Summer may be the best time to have a preschooler in New York City. Yes, the days are longer, but there is so much to do! From free concerts and festivals to swimming, sand-sculpting, and star-gazing, not a week goes by without outings and activities that will truly make lasting summer memories.

With this list of our best picks for summer events with your preschooler, you’ll find yourself wanting to stay in town to take advantage of it all. Best of all? It's almost all FREE.

Check out our Summer Fun Guide for NYC Kids for more to do for every age in every borough.

If you like watching movies under the stars—for free!—as much as we do, you're in luck: New Jersey will be showing hundreds of free films in parks and on beaches throughout the state this summer. Pack your chairs and blankets, put the kids in their PJs, and get there early to snag a good spot. Depending on the venue, you can either pack your own snacks or buy them onsite. And some events include pre-show activities such as dance parties, games, and meet-and-greets with movie characters. Don't forget the bug spray!

Scroll to the bottom of the list to find a few free (and practically free) indoor flicks—many of them shown in the morning—for those days when you just want to cool off in a nice, dark theater.

For more summer awesomeness, check out our Summer Fun Guide.

Every child deserves access to quality health care. But in New York State alone, there are over 100,000 uninsured children. Scary, right? Meanwhile, there's actually an affordable, quality insurance plan that's been available to kids under the age of 19 for over a decade—but many parents don't even realize it's an option.

Still looking for the perfect summer getaway? To us, a vacation that combines family fun with opportunities for grown-up-only time can't be beat, but a lot of hotels and resorts seem to specialize in one type of experience or the other. So we did some digging to find regional hotels that are best for parents looking to spend quality time with their kids—and each other.

I've been to Boothe Memorial Park in Stratford a few times, and only one word comes to mind to explain it: quirky.  If you're interested in Americana, it's here. Architecture, here.  Railroads, here.  Genealogy?  Yep, it's here.  There's even an observatory on the grounds.  Oh, and a chicken house.  And a HAM radio club.  I'll stop there for now.  And while the 32-acre property is inundated with curiosity-filled buildings, there is also LOTS of room for young ones to roam.  Massive grassy hills shaded by 100-year-old oaks practically beg for someone to roll down them. 

There are lots of blockbusters to catch in the theater this summer—and some pretty cool places in the area to watch them—but if you’re looking for something different to do with the family, why not check out an outdoor movie this summer instead? Westchester has no shortage of free or inexpensive screenings happening all over the County throughout June, July and August.

So, whether you want to introduce your kids to a classic from when you were growing up (Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, anyone?) or indulge their inner Moana (it’s showing five separate times!), we’ve got the lineup below. 

Looking for outdoor concerts? We've got you covered, and don't forget to consult our complete Summer Activity Guide and Event Calendar. 

Many children are naturally drawn to art, always interested in exploring with color and texture. Art is interesting, educational, creative, and usually, the messier a project, the more fun it is. If your kids are visual or sculpture aficionados and ready to delve into a class, here's a list of options we found for families in Eastern Connecticut.  For even more after school fun, check out our Classes and Actvities Guide.

The Noah's Ark Pool in the Quillian Center (a facility operated by First Methodist Houston) is the perfect combination of a pool and splash pad with shallow water for toddlers to easily stand in, as well as several slides and many water features. You see, my son loves the water. He will let waves crash over him with reckless abandon at the beach, he lives for days spent in the backyard at his water table and he's out the door and running to the splash pad before the car is even fully in park. What he does not love, however, is swimming in pools where he can't touch the bottom.  All of this means we spend a lot of time at splash pads, because he's able to experience a healthy dose of water play without worrying about if he can touch the bottom or not, and it's why we love going to Noah's Ark.