With temperatures climbing into the 70s and 80s, we're all about cooling off. This Memorial Day weekend, local beaches and beach clubs open for the season, and given the forecast we suspect playgrounds may turn on their fancy water features.

We've also got some fantastic summer camp deals, and an invitation to an exclusive advance screening of the family flick Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer.

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

They say nothing is certain but death and taxes, but they forgot one: birthdays. Every year they come, whether you celebrate them or not. Of course, kids live for their birthdays (my daughter's been counting down the days until she turns six since the day she turned five!), and that kind of excitement and anticipation can put a lot of pressure on parents.

But there's no reason to stress. We've got the scoop on how to throw a memorable party, whether you're a DIYer who hosts every bash at home, or the kind of parent who prefers to pay someone else to do all the work.

After years of writing about parties, we've compiled our favorite posts onto one page. Plus we've added a super-cool Party Planner tool, which allows you to search for venues and entertainers by theme.

Read on for a sampling of what you'll find in our new-and-improved New York City Kids' Birthday Party Ideas Guide.

There's a ton of theater in this town for little kids (especially girls). From Angelina Ballerina to Pinkalicious to Freckleface Strawberry, sometimes I think every pink-clad kit-lit heroine has had a musical made in her honor. But once your elementary schooler graduates to middle school, there aren't a lot of options, unless you're willing to spring for Blue Man or Broadway.

That's why I was so excited when I heard that the New Victory was bringing back one of its signature shows, Peter and Wendy, which played at the theater in 1997 and 2002. Based on J. M. Barrie's novelization of his Peter Plan play, Peter and Wendy is a much more melancholy take on the famous story. The suggested age is 10 and up, and that makes sense. With a deliberately slow pace (the production clocks in around two and a half hours), abstract puppetry (a pair of nightshirts represent Wendy's brothers, John and Michael) and a wistful tone, this tale of a motherless boy who won't grow up is best appreciated by those who have—or are about to—grow up themselves.

I have my criticisms of the production: The treacly Irish music sounded like the soundtrack to Titanic, and the Peter puppet was way more creepy than cute. But overall, it's a haunting, one-of-a-kind experience. Here are eight reasons why you should take your family (or, if your kids are too young, consider it for date night).