A short visit to Long Island may be just what the doctor ordered. Fight boring weekday blues with the palatial homes and peaceful bodies of water that will fill your visit to Long Island’s Sands Point Preserve.

Money may not be able to buy you happiness, but it can buy your child a smile and an appreciation of literacy. Commerce Bank’s Kids Summer Reading Program offers your children the chance to start learning money smarts, as well as the opportunity to get $10 for simply picking up a book and reading.

Lemurs and geckos and primates – oh, my! Madagascar at the Bronx Zoo is that venue’s newest exhibit and features characters straight out of the film Madagascar. Best of all, only your children can unearth the hidden clues to find them!

With the U.S. Open coming to town, there’s never been a better time to pick up a racquet and play tennis with your children. Before you sign up for any family tournaments, however, there are a few basic skills every mom and dad can review with their tykes to set the game off in a good way.

If you can’t take a minute to revel in your own shop fest, follow New York Fashion Week online. With schedules, blogs and photo galleries, there’s plenty to see and lots of inspiration to be had.

Drag your little lambs out to Central Park’s Sheep Meadow for some star sightings they’ll never forget. The Amateur Astronomer’s Association and Urban Park Rangers will see to it that each light, sparkle and glimmer during Starfest leaves a permanent imprint on young minds.

Catching a glimpse of the New York City Ballet or the American School of Ballet is always a treat. Watching these professional artists train your children is even better. Finally, seeing this all occur in the gorgeous New York Botanical Garden is truly icing on the cake. All this said, be sure to pencil in time for Ballet among the Blooms this Sunday.