Mary Squillace

RECOMMENDED: Full guide to summer camps in NYC Ranging from helping high-functioning kids with learning disabilities and Asperger's to helping those with more serious differences, these special needs camps allow children to play sports, take field trips and enjoy music activities in environments that work within kids' limitations without limiting their potential.

RECOMMENDED: Full guide to summer camps in NYC Niche-loving children will have no shortage of camp programs to choose from this year—there are more special interest summer camps for kids in New York City than ever before.Mini fashionistas can use their summer break to learn the ins and outs of the fashion industry while future Top Chef contestants can try their hand at making chocolate. Other special interest summer camps for kids include architecture classes, film-making programs and foreign language session.  

RECOMMENDED: Full guide to summer camps in NYC While older kids may head off to a specialized program or sleepway camp for the summer, the city's youngest children also have plenty of summer camp options. Little ones can choose from a wide variety of summer camps for kids including a number of half day programs at city play spaces like Kidville and Apple Seeds. Another favorite: Preschool camps that offer kids the option to play in rooftop sprinklers, participate in field trips and make crafts.

RECOMMENDED: Full guide to summer camps in NYC Middle and high school students who have outgrown finger painting and cheesy games have more mature, challenging summer camp options than ever. At these summer camps for teens, participants can work with their peers to hone their skills in performing arts, science, technology and fashion, or to learn how to become a counselor at a little kids' camp. Looking for a more traditional summer camp? The 92nd Street Y's camps for teens, known as Trailblazers, offer both overnight stints and daytime excursions to amuseument parks and sporting events.

Arguably the king of romantic comedy, director Rob Reiner has brought a wide range of tender pairings to the screen, from a farm boy and a soon-to-be royal (The Princess Bride) to two neurotic, New York thirtysomethings (When Harry Met Sally). In Flipped (opening August 6), Reiner mines new amorous territory: The movie follows the love that blossoms between two tweens—philosophical Juli (Madeline Carroll, 14) and shy Bryce (Callan McAuliffe, 15). Based on Wendeline Van Draanen's young adult novel of the same name and set in late-1950s suburbia, the flick tracks the kids from their first meeting in second grade to the spring of their eighth-grade year. The two stars chatted with Time Out Kids about first crushes and going retro in their roles. Flipped is about young love. Have either of you had a boyfriend or girlfriend?CM I've had a girlfriend. Not anymore, because it's kind of hard to do long distance. MC No. I have three brothers, and they'd torture me if I ever told them I liked a boy. Any relationship advice for your peers?CM I'm not very good at relationships, but my advice is to go for it. MC Callan, does it suck for a boy to be stuck in the "friends zone"? CM I went to an all-boys school, so there haven't been many "friend zone" situations for me yet. The film is set in the 1950s. Do you think your relationship will resonate with kids your age?MC I think it's pretty accurate. It's the same as today. We just have different ways of communicating now.CM And we wear less-a

London-born photographer Nigel Barker’s early career as a model whisked him to spots like Milan and Paris, but for the past 15 years, the former America’s Next Top Model judge has called the West Village, where he lives with his wife Cristen, son Jack, 7, and daughter Jasmine, 4, home. “People think New York is this big city where no one knows each other, but when you live in the Village, it’s the opposite,” he says. “I know the butcher, the baker and all the local coffee shops. It makes New York a very manageable place to live with kids.” Barker found himself working very close to home on his most recent project, The Face, a new supermodel competition reality series on Oxygen (the show premieres on Tuesday, February 12 at 9pm). “We shot the whole thing in Brooklyn, so you have the New York City vista in the background,” he says. Jack and Jasmine even got to spend a day on set, where they raided their dad’s closet, tried on his clothes and took turns sitting in the director’s chair. “They got to boss him around a little bit, too. It was kind of fun,” Cristen says. THEIR FAVORITE... SWEET SPOT“Molly’s Cupcakes (288 Bleecker St between Carmine St and Sixth Ave; 212-414-2253, mollyscupcakes.com) is on our way home from school—we’re there a lot. The kids’ friends gather at the shop and the waitress even knows Jasmine by name. Plus, the cupcakes are so unusual—they’re like ice cream flavors. They have chocolate-chip cookie dough and lemon meringue cupcakes.”  CULTURAL ATTRACTION“W

If your tweens can't make it to one of the city's book clubs, they can join In the Book Loop, a free virtual lit circle on kids' social networking site Everloop. Participants read digital copies of popular tales, like SPHDZ Book #1! by Jon Scieszka, chat with other bookworms and engage in Q & A sessions with authors. Parents: You can rest easy about your child's foray into the digital world. The site has put several security measures in place (privacy protection, real-time moderation) to ensure kids are entering a safe space. Ages 8 to 13.

At these winter break camps, city kids can rock out, make art, take to the stage or learn to cook. Most off all, though, they'll have a blast during this year's holiday recess. RECOMMENDED: ALL WINTER BREAK ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS Art CMA Winter Art ColonyAt Fine Arts Studio, campers study famous artists and learn techniques of drawing and painting, printmaking and sculpture. When they’ve learned the fundamentals of each, they can pick their favorite medium to pursue an independent art project. At the Winter Animation camp, future filmmakers work together to produce a film medley using stop motion animation. The final product will be posted online on the CMA Blog so the young directors can show off their work to friends and family. Dec 26–28 9am–5pm. Children’s Museum of the Arts, 103 Charlton St between Greenwich and Hudson Sts (212-274-0986, cmany.org). $400. Ages 6 to 12. HIART! HOLIDAY ART CAMPIn each of these three winter sessions, kids explore a variety of art forms including manga drawing, sculpture, painting, paper-making, and bookmaking, each introduced by a teaching artist expert. Campers also go on gallery hops to view other artists’ work. The half day for younger campers requires an adult companion, and the full day session includes free lunch. Dec 17—21, Dec 26–28, Jan 2–4 9:30am—noon (ages 3 to 5) or 9:30am–3pm (ages 5 to 15). 227 W 29th St between Seventh and Eighth Aves (212-209-1552, hiartkids.com). Full day $175 per day, $800 full week. Half day $95 per day, $45

In theory, Sunday, May 8—heck, the whole month of May!—should be stress-free for all matriarchs, but we know that's a tall order. Still, Mom deserves something really special, so before you go making brunch reservations, check out these 20 offbeat ways to honor Mama on her big day. (And Mom, if you're the one reading, send this to Dad ASAP!) Get outside FREE Mother's Day Wildflower WalkSun May 8 at 10am. Alley Pond Park Adventure Center, Alley Pond Park State Rte at Cross Island Pkwy, Douglaston, Queens (718-352-4793, nycgovparks.org). Travel: E, F to Union Tpke--Kew Gardens, then take the Q46 to Union Tpke and Winchester Blvd. Relax and take in the scenery as you stroll through the picturesque park grounds. Though you can't pick the flowers (ideally Dad will have already come through on that front), your family can learn all about what's in bloom. Part of NYC Wild Flower Week. All ages. FREE Family Flora WalkSun May 8 10--11am. Prospect Park, meet at 9th St entrance, Prospect Park, Brooklyn (718-965-8951, nycwildflowerweek.org). Subway: Q, Franklin Ave S to Prospect Park; F, G to 15th St--Prospect Park; 2, 3 to Grand Army Plaza. Jaunt through the wilderness of Prospect Park in celebration of NYC Wildflower Week. Kids will get in touch with nature and learn how trees, shrubs and grass are all wildflowers. Ages 4 and up.Azalea Garden PartySun May 8 noon--6pm. New York Botanical Garden, Bronx River Pkwy at Fordham Rd, Bronx (718-817-8700, nybg.org). $20, children 2--12 $8, chil

Kids—and adults—always look forward to Memorial Day. After all, the holiday marks summer's unofficial kickoff. But an extra day of play often means blowing your budget. Well, not this year. We've found tons of things to do on all three days that go beyond block parties and barbecues, and none of them will cost you more than 15 bucks (most are free!).