The first weekend of March is jam-packed with exceptional family fun in NYC, like the kickoff of the month-long New York International Children's Film Festival and the annual Kids Food Festival in Bryant Park. There are also some wonderful multicultural celebrations, including a pair of St. Patrick's Day parades in Queens and the JCC in Manhattan's big Purim carnival. Looking to rock out? There are some cool kiddie concerts, too, like Brooklyn Kids Rock featuring four local bands, Boston singer/songwriter Alastair Moock at 92YTribeca and the Deedle Deedle Dees at Symphony Space.

These are just a few of the great events this weekend. All of our best bets are below. You can find additional options in our Event Calendar and our Winter Fun Guide. And if you like to plan ahead, check out our March Go NYC List, which highlights the absolute best things to do with kids throughout the month.

Disney's epic adventure Oz: The Great and Powerful hits theaters next Friday, March 8 and I don't think I've been this excited about a family movie since the relaunch of The Muppets back in 2011. My daughter and I are both counting down the days until we can see this Wizard of Oz prequel, which focuses on the Kansas-born Wizard's journey to Oz, where he tangles with three stunning witches, including my kid's favorite, Glinda (that's her in the photo, dressed up as the original Good Witch for Halloween a few years back).

If your kids (or you) are as into all things Oz as my family is, there are some fun ways to celebrate L. Frank Baum's magical world right here in New York City. From Books of Wonder's unparalleled collection of Oz titles to a behind-the-scenes tour of the musical Wicked to a big blue Oz hot-air balloon set to land in Central Park, here are five ways to get carried away to this fantastical place—no tornado required.

The warmer days and freezing night temperatures in late February and early March make for perfect maple sugaring conditions.  Over the past few years I've taken my family to many different farms in Connecticut to watch the process of tapping trees and turning sap into syrup.  While each place we've visited shares a different perspective on making syrup, one thing remains the same - my family's favorite part is always the tasting. Festivals throughout the state this weekend offer an opportunity for families to learn more about the sugaring process.

Although this week is starting to feel like spring, we all know how predictably unpredictable New England weather is – and that winter isn’t over yet. The vernal equinox is March 20, but I remember years when we had snow in April. So, you may want to keep the boots and snow pants somewhere handy for now, and enjoy the remaining days of winter with your kids.

Bloggers from the Appalachian Mountain Club’s “Kids Outdoors” online community have lots of great ideas for getting outdoors and staying active as a family, even while trees are leafless and the ground is covered in a layer of white. Read on for a round up of our favorite AMC posts on winter fun with the kids, with our own recommendations for places in the Boston area to have all that fun. 

Shout it from the rooftops: it's almost-springtime! Oh, okay, it's only the first weekend in March, so we still have a few official winter weeks left, but we can dream, can't we? Check out some of the fun events in NJ this weekend, like The Peking Acrobats at Mayo Performing Arts Center, a variety of Seussian activities and something called Worm World (are you intrigued?) Read on for our top picks and find a listing of all NJ activities in our Event Calendar.

If you're like me, you want to enroll your child in day camp this summer, but it's only February, and you're quite frankly just focused on school lunch and afterschool activities and everything else going on in the here and now. And meanwhile, you're learning that camps have started their open houses in January and are filling up and all of your kids' friends are already enrolled for the summer. Worry not! Summer camps across the Island are still holding open houses. Below, a sampling; and check out our Camps Guide for all the information you need for selecting a Long Island day camp. 

Spring is nearly here, and family vacation discounts are blooming. Jet Blue is flying kids to Disneyland and Walt Disney World for free.  It is not too late to ski in the Catskills, catch spring training in Arizona, see the cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C. or head to the beach in Cape May. If your family enjoys train rides, the Downeaster is free for kids on Sundays, and will take you on a scenic journey from Boston to Maine.  If you are seeking warm weather, Bermuda, Riviera Nayarit in Mexico and Naples, Florida are a few destinations that are offering good deals.  If you have luck on your side, you might win a trip for two to Peru.