25 Things to do in Ann Arbor, Michigan with Kids

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Ann Arbor, Michigan enjoys a relaxed vibe that is well suited to visiting families.  Home to the University of Michigan, students are everywhere, filling coffee houses, bookshops and inexpensive eateries. The genuine friendliness that you will encounter here is pure small-town America.  What makes Ann Arbor so special is that it packs a big city punch mingled with Midwestern cordiality. 

For families desiring a vacation destination with a variety of art and cultural offerings, the scene here as stimulating as that of a metropolis but without the urban hassles. This town is livable and it’s just plain fun to walk around and soak it all in.  It’s compact too, so you can walk to most everything.  You won’t want to miss the Hands-On Museum, a crown jewel of children’s museums. The Chelsea Milling Company is where they make Jiffy Muffin Mix and it’s one of the best factory tours we have ever experienced.  Shopping here is a treat, as the pedestrian-friendly downtown is brimming with an eclectic assortment of one-of-a-kind shops that are like nothing you would ever find at the local mall.

Here are 25 fun things to do in Ann Arbor:

Free Summer Camps and Programs for New York City Teens and Tweens

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With the weather we've been having lately it's hard to think about summer, but for teens and tweens now is the time to sign up for some of the city's coolest summer programs. A number of free summer programs for tweens and tweens have applications available now, or soon, and these highly coveted spots fill up quickly. In fact, some free programs have already filled up. Think past the snow, we'll help you: here are some great summer camps, that are right here in New York City, to consider for you older kid's summer.

3 Super Cool Science Camps I Want to Go To

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A science summer camp is a great way for kids to learn about science from real life experiences, rather than text books. We've found three fantastic science camps that teach kids science through real-life experiences that are so cool I want to go!

Advocates for Children of New York: School Assistance for Families

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When our neighborhood school wouldn’t accept our child with special needs into the second grade because there was supposedly “no space,” we called Advocates for Children of New York. After suffering through weeks of stress and strife on our own, the organization got us in touch with the right people and our son was enrolled into our school of choice within two days.

My son and I are understandably very thankful for Advocates for Children of New York (AFC), which was founded by three activists in 1971 to help disabled, disadvantaged, minority and low-income families access quality education for their children. This unique agency provides all NYC students ages 0 to 26 and their families with free one-on-one guidance and advocacy so they can successfully navigate the jungle that is our city's educational system.

While AFC isn't solely concerned with special needs families, we are one of the communities it serves. So I'm profiling the organization today as part of my series of posts about resources for NYC children with special needs. But remember, it serves all NYC students.

This Week: Summer Camp Guide 2013, Maple Sugaring Day Trips, Purim Carnivals

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I never thought I'd be so happy to see school buses clogging up the streets! Those yellow vehicles were a welcome sight for the NYC families who suffered through the month-long strike. It was a wonderful way to return to school after midwinter break, which was short but filled with fun. Here at Mommy Poppins, we even slowed down a bit so we could spend some quality time with our children. We hope you did too!

But now it's back to business. And since it's February, one of the top things on most parents' to-do lists is figuring out summer camp. We're in the midst of updating and expanding our NYC Summer Camp Guide, and this week we posted about the best new programs set to debut this year. But don't just look at our Camp Guide: Our sister sites also have the scoop on exceptional camps in their areas, including commuter programs. So check out our Summer Camp Guides for Long Island, Connecticut and New Jersey.

Even though February break has come and gone, these final winter weekends are a great time for day trips. Maple sugaring season has arrived and we've got the scoop on the best places to taste the sweet stuff in upstate New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Or consider a visit to the World of Wings in nearby Teaneck, New Jersey, where kids can get up close and personal with butterflies, insects and reptiles, and then hit an indoor bounce house, all in one building!

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

Family Day, Magic Show, Boat Show and More - Things to Do with Kids in and Around Boston 2/23-2/24

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Winter break wraps up this weekend, and with it, a full slate of activities for kids and families in Boston. Many of the special events we highlighted in our February vacation roundup continue through the weekend, including Built to Last at the USS Constitution Museum, Charlestown. If you are planning to visit, be sure to check out Kid-Friendly Places to Eat near the USS Constitution from our newest contributor, Kristin Quinn, author of Misadventures in Mommyhood: The truth & nothing but the truth (So PLEASE Help Me God!). Welcome, Kristin!

And read on for more events taking place this weekend, from Family Day at the Mass College of Art and Design to the final weekend for Boston Children’s Theatre’s Honk! and Wheelock Family Theatre's Oliver. As always, you will find more things to do by checking out our Events Calendar.

Have you seen our Birthday Party Guide recently? With Tara’s newest addition, Boston Birthday Parties for Foodie Kids, we’ve got over 50 suggestions for places to go and things to do to celebrate a kid's birthday in and around Boston.

Enjoy the weekend!

Fun and Unusual Venues in NJ: WOW! World of Wings

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"10,000 Stars!" was the rating my daughter gave WOW: World of Wings. A combination museum, atrium and indoor playspace, WOW is 2 levels of non-stop fun and exploration, and a one of a kind New Jersey kid funtastic experience. We have visited many indoor playspaces in New Jersey, but this is quite different than your average museum; have you ever been allowed to blow giant bubbles indoors or seen cockroaches participating in their own Olympics? If your child is an entomologist or zoologist in training, WOW is the place for you!

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