Weekly Wrap Up: Wild Safari, Kite Festivals, Water Fun at Pier 84

7/21/11 - By Raven Snook

We promise we're not going to obsess on the heat. And we're not going to sing "Hot Hot Hot" or "It's Gettin' Hot in Herre" (sic) like your annoying coworkers. But man, it is boiling in NYC right now... hard to believe just six months ago we were suffering through snow days!

The terrible temperatures didn't dampen our spirits though. We still managed to have some great adventures visiting a Wild Safari, sailing on the Ikea Water Taxi and getting wet at Pier 84 in Hudson River Park.

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

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New York City

We started off the week raving about a soulful new kids' group, Shine & the Moonbeams, that's headlining SummerStage's Queens Family Day this Sunday.

Next, we drove to New Jersey to experience the animal antics at Wild Safari at Six Flags.

After a trip on the Ikea ferry, we explored the megastore and the trendy neighborhood of Red Hook. 

The sweltering heat inspired us to cool down at Hudson River Park's Pier 84, which features all kinds of water play.

After a long hiatus, we decided to bring back our links posts which highlight news of note for New York City families. This edition features a DOE feedback form, mommy bloggers in Kenya and more.

Since kite flying is one of our favorite summer activities, we rounded up kite festivals happening in the city, including two fetes this weekend.

Our best bets for the weekend include the annual New Museum Block Party and Maker Days at the New York Hall of Science.

New Jersey

Across the Hudson, we shared our favorite family-friendly vegetarian and vegan restaurants.

We also spent an awesome day exploring Monmouth Park.

Weekend highlights include the St. Ann’s Festival in Hoboken and the Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Festival in Middletown.

Long Island

Over on the island, we highlighted awesome public pools.

Weekend events include a production of the musical Pinkalicious in Lindenhurst, the Sweet Corn Festival in Mattituck and one of our favorite kids' bands, Recess Monkey, in concert at the Long Island Children’s Museum.

Connecticut

In CT, we braved the walls at the new indoor climbing gym Carabiner's.in the Fairfield Sportsplex.

We also rounded up special needs summer camps.

Things to do this weekend include the Antique and Classic Boat Rendezvous in Mystic and the Valley Railroad Circus Train & Big Top Show in Essex.

Cool Deals

At Poppins Perks, save 50% on an annual family membership to Symphony Space, the go-to Upper West Side culture spot for kids (and adults, too!). 

There's also still time to buy our Hot List book, which offers more than $1,000 in savings on the best summer activities for NYC families. For just $4.95, you'll snag discounts to places like the Bronx Zoo, the New York Botanical Garden, the Art Farm and nearby water parks. Best of all: 100% of the profits will benefit NYC public schools.