The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum is getting ready to boldly go where no American has gone before! Imported from the Canada Aviation and Space Museum and opening Saturday, July 9, Star Trek: The Starfleet Academy Experience is a 12,000-square-foot, interactive installation where fans of all ages can immerse themselves in the sci-fi franchise's universe by "training" for various on-ship jobs. By completing fun tasks and taking brief quizzes at themed stations, find out whether you're best suited for a career in Communications, Medical, Science, Engineering, Navigation, Tactical, or Command, all while tracking your progress on a high-tech wristband that sends your results to your email.

For Trekkies, missing this exhibit would be "illogical" as Spock loves to say. But will casual viewers and little kids think it's out of this world, too? Find out whether your little space cadets are ready to join up, and tips for making the most of your voyage!

And don't forget to check out the NYC Museum Guide for all the latest kid-friendly exhibits.

Although The BFG isn't as well known as some of Roald Dahl's other books (like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Matilda), it definitely has its share of rabid fans. If your family is among them, you'll be happy to hear that Steven Spielberg is quite faithful to the source material in Disney's new CGI/live-action hybrid, The BFG—though some of the Dahl darkness has been replaced by the director's signature wide-eyed wonder. Even so, for parents of younger children the question is, just how terrifying are those tot-eating giants? We've got the answer (and a photo in case you want to see how your preschoolers react), plus the scoop on whether it's worth splurging for IMAX 3D.

Ever since I read The Atlantic's article about "adventure playgrounds" a few years back, I've been obsessed with bringing my now-ten-year-old daughter to one. Like many school-age children, she lost interest in slides, swings, and climbing structures around the third grade, but kids won't find any equipment like that in the just-opened play:groundNYC on Governors Island. In fact, they won't find any traditional play equipment at all! But they will discover enticing piles of junk (wooden planks, old tires, broken treadmills and strollers, crutches, even a toilet seat) and tools (saws, hammers, and nails) that they can do anything they want with—the only limitation is their imagination. Perhaps the best part (at least from a child's perspective): No parents are allowed.

Freaked out yet? Don't be. The founders of this amazing, 15,000-square-foot, FREE outdoor creative space are mostly NYC parents with young children, and they've put a lot of thought, time, and money into it. And it's FREE to play, of course!