Free & Fun Things to Do this Weekend for NYC Kids: Hanukkah Festivals, Christmas Celebrations, Dan Zanes December 8-9

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The holiday season is in full swing in NYC and many of our favorite annual seasonal celebrations take place this weekend. See Santa get rescued by some of New York's Bravest at the New York City Fire Museum. Hear a no-cost concert of Christmas carols tooted out at Tuba Christmas. And celebrate Hanukkah with giant menorah lightings in Central and Prospect Parks, and at The Jewish Museum with candles, candy and songs by Yosi and the Superdads.

Other fun on tap this weekend includes a concert by Dan Zanes and Friends, holiday storytime with Mommy Poppins founder Anna Fader at the Children's Museum of Manhattan and the Guggenheim's annual production of Peter and the Wolf.

Those are just a few of the great things going on this weekend. Read on for all of our picks. You can find additional options in our Event Calendar and our Holiday Fun Guide.

It's Circus Season: Enjoy Circus Oz, Big Apple Circus, Circo Comedia and Other Circus Fun Over the Holidays

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Usually we write our yearly circus post in the spring when Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus barrel into town for their annual extravaganza. But this holiday season, there are not one, not two, not three, not four, but five circus shows playing New York City over the holidays, plus a circus-themed exhibit and Cirque du Soleil holiday windows inspired by the troupe's soon-to-open 3D movie.

So if you want to run away with the circus you certainly don't need to go far. Here's where to get your big-top fix in NYC this December plus details on two big circus spectacles debuting in 2013.

Mostly Free & Fun Things To Do With NJ Kids This Weekend Dec 8-9: Santa Train Ride, Hanukkah Wonderland, Teddy Bear Tea & More!

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The holiday countdown is on so you’re bound to see twinkling lights, holly and the Big Red Man everywhere you go. Time to check out the Santa Claus Train Ride, Santa Fly-In Celebration or Hudson Ballet’s Nutcracker! And the first night of Hanukkah is this Saturday, so get in the spirit with Hooray for Hanukkah crafts at the Garden State Museum or the Hanukkah Winter Wonderland at Imagine That! Read on for our top picks and remember you can find a listing of all NJ activities in our Event Calendar.

New Toy Stores in Manhattan and Brooklyn 2012

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Our NYC Shopping Local Gift Guide is chock-full of great places to find cool kids' items, from seasonal pop-up shops to holiday markets to year-round family favorites. But in addition to hitting your usual go-to shops, why not try something new?

We've found seven new toy stores that opened in Manhattan and Brooklyn over the past year, many specializing in handcrafted, eco-friendly playthings that you won't find in the big chains. Bonus: Some of these shops also offer classes, sing-alongs and special events for kids, so you may find yourself hitting these spots long after the holidays are over.

New Bronx Ice Rink: Our Trip to the Van Cortlandt Park Ice Skating Rink

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Sadly, the Van Cortlandt Ice Skating Rink won't open for the 2014-2015 season. Every year it seems like we hear about a new outdoor ice skating rink opening for the season in NYC. But the brand-new rink in Van Cortlandt Park is really notable since it's the only place to ice-skate in the entire Bronx!

As a proud Bronx mama, I was particularly excited to check out the rink with my family last weekend. Even though we're not that great on the ice, it was a thrill to glide (and stumble and fall) in our home borough.

Inexpensive Date Night Childcare

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Finding affordable and reliable childcare can be an enormous challenge, but there are many options around Long Island.  Below are several well-known locations that offer drop-off options, so that your child can enjoy "date night" as much as you do!  School districts or libraries sometimes also offer these services, so be sure to look there as well.

ALL ABOARD with Bill Probert & Friends III -- Stamford Museum & Nature Center

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The age of Legos is just dawning in our house (2 and 4 year-old boys), and trains are already a mainstay, so the Stamford Museum and Nature Center's latest exhibit seemed to be on the PERFECT track for us.  Its  title, 'ALL ABOARD with Bill Probert & Friends III' is a bit of a mouthful, but it's also an eyeful -- of what the imagination and an unknown amount of time can do.  We're talking a miniature city block -- made of Legos ... and that's just the beginning.  Unfortunately, the exhibit will leave you impressed and wanting at the same time.  There is nothing interactive about it ... but Mommy Poppins is going to fix that for you with a tip or two on how to make this worth the trip and admission price.

3DEA: Print Out Your Own Simple Designs at this Awesome 3D Printing Pop-Up Gallery

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Yesterday we posted about 10 great pop-up shops where you can purchase offbeat holiday gifts this season. But at the 3DEA pop-up gallery, which just opened last week, you don't buy products, you see how easy it is to design and then print out your own creations using 3D modeling software and 3D printers.

Sound like something out of a sci-fi flick? Well it's not. I first heard about 3D printers at Maker Faire and initially I had a hard time wrapping my brain around the concept. But then I watched a 3D printer literally print out a pair of earrings, and it all made sense. At 3DEA, which is open through Sunday, January 13, you can check out a wide variety of products made via 3D printers (jewelry, clothing, accessories, toys, even furniture), play with 3D modeling software, print out simple 3D objects and even take classes with pros in the field to learn how this phenomenon may transform the retail industry. And guess who seems to take to this new technology best? Why kids of course.

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