Last Spring the lovely people at Universal Studios Orlando invited us to visit their park in Florida for a VIP tour. It's not something I might have sprung for normally, but after having the most amazing theme park experience ever, I am completely sold that this is now the only way to ever see a theme park. And after doing a little frugal mommy math, I think I can even justify it as paying for itself.

So here's the deal with the Universal Studios VIP tour. I haven't been on any Disney World or any other theme park VIP tours so I don't know if they are all the same, but basically it works like this: You meet your guide and he chats with you about what kind of stuff you want to do. Then he takes you through the park, completely picking out the itinerary so you don't have to think about it at all. But the most amazing thing about the VIP tour is you cut every line (except like two rides that are too popular to let people cut without instigating a vengeful mob scene.) and move through the park at lightning speed, which not only is super cool and fun, but takes all the stress out of visiting a theme park, eliminates fights between siblings about where to go next, and completely eliminated my own exhaustion and fatigue.

Some people think life is just one big party. If you are one of these un-serious people who's always looking to have "fun" and likes to be "cheerful" and "happy" then perhaps you would also enjoy going to a cheerful, happy party that was "free." Thanks to Moey, the New York City musician who is perhaps responsible for more cheerful happy, partiness than any self-respecting grown-up should be, there's going to be lots of free cheerful happy partying going around in New York this month. So grab your toddlers and preschoolers and go, but be sure to talk sternly to them afterward so they don't get the wrong idea about life.

Moey's going to be partying at these New York Public Library Branches:

This weekend is jam-packed with fun Chinese New Year Activities. Find the best ones in our previous Lunar New Year activities round-up. In our Free Friday round-up today we've got the best activities for this weekend, mostly free, including a couple new Chinese New Year events, a real PowWow, budding architects can learn about sustainable design, and a new series at the Museum of Natural History that will get your little scientists excited. Have fun!

Earlier this week, I wrote about the Alexander Calder exhibit at the Whitney, But there are a couple of other grown up art exhibits going on that are interesting for kids too. Installations that will puzzle and charm, let kids physically interact with the work and art works that are made from everyday objects that children will recognize, bring art to life for kids, engaging their imaginations, inspiring their creativity and remind you why you're in New York again. Check out these exhibits at MoMA, P.S. 1 and The Museum of Art and Design.

As a grown up I don't pay nearly as much attention to the asphalt as I used to when I was a kid. As a kid growing up in Manhattan, the asphalt was like an entire eco-system, full of magical discoveries waiting to be made and questions to be solved. Like seeing a dime completely embedded into the street, oil slicks from leaking cars that created beautiful rainbows or, when it would rain, gutter streams that we would sail trash down (ah, the bucolic 70s in NYC).

One thing that always fascinated me was when you would happen upon a railroad spike sticking out of the street. My mother explained to me about how they were from old trolley lines that had been paved over and then the movement of the earth forces them back up through the pavement.  Really? This whole idea rocked my world because obviously the pavement is the ground and solid and there can't be anything under there, especially not stuff that can move and come up through the solid ground. If history can just push itself back up into the present, what else is under there waiting to turn up?

[UPDATED: July 18, 2012]

Figuring out the right summer camp for your kid can be puzzling, but if you have a child with special needs, the issue becomes even more complicated. Special needs children benefit from the experiences of camps, just like any other children, but what can your child handle? What can the camps handle? What is available and what's right for your kid?

Luckily, Resources for Children with Special Needs has a camp fair just for families of special needs children. Whether your child is autistic, learning or physically disabled, the Special Camp Fair provides information and resources to help parents find the right camp for their child or teenager. This is a great way to find out about the many programs that are available and things your child can do that maybe you never thought they would be able to.

The days seem like they’re slowly getting longer, which means that Winter will be behind us sooner than we know.  One thing I love about living in New York is that you experience each season.  Like it or not, you must leave the house and be in the world at least a little bit on most days.  Sometimes, it’s just to shovel the walk.  Hang on!  What’s that?  You can get your Robot to shovel it for you now?  Not only that, but also he’s shoveling it while you’re playing with your Obama Action Figure, attending a virtual baby shower and nursing your cold with free products from Sephora?A tool to help your kids sleep in? And find out what Brooklyn parents are all abuzz about. Do tell, after the jump!

There are some great exhibits at the "real" art museums that are fun enough that you shouldn't have to drag your kids to, or through. This is the first in a series of posts about some of current art exhibits recommended for kids in New York City.  

You've probably already heard about the Calder Exhibit at the Whitney. It's been promoted a lot. People love Calder's Circus, which is a miniature reproduction of an actual circus, made from wire, cork, wood, cloth and other household objects. Calder would perform the circus for people as his "day job" and the exhibit has videos showing how he performed it, bringing it to life for kids.

One of the things that I love about the Alexander Calder story is something I learned about him on a PBS American Masters program. Apparently, when he was a child, all Calder wanted to do was play with wire. He loved to make little toys and things with scraps of wire and his mother completely indulged this. I love this story because as a parent, we all know that child who refuses to do what they are supposed to do and is obsessed with one seemingly useless endeavor. How aggravating it is to try to bend children to our will and get them to conform to the requirements of society. I love the idea that there is value in the play of children and their obsessions and that, let to flower and grow, we may all be surprised by what comes out of them.

Why kids will like Calder: The Paris Years