I was born in the former Soviet Union and grew up speaking Russian with my parents in the U.S. Once I became a mom, I wanted to pass the language and culture on to my three children. But with a dad who only speaks English, that's proven to be tougher than I'd expected. On top of that, the age difference between my kids (the eldest is in eighth grade, the youngest kindergarten) means they're rarely interested in the same activities, so finding an all-ages Russian activities has been a challenge.

However, after years of personal research and experimentation, we've found several great programs that teach a combination of Russian language, Russian culture and even Russian-Jewish culture. Since June marks NYC's 11th annual Russian Heritage Month, this seems like the perfect time to give Russia some love. Here are five ways kids can experience Russian culture in New York City.

"Mom, I'm bored!" is a phrase that strikes dread into the hearts of moms during the summer. Trying to think of some great day trips to fill the hours? Look no further than PEEC: Pocono Environmental Education Center. PEEC is only a 90 minute drive from NYC or most New Jersey counties. It is located within the 77,000 acres of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation area along the Delaware River and offers hands-on activities for all ages.

Having sat through 3 soccer games and 2 lacrosse games today (just a regular Saturday around here!), it seems only fitting that I sit down now to write about…athletic events!  Now, my kids didn’t catch the sports bug super early.  Nope, mine were the kids picking daisies in the midst of the kindergarten soccer field as the ball sailed right past them. 

But this year, in 4th grade, my eldest has suddenly become sports obsessed.   And she’s not only obsessed with playing sports – she loves following them too.   Need Red Sox scores? She’s got ‘em.  Want to know if Chelsea beat Man U?  Look no further.  And as much as I love the Sox and Chelsea, Boston and London aren’t always so easy to get to, so we’ve found some local sports events to frequent.  Some of our spring and summer favorites:

We finish up our month-long focus on Crown Heights, Brooklyn with a roundup of our favorite family-friendly restaurants in the area. These eateries really reflect the diversity of the neighborhood. You'll find delicious kosher spots serving up New York-style pastrami on rye alongside authentic Mexican joints, Indian delicacies like samosas dished out next to Caribbean staples such as roti and jerk chicken.

Although most of these small, family-run restaurants don't have kids' menus, they all offer lots of options for picky little eaters and price-conscious parents. So after a trip to one of the neighborhood's great cultural attractions like the Brooklyn Children's Museum, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden or the Jewish Children's Museum, grab a family meal at once of these kid-friendly Crown Heights restaurants.

As you may have noticed, we've been trying to get more of our Mommy Poppins families out camping, so we've been sharing some great Los Angeles area campgrounds and even offering up several places that accommodate last minute camping. Basically, if you want to sleep in a tent under the stars this weekend, we're there for you. But it's possible that some of you feel overwhelmed at the prospect; maybe you've never camped before, or maybe you just haven't yet figured out how to fit kids into that thing you used to do with the backpack and the camp stove. Either way, we can have you packed and ready for the campsite in no time!

Sometimes, when the mood is crumbling and the toys are flying, when the tears and tantrums have about done you in, all you need is a book. Barely has "Once upon a time..." left your lips, and they're gone, those, ahem, precious little ones - their previously agitated minds soothed and calmed in an imaginary world far, far away. Of course, sofas and beds and laps are great places to share a story, but so, too, are museums, bookstores and local libraries. Check out our list of story times in and around LA, and consider letting someone else do the reading. There are moments when we all deserve a little happily ever after.