(Photo courtesy Long Island Live Steamers)

All aboard! Long Island is a great place for little train lovers. You can learn about the Long Island Railroad Theodore Roosevelt road into Manhattan, at the Oyster Bay Rail Road Museum's preview center and how the Viriginia Railway changed America's landscape at the All Aboard! exhibit at Planting Fields Arboretum. Long Island Live Steamers welcomes families to ride the steam, diesel, and electric trains at Southaven County Park on the second and last Sunday of each month beginning May 19th. Families can also ride the World's Fair Long Island Railroad Park Train at the Railroad Museum of Long Island's Riverhead location. At the Wantagh Museum you can tour the Jamaica Railroad Car, the Wantagh Station, which has been restored to its 1904 appearance and the original Wantagh Post Office.  Most of these locations are accessible by train, so why not climb aboard the good ol' LIRR and experience Long Island trains both past and present. The LIRR offers a family fare on weekends which allows up to 4 children to ride for 75 cents when accompanied by a fare-paying adult. Children under 5 always ride free.

This weekend, head on over to the EMCON3 Anime Festival at the East Meadow Public Library in East Meadow where you'll enjoy game board demonstrations, anime screenings and workshops, lectures, and more.  It's the opening weekend of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at Theatre Three in Port Jefferson, a musical tale about quirky competitors and oddball adults in the championship of a lifetime.  The Long Island Fleece & Fiber Fair is taking place at Hallockville Museum Farm in Riverhead, where you'll see demonstrations including sheep herding, sheep and llama shearing, yarn spinning, dyeing, weaving, and more.  Family Fun Day is taking place at Camp Jacobson at Robin Hood in Old Westbury, where you can check out the School of Rock, plant seeds at the Shavuot Planting Day, and shoot hoops at the basketball clinic.  Also on tap: The Pet Fest & Doggie Treat Bake-Off at the Garden of Eve Organic Farm & Market in Riverhead, and the Wildlife Baby Shower at Sweet Briar Nature Center in Smithtown.  As always, check out our events calendar every day for fun activities for the family!  Long Island is home to many beautiful parks so please be sure to check out our articles on Suffolk County Parks and Nassau County Parks.  If you are a new mom who is looking to get back into shape, please be sure to check out our article on Fit4Mom in Nassau and Suffolk Counties.

As all moms know, from the moment you were handed that tiny bundle of preciousness, your life has been completely transformed. Never before had you felt this sleep deprived nor had you considered a morning shower a rare gift.  As desperately as you may want that old body back, squeezing in a workout is oftentimes as difficult as squeezing into your pre-pregnancy jeans. That's why we have to hand it to the creators of Fit4Mom. What an ingenious idea--baby gets some fun interaction and mom gets a great workout while meeting other new moms. Additionally, the organization offers a variety of classes for all stages of motherhood and levels of fitness. So while life may seem all about the kids these days, mom's this post is for you!