Much as we'd like to, we can't keep ignoring Hurricane Irene. (We'd also like to ignore all of our friends who think they're being clever by posting the "Rock You Like a Hurricane" video on Facebook.) Everyone's scrapping their vacation plans for the last weekend of August (my family's dream of heading to the Cape has been killed), and pretty much all of the events we recommended this weekend are already canceled.

While we hope this turns out to be much ado about nothing, chances are your family's going to be spending a lot of time at home this weekend. Right now you're in full prep mode. If you're wondering how best to secure your home, just turn on your local news (avoid the Weather Channel: They are freaking out!) or visit the official website of your town, city or state. New Yorkers can find info on potential flooding zones (there are many, not all along the water), emergency shelters, evacuation notices and more at nyc.gov. Mayor Bloomberg's even going to start shutting down subways and buses come Saturday at noon!

If you're heading out to buy toilet paper and snacks (we doubt even the most intrepid deliver guy will be on the streets on Sunday), think about stocking up on things to do, too. You can't watch TV all weekend (especially if the power goes out). But your family can try doing some fun crafts, cooking some kid-friendly dishes or playing a few cool analog games. And if you end up doing them by candlelight, just pretend it's 1811.

Here are creative ways to keep busy during Hurricane Irene.

UPDATE: As of Friday, all weekend events have been canceled! And subways and buses will start shutting down at noon on Saturday.


An earthquake, a hurricane, what's next? Honestly, the wall-to-wall media coverage of these natural "disasters" (the earthquake, thankfully, turned out to be minor; we fear Irene may not pass as quietly) is really overwhelming. But it is important to be prepared!

Since we think we're going to need to stay inside for a few days, we made sure to get out and about this week. (That photo above of a sand artist in Washington Square Park was from one of our adventures.) We spent a day exploring Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens, tried lots of fun activities along the East River Ferry route and rounded up free and cheap after-school classes. We've also revamped our Classes Guide for the back-to-school season, and we plan to add several new posts in the coming weeks.

We're almost ready to debut our sister sites in Boston, Los Angeles and Orlando. The exact launch date has yet to be determined, but it should be in early September. To make sure you're notified the minute they go live, sign up for the newsletters now.

And that's just a bit of what's going on. Here's what we covered this week on Mommy Poppins in NYC, New Jersey, Long Island and Connecticut. Be safe everyone!

Editor's Note 8/27: Check out the great Hurricane Irene post on our NYC site here-- has great links and stuff to do with kids while you're stuck in the house!   Well, we can all make our fun weekend plans, but just know that there may be an extra visitor hangin’ with us—a little lady named Irene. We hear she has a rather stormy temperament, so let’s all be safe out there. And just in case the hurricane passes us by, there are lots of activities in NJ this weekend, from a 19th century fashion show to a jazz and blues festival to a kids’ bike parade. Have fun! (We hope).

Editor's Update * It's looking like Hurricane Irene is going to take over the weekend so check out this post on our NYC site about what to do with the kids during the hurricane. The following post was published before we knew how much the hurricane would impact our area. Stay safe and be prepared for power outages. Have lots of water and snacks on hand. Let's prepare for the worst and hope for the best! Lots of the activities below are most likely going to be canceled.

While we've been shopping and preparing for back to school we've also been fitting in that last bit of summer fun before Labor Day.   Even if it rains this weekend there's still fun to be had for you and your family. If your child loves history you won't want to miss this battle encampment re-enactment or the tin can lantern making workshop. For reptile lovers check out the rare albino alligator that will be visiting Beardsley Zoo over the weekend. We've also listed museum and festival fun including a Greek Festival and Terryville's 63rd Country Fair. Our best bets for the weekend are below. You can find additional seasonal fun in our Event Calendar.

Be sure to sign up for our weekly newsletter for the inside scoop on fun family activities all over CT. You can follow us on Twitter and Facebook too!

PS Don't miss out on our Silhouette GiveAway from Cut Arts that is taking place right now!

News Update: Please call all venues ahead of time to verify that they are still occurring. There are many cancellations due to Hurricane Irene. Sure, the back to school sales have begun, but summer still reigns, and there is still a lot of kid energy to burn off. If your child is into trains, you won't want to miss the Riverhead Railroad Festival, and we found a museum overnight perfect for any wee pirate. We've also listed some museum and festival fun, from a Scottish celebration to an Annual Seafood Festival. Have a great weekend!

The weekend before Labor Day always makes us a little sad. We think about all the summer fun we've had, and how many things we didn't get to do.

That's why we were going to use this weekend to make up for lost time. But it looks like Hurricane Irene has other ideas. So we'll have to wait until next weekend to enjoy the last blast of summer. We won't be hitting the beach, the Cyclone at Coney Island, a pool, a water playground, Governors Island (the isle will actually be closed this weekend due to the storm) or the High Line Rink this weekend.

Subways and buses will start shutting down at noon on Saturday, so you won't even be able to hit any indoor attractions. Keep these in mind for Labor Day weekend: Three wonderful interactive exhibits close in September: The New York Hall of Science's Circus! Science Under the Big Top, the Children's Museum of Manhattan's Curious George: Let's Get Curious! and Harry Potter: The Exhibition.

UPDATE: Our best bets for the weekend have, as of Friday, all been canceled. Check out our post about things to do at home while you wait out the storm!

We have another great giveaway for Mommy Poppins CT subscribers! Renowned Silhouette Artist Karl Johnson of Cut Arts is coming to CT from the West Coast! Karl will be creating hand cut silhouettes in person at two locations. Enter now to win a $25 hand cut Silhouette Portrait.  Winner can make an appointment at the location of their choice to redeem.  Click on this video to see Karl in action.

Karl is a 3rd generation silhouette artist.  His work has appeared in over 30 national publications including “The O List” in O Magazine, People, In Style, Martha Stewart Wedding, Parents, Elegant Bride, Nickelodeon, People, Country Home, Country Living and many others. 

Everyone else is screaming, "back to school!" But here we are, still in summer vacation mode.

Why not? There are still 16 days until public school starts (including today, of course!) We don't want to let the fun go. And that attitude extends to our news this week which, for the most part, is of the lighter variety.

We've got the scoop on two new American Girl dolls, an awesome discount to Coney Island's Luna Park and the financial woes of Tooth Fairies everywhere. Plus, we have a few serious tidbits, including info on an autism-friendly performance of The Lion King on Broadway.