One of the coolest things about living and raising children in New York City is that you can experience so many different cultures up close and first hand without ever really leaving home.  This month Carnegie Hall kicks off a huge two part, city-wide festival celebrating the art of Japan, JapanNYC.  The whole thing starts this week and will be taking the city by storm with 65 different events in 22 venues around town, featuring the best of Japan’s art and culture in the form of orchestras, films, visual arts, drumming, Noh theater and pop art.  Read on to find out our family friendly picks for the festival.

Lots of festive stuff to get you into the holiday spirit this weekend: Santa sightings, special live holiday performances like the Pushcart Players version of Peter and The Wolf or The Yorkville Nutcracker. Brave the cold and experience some fun at one of the city’s zoos as they celebrate the holidays, visit a dazzling Christmas Tree, do the department store windows walk or check out these merry and bright homes decked out for the holidays. Tons more holiday merriment can be found in the Mommy Poppins Holiday Activity Guide.

You can check a few to-dos off your list this weekend. Gifts, by hitting Wave Hill’s holiday gift making workshops, shopping, a Holiday Craft Fair, Holiday Market or the new Disney Store; tree, buy one in town or chop one down on Long Island or New Jersey.  Our best bets for the weekend are below, so read on or visit the Mommy Poppins Events Calendar for more ideas on how to spend your weekend.

Have a great weekend.

It really is the most wonderful time of the year, and New Jersey has many wonderful events to prove it. Pick from an underwater Santa, a gift wrap workshop, puppet shows and carriage rides or a Kwanzaa fest. Ho ho ho and all that good stuff to you!

For more holiday events, see our Holiday Guide.

December is the time to sit on Santa's lap, sing Christmas carols, and eat way too many holiday cookies! If you're looking for a fun way to get in the holiday spirit, plan a cookie crawl. Throughout the city, bakeries are making beautiful cookies that look as good as they taste. To get you started, here are festive treats from seven of the city's sweetest spots. 

And for more sweet ideas, see our Holiday Guide.

There is just something about Tchaikovsky's Sugar Plum Dance that makes you want to bake Christmas cookies, break out the holiday lights, and sip hot cocoa on the living room couch.  Seeing a performance of the Nutcracker is a holiday tradition that we honor every year.  We have found six spectacular kid-friendly performances of the Nutcracker for your family, ranging from grand and impressive to tot-friendly...

And for more cool holiday outings, check out our Holiday Guide.

If your kids love Pixar movies or beg to play dress up all day, it's time to plan a trip to the new Disney store in Times Square. With merchandise lining every inch of the place, it'll be hard to leave without buying something, but at least it's cheaper than a trip to Orlando. And the added bonus, it's super impressive. Read on to see photos and find out why your kid will be wowed.

This is the time of the year when we adults have to/want to create magic for the children in our lives. It is hard to decide where to put the most effort when there really is so much to do and lots going on.  In addition to all the shopping, baking and decorating it takes to create this “magic” there are also lots of fun seasonal events in New York City that make you want to just chuck all that magic making and go have some fun.  This weekend there are bright Hanukah events, Winter Fest at the Central Park Zoo and Winter Family Day at the Morgan Library & Museum to choose from or pick from one of the other many activities listed in The Mommy Poppins Holiday Activity Guide. Our guide covers everything from where to get the best photos for your holiday cards to what to do with your Christmas Tree when the holidays are over.  

This is the first weekend of December and many of the city’s museums offer free admission during designated times over the weekend. (The Children’s’ Museum of Manhattan, The Queens Museum and The Brooklyn Museum are just some of the many that will let you in for free). Our picks for the weekend are below and don’t forget to check out the Mommy Poppins Event Calendar for more ideas on how to spend your weekend.

Have a happy Hanukkah and a great weekend.

Whatever it takes to get you in the holiday spirit, it is going on this weekend in NJ. There is breakfast with Santa on Battleship NJ and underwater at the Adventure Aquarium.  There are Gingerbread House making events, Holiday Festivals at Stirling Stables, a Chanukah Extravaganza, and even Family Art Day at the Montclair Museum.

And if you are looking for more holiday fun, check out our Holiday Guide.