Kids on Manhattan's West Side just gained a brand-new jungle gym. The playground sprung up earlier this month near the ongoing Hudson Yards redevelopment project, which is transforming a 28-acre section of Midtown West into shiny new high-rise offices, high-end shops, residences, hotels, restaurants and a public school, as well as access to the 7-train extension when completed. The development is expected to create 14 acres of open space, including multiple green spaces. The newly opened neighborhood park, which houses the newest NYC playground, is a city park operated by the Hudson Yards/Hell's Kitchen Alliance.

We've tested out the new playground, which includes a cool canopy for fending off the summer heat, so read on for our review of this new kid-friendly green space and jungle gym.

The Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) is set to embark on a $25 million expansion that will add another building with gallery spaces and a cafe, as well as upgrades like new balcony seating in the Harvey Theater. The former president of the Fort Greene cultural institution and performing arts center told The New York Times the plan is "the last piece of the BAM campus." Construction could begin as soon as this summer, with financing coming from a combination of public and private sources, according to The Wall Street Journal.

In other Brooklyn news, renovations at Prospect Park continue in anticipation of its 150th anniversary in 2016. Six projects are underway by the Prospect Park Alliance, which manages the park, including a restoration of the rose garden and several footpaths such as the one that leads from the zoo to the Zucker Natural Exploration Area (aka, kid play zone), according to DNAinfo.  

The state recently put 62 city schools on notice for low performance–just in time for the new school year to kick off. The schools rank among the worst 5 percent in all of New York, according to a report in Chalkbeat. 

A number of those schools targeted by the state are already a part of the city's "turnaround" program and under state law, the city's top educator, Chancellor Carmen Fariña, has the opportunity to try to improve the schools before setting them up for takeover by a "receiver," or outside education leader or group.

Read more about this and other New York City kid and parent news the Mommy Poppins team has rounded up for you, including a survey showing that 95 percent of parents are actually pretty satisfied with the city's public schools.

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