Staten Island

The bankers and the artists may get all the press, but NYC is a great city for science too. There are many wondrous places in New York where kids can soak up, explore and create scientific knowledge for themselves. From Science Museums, Programs, Shops and more, we've rounded up the best places for kids to get scientific in New York City. Read more »

Don't miss out on taking advantage of all the great museums NYC has to offer just because the admissions are higher than a skyscraper. Our guide to NYC museum free times will give you the inside scoop of when to visit your favorite museums or try out a new one with our listings of free museum hours in New York City.

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Fall has arrived and it's time to get yourself some pumpkins! Check out our posts on the best pumpkin picking and apple picking in the area if you want to head out of town. Or, you can stock up on pumpkins and fall fun right here in NYC with the top picks of this weekend's local pumpkin events. Plus, did you know that there are lots of free kids cooking classes available this weekend? Keep reading for the full scoop... Read more »

Photo courtesy of Lefferts Historic House

Did you know that you don't need to head out of town to go apple picking or watch honey bees?  Want to find out where you can see top Broadway stars dance and sing without dropping a dime?  There is so much going on all over the city this weekend I decided to do a best of the boroughs so you can explore the best of your neck of the woods.

Brooklyn - Harvest apples right here in Prospect Park, just as Brooklynites did years ago when nearly every farm in old Flatbush had apple trees. Read more »

Whether you want to preserve your heritage, develop your child's brain, or prepare them for the eventual Chinese world dominance, there are many foreign language playgroups in New York City, ready to help you out. Studies show that even brief, regular exposure to a foreign language at a young age can help your child's ability to pick up languages later in life as well as developing their ability think abstractly and to focus.

Here are some foreign language playgroups to try out: Read more »

Just yesterday my two year old said "Mom, I really like your dress, where did you get it?" The kid talks up a storm and I am convinced that it's because we did baby signs with her from a very young age. There is no question that kids can communicate before they can speak and if you are consistent with baby signs you will be amazed.  Plus, in addition to being a great party trick it is pretty amazing when your baby shows you that they see the moon or hear the ice cream truck.

Keep reading to find out where to take sign language classes with your baby, check out a free trial class and get the special Mommy Poppins discount. Read more »

Lots going on this weekend but be warned, it's going to be a hot one so if all you can deal with is staying in air conditioning or being in water check out our Summer Fun Guide for info on places to hop in the water and cool off.

For air-conditioned events, top picks are the Foot and Fiddle Dance Company at the Museum of the New City on Saturday where you can catch a lively dance program that demonstrates how waves of Irish immigration have influenced American dance, FREE with admission. And Summer Sundays at the Gugenheim which includes tours, drawing and children's lterature, $15 per family.

And now for a line-up of the best FREE outdoor events this weekend: Read more »

Today is the first day of the Prospect Park fishing contest, but that's only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to free sports activities in New York parks for kids.

The NYC Parks Department offers some really amazing sports programs that are (even more amazingly) FREE. NYC kids can do all sorts of sports from learning to swing a golf club or to play tennis to going fishing, paddling a canoe or even sleeping out under the stars—all for the sweet price of FREE. Your next thought is that these programs filled up in February, right? Not so, many of these programs require little if any advance registration and have gotten great reviews from our reader parents. We'll tell you all about the City Parks Foundation's and Urban Ranger's activities and how your city kids can be part of these free sports programs in the city parks this summer. Read more »

Photos by Leslie Day

All summer long, New York City is filled with beautiful flowers and gorgeous scents. Mommy Poppins' resident naturalist Leslie Day has put together this guide of local wild flowers for you to look for as your explore your streets and parks and some background science so you can turn a walk in the park into a teachable moment.

Linden Tree Flowers (above)
Everywhere you go on the Upper West Side and on streets that have these lovely trees throughout the five boroughs, you smell the heavenly scent of linden tree flowers. Show your children the leafy bracts that each flower cluster is attached to. When the flowers produce seeds, these modified leaves carry the seed clusters to the ground like little helicopters. At night, when you emerge from the subway, you are greeted with this heady perfume. Follow your nose!

The great thing about New York City's outdoor festivals is that everyone can enjoy them. If it's kids music, at least the grown ups can enjoy being outdoors on a lovely day or evening, relaxing. And, generally kids will put up with an outdoor concert or performance if they can run around, dance, play and picnic while you enjoy a little grown up entertainment for once.

The following (mostly) free outdoor festivals are not specifically children's festivals, but they, for the most part, each have at least one kids performance and otherwise offer great performances in great outdoor environments around NYC, making a fun day or evening out with the kids either way. Read more »