try something new and different.  And so we're considering some of the following:

OK, so Oz is great and Oz is powerful; but is Disney's Oz the Great and Powerful a good film for your kids to see? Parenting minds want to know. So we headed down to El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood for a screening of the much anticipated Wizard of Oz prequel in 3D - the ultimate Hollywood venue for the ultimate Hollywood prequel.

Same sex camps come with lots of benefits. Without the male species at camp, tweens and teens can focus more on girl bonding and the task at hand (while avoid getting distracted by "that cute boy with beautiful blue eyes"). Girls can create everlasting friendships while experiencing strong female role models. Here's a list of girls only sleep away summer camps in CT, some of which are traditional, artsy and/or sportsy.

Did you see NYC Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott's live webcast on Wednesday night about the core curriculum and New York State test changes? We did, and our Facebook posts sparked some interesting conversations. One of the best things about this site—beyond telling our readers about great things to do with kids in NYC—is being able to interact with our fellow NYC families. We also get lots of post ideas from your questions and comments, so don't be surprised if you see a post related to the webcast and your thoughts in the next week or two.

On a lighter note, the big March holidays are almost upon us, and we've got ways for you to celebrate St. Patrick's Day and Easter all over the five boroughs. Even though Easter isn't until March 31, you can celebrate this weekend at our Live Baby Chicks Portrait Event or at the first egg hunt of the season at Brooklyn Plantology. Of course some special holiday events only happen outside of NYC, like train rides with the Easter Bunny in New Jersey. They make for great day trips.

Since we know a lot of families are still trying to figure out what to do about summer camp, we updated our always-popular free and cheap summer camps for NYC kids post. The lottery for one of our favorite inexpensive summer programs, the NYC Parks Experience Summer Day Camp, which costs $500 for seven weeks, is currently underway. And speaking of inexpensive camps, how would you like a free week of Pony Camp at Dapple Hill Farm in Whitehouse Station, NJ? All you need to do is enter our giveaway and see if you get lucky. We launch new giveaways every week so be sure to bookmark our giveaway page.

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

March 17 has taken on a different feel since having children. Gone are the days of kegs and eggs at 8am followed by a day of adult debauchery. But St. Patrick's Day is now one of my favorite kid-friendly holidays, because you can get creative with turning everything green, and introducing lads and lasses to Irish music and culture. 

There’s plenty going on this weekend, from free movies at the Museum of Science and maple sugaring tours in Milton and Topsfield to a performance by the Stacey Peasley Band in Arlington. Plus, families can go on a time-travel trip during the Museum of Natural History’s Stories through Time family festival. Read on for more of our picks, and be sure to visit our Events Calendar for a complete list.

We’ve had a busy week on Mommy Poppins Boston, covering a range of topics:

• April Vacation Week - four terrific solutions to the "What are we going to do during school vacation?" problem;
• Our new writer, Kristin Quinn (also of Misadventures in Mommyhood), took her toddler to the Museum of Science Planetarium to see every preschooler's favorite red, furry animal in Big Bird's Adventure: One World, One Sky. Find out whether it's a must-go or just an OK show;
• It’s National Craft Month, and we're accepting the Cre8time Challenge - can you find 8 minutes every day to devote to an art activity? Send us your photos, and we’ll add them to our Pinterest Board; and
• A roundup of Gluten Free Dining With Kids In and Around Boston.

Finally, just a reminder to set your clocks ahead on Sunday (seems about 3 weeks early this year!) Enjoy the weekend.

Good news, bad news folks. Good news: spring is in the air, and I know this because we are about to Spring Forward. Daylight savings time begins this Sunday, and that means sundown is later! Bad news, we lose an hour of sleep this weekend. But who has time to sleep when there’s so much to do? This weekend we can hang with whales, woofers, and a wizard, prepare for summer whether our plans are local or abroad, listen to music and make some of our own, learn how to live green and go fly a kite.

Another thing putting a spring in our step, (an Irish jig to be exact), is the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day. Though the holiday isn’t until next Sunday, you can get an early start at this weekend’s Irish Fair (or Tuesday’s hunt for the Leprechaun’s gold). Even the Easter Bunny is starting his rounds. And the surest sign that Spring is upon us: the looming specter of Spring Break. We've found some of the coolest camps to entertain your kids.

Read on for our favorite picks for this weekend …