The circus is coming to town! The circus is coming to town! In a couple of weeks the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus will be coming to Nassau Coliseum (check your Long Island newsletter this week for a chance to win tickets), but you can get a sneak peek this weekend at Long Island Children's Museum. There's also a Purim Carnival this weekend, a Fancy Nancy Mermaid Party, and a family scavenger hunt. Have a great weekend!

For this edition of my monthly special needs posts, I decided to write about ways parents can help their special children make friends. As the song says, "You gotta have friends," but for kids with social disabilities, meeting new pals isn't as easy as saying "hi!" to their peers in the playground.

Since making friends and maintaining healthy relationships can be difficult for children with special needs, parents must often take a unique approach. Thanks to the Internet and a few dedicated relationship therapists, there are many ways special needs families can help their kids socialize in New York City and beyond.

There’s plenty going on this weekend, from free movies at the Museum of Science and maple sugaring tours in Milton, Topsfield and Natick to performances by Karen K and the Jitterbugs and Davey the Clown. Kids can take part in a re-enactment of the Boston Massacre at the Old State House on Saturday, or see a performance of Seussical on Sunday. You’ll also find a new exhibit at the Museum of Natural History - always worth a visit. Read on for more of our picks, and be sure to visit our events calendar for a complete list.

We’ve also rounded up some great resources for families looking for things to do to help others, from lemonade stands and cycling to raise funds, to trail work and DIY projects. Read our post for these great ideas, and please let us know about your family’s volunteer experiences in the comments section. And for an opportunity to talk with representatives from community groups face-to-face, visit The Shops at Prudential Center from 5:30pm - 7:30pm, on April 12 for the 7th Annual Volunteer Expo. You’ll get a chance to learn more about community organizations and the volunteer opportunities they have available.

Enjoy!

March is already in full swing and there's a TON of fun kids events happening throughout New Jersey. You can THINK SPRING while visiting Peter Rabbit, or get your craft on at the Sugarloaf Craft festival, or join thousands of others in Morristown at New Jersey's largest family oriented St. Patrick's Day parade. Read on for all of our picks and remember, you can always find a list of all NJ weekend activities for kids in our Event Calendar. Enjoy "springing ahead" this weekend, NJ!

St Patrick’s Day in CT!

March 17th brings out the Irish in all of us – even in those of who can’t claim even a drop of Irish blood!  There are lots of ways to celebrate the day, but a few of the most traditional (or so my Irish husband tells me) are feasting on corn beef and cabbage, reveling in some Irish music, or enjoying a parade.  Happily, there are lots of places in Fairfield County where you can celebrate St. Patty’s day in one of these traditional ways…as well as in a few less traditional ways.

Welcome to another weekend of awesome NYC activities and (if the forecasters are to be believed) spring-like temperatures. My family may not be able to take advantage of the weather since we're going to back-to-back screenings at the New York International Children's Film Festival, one of our favorite annual events. The fest runs through Sunday, March 25 and tickets are still available for some screenings.

The weekend is jam-packed with multicultural fun. Even though St. Patrick’s Day is next weekend, families can celebrate the holiday a wee bit early at Kids Fleadh. The Purim festivities continue with a shadow puppet show about Queen Esther. Easter's just a month away, so you can brush up on your egg decorating skills at a Ukrainian pysanky workshop. And the French Institute hosts one of its bilingual Family Saturdays.

Other fun on tap includes the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus' Cavalcade of Youth starring variety performers under age 21. Out in Brooklyn, kids can learn all about the Beauty of the Ballet courtesy of the School of American Ballet. And a live version of The Magic School Bus rolls into town in honor of the kid-lit classic's 25th anniversary.

These are just a few of the great things going on this weekend. All of our best bets are below. You can find additional options in our Event Calendar and our Winter Fun Guide.

This edition of our weekly best is chock full of savvy scoops. We pride ourselves on being in the know with the best and coolest activities out there, but even our seasoned editor was surprised by the awesomeness that is the Toyota Symphony for Youth - and you can still catch it this weekend!

No doubt you've been waiting with bated breath as we've been adding installments in our summer camp/ break camp series. Now, for the first time, you can view all the articles in one place, our Los Angeles Camps Guide. It's like having the boxed set - and we add episodes every week!

Having launched our expedition into the world of camps, we next turn our eye toward education. This week begins our series on Co-op Preschools with a look at the best that the Westside has to offer.

And, having established ourselves as your number one resource for fun activities with kids on land, we're now declaring the seas to be our domain as well, as we reel in the best local whale watching.

Finally, in case you've forgotten, we've still got a giveaway running - and Friday is the last day to enter! Keep reading for our favorite picks for the weekend, and to be reminded about our sparkling giveaway!