Strawberry Shortcake: Follow Your Berry Own Beat is a sweet, good-hearted show bursting with good will and friendship. Strawberry and her friends encourage kids with catchy songs and inspirational truisms.  Kids leave the theater knowing anything is possible if you follow your heart and are true to yourself. Even knowing all of this, it helps to have a few more details before bringing little ones to a large scale touring show. (That's why our Parents Reviews Guide covers so many touring shows.)

Technically, Valentine's Day is for couples, but any holiday that involves candy and gifts is something kids will want in on. While there are plenty of ways to share the love with your children, like reading picture books about your unbreakable bond or going to a special Valentine's Day family event, whipping up a few easy and tasty treats together is a great way to celebrate.

Since my husband is a chef, cooking is one of our favorite family activities and we really love to take full advantage of every special occasion by preparing themed dishes. But you don't need a pro to make these three super-easy Valentine's Day recipes, which are as fun to prepare as they are to eat.

Since Winter Storm Nemo decided to hit us at the end of the week, we don't have to worry about school being canceled. Still, Saturday, February 9 certainly won't be a normal, run-of-the-mill day. Already several places have announced special snow day activities, including a snowman showdown, a snow sculpting contest and fun in NYC parks.

Read on to hear about these snow day specials, plus we've got the inside scoop on favorite sledding hills, a hot chocolate festival, snow painting and other winter fun.

Presidents Day draws nigh, and doubtless many of you will be celebrating the lives and times of our forefathers in the traditional Southern Californian way: finding snow and sliding down it repeatedly, just like Honest Abe would have done. Parents who like to find meaning in days off from school might take advantage of the not-one-but-two Presidential Library Museums we have access to in the Southland; both the Nixon and Reagan Libraries celebrate the day with free festivities. But since not everyone can convince the boss that Presidents Day merits a snow day from work, some parents are bound to be looking for a day camp to cover the Monday holiday. Allow us to make a few suggestions.

Even though both Staten Island Chuck and Punxsutawney Phil predicted an early spring, it sounds like we're going to get enough snow this weekend to go sledding, cross-country skiing down the street and maybe even have a full-fledged snow day. We're doing our best to keep our calendar and posts updated with accurate info, but we predict there will be many cancellations so if you're heading to an event, be sure to check the official website to confirm it's still happening.

If the blizzard inspires you to keep the fun inside, you can try some Valentine's Day-themed crafts, catch a family show or explore a new kid-friendly museum exhibit like Canstruction at the World Financial Center. My daughter went to see it last weekend and she took the photo above of a poodle made entirely from canned food! Our Winter Fun Guide is filled with info on all of these activities and more, so you can make the most of the season, both indoors and out.

If you're trying to figure out what to do during the upcoming four-day winter break, we just did posts on Presidents' Day break camps and NYC day trips. If you're thinking of traveling further afield, our friends across the Hudson just shared their list of the top 100 things to do in New Jersey with kids before they grow up and our Travel site has a roundup of great winter getaway deals and discounts, including an awesome Disney cruise deal.

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

This weekend, the Merrimack River Eagle Festival takes place at several locations around Newburyport, the Boston Globe Travel Show comes to the Seaport World Trade Center, and there are numerous ways to celebrate the Year of the Snake. Performance options include Boston Musica Viva’s annual family concert and Gustafer Yellowgold at the Regent Theatre in Arlington. And with Valentine’s Day just around the corner, we’ve rounded up some kid-friendly ideas for sweet treats, craft activities, and other events taking place this weekend. Read on for the details, and be sure to consult our calendar for more things to do. Of course, given the weekend forecast, please be sure to check with the venues for any cancellations or changes to the schedule!

We’re also pleased to offer the next installment of our Poppins Parents series - meet funny gal, brand marketer, and yoga studio owner, Kristin Quinn! And if you’re a camp director or involved in running a summer camp, we’d like to invite you to contact us about being included in our new Summer Camp Directory, set to launch in March.

Stay safe, and enjoy!

"The sun did not shine. It was too wet to play. So we sat in the house all that cold, cold, wet day."-- Dr. Seuss. Well, you're not making any more of a mess in MY house--my basement looks like a Disney Princess Island of Misfit toys. Even if Punxsutawney Phil predicted an early spring, I'm still not seeing the light at the end of this tunnel. Get out and explore some of the best indoor play spaces in Northwestern NJ--in other words, a place where your kids can make a mess and you don't need to clean it up!