Mommy Poppins - Get more out of NYC with kids - Uptown

Holiday Windows Itinerary 2009

mommy — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 12:11:09 +0000

Your children's holiday memories won't be about the toys they get under the tree, they're going going to be about the wonderful holiday traditions that your family shared. One of these traditions should be going to see the department store Holiday window displays. These festive holiday windows are a great way to get into the holiday spirit and this simply magical experience is completely free.

Lots of people like to do the Holiday Windows Walk on Christmas Eve, but it's also a great way to walk off your Thanksgiving dinner because it tends to be less crowded when the stores are closed. We've rounded up the best ones for kids (the more traditional displays), plus some other great Holiday stops to visit while you're in the neighborhood.

Holiday Train Shows in New York

mommy — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:47:22 +0000

Visiting the Holiday Train Shows are a favorite activity of Mommy Poppins readers (it's #52 in our list of 100 Things to Do with Your Kids in NYC Before They Grow Up). They usually open for Thanksgiving and are a great thing to do with your kids during the long Thanksgiving weekend through New Years. This year the big news is that CitiGroup has cut its funding for their wonderful holiday trains in their midtown office building. These trains will be sorely missed as it was a great set-up, but there are some new players stepping in to fill the gap.

Here are the best places to see Holiday Train Displays in New York City:

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and Balloon Inflation Viewer's Guide

mommy — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:20:02 +0000

One of the things on our list of 100 things to do with your kids in NY before they grow up is to watch them inflate the giant balloons for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. If you want to go this year, here's some tips for seeing the balloons, plus the best place to find a spot for the actual parade and news about the new parade route:

New York City Kids Columbus Day Weekend Events: Free Fall Fun, Concerts, OpenHouse NY and More

charlotte — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 03:49:45 +0000

This extra-long weekend is even more packed out than usual, with Columbus Day events, harvest and fall events, OpenHouse NewYork events galore. The smallest and tallest members of the family (and even the furry ones, too) can all find something fabulous to do over these three days, and if you’re (unfortunately) not off Monday, there’s plenty going on to make up for that. Grab your favorite hats and boots--especially if you're heading to the last weekend for Governors Island this season--and round up the troops for a fall-tacular weekend.

New York City Kids Weekend Events for September 18-20: Free Fall Festivals, Feasts, Harvests, and Fairs, Books, Chess and More

charlotte — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 21:38:51 +0000

If the chill in the air doesn’t give it away, the abundance of apples, pumpkins, corn and hay sure does: Fall is here. Though we’ve said goodbye to the beach, there’s even more to do outside this season, like playing in pumpkin patches right here in New York City, enjoying fall foods at all the street fairs and festivals, learning how to play chess (OK, not a typical outdoor activity), biking, readings, and celebrating various cultures. Get a taste (literally!) of all that this weekend offers at events like the Irish Fair, San Gennaro feast, Native American Festival, Queens County Fair, Tasty Harvest, Tour de Parc and even more.

New York City Kids Weekend Events for September 11-13: Free Festivals Galore, Hudson Celebrations, Drinks for Mom and More

charlotte — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 20:47:43 +0000

Summer may be over, but the events are not slowing down at all. In fact, it’s almost as if everyone waited for summer vacation to end and planned all these absurdly cool (and mostly free) events for this weekend. From celebrating Henry Hudson’s 400^th anniversary, to county fairs, book festivals, motorcycle shows, films, and more fun on Governor’s Island (and you thought GI was done for the season…) there’s almost too much to do to fit it all into one weekend. Ease everyone's transition back-to-school by picking your favorite events and then heading out—there’s no time to waste!

Don't forget we have more weekend activities in our event calendar and separate round-ups for Long Island and New Jersey on those pages. Or sign up to get our new Long Island and New Jersey newsletters.

Weekend Events for NYC Kids July 24-26: Free Musuems, Festivals and Circus Fun, A Sandcastle Competition, Boat Rides & More

charlotte — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 21:00:38 +0000

If you're in town this weekend you could score free admission to a hip museum and get your and the kids' hands dirty in some art, make instruments, build a kick-butt sand castle in the beaches of NYC, enjoy free boat rides, learn about life in the City pre-Mr. Hudson, hang with some batty creatures, or watch an old-fashioned (and super cheap) circus. And if you are looking to flee, here are our top 30 day-trips to get you started.

We also have weekly listings for Long Island events and New Jersey events on their respective pages (whether you live there or are looking for a day trip). And of course, our event calendar is jammed with even more things to do, and don't forget to enter to win a dinner for 10 in our Summer Activity Guide.

Free Summer Swimming Lessons and 15 Other Free Sports Activities for NYC Kids

mommy — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 01:43:14 +0000

Outdoor sports and free are not necessarily the first words that jump to the mind when thinking about summer in the City. But, it turns out, that just because you live in the concrete jungle doesn't mean your kids can't have a summer filled with great sports activities. And you don't have to be a Hilton to afford them. New York City offers many opportunities for city kids to learn team sports, tennis, swimming, golfing, fishing, kayaking, hiking, camping and more. We've updated this list with 15 of the best programs for kids to enjoy sports this summer:

50 Things to Do with Kids in New York City This Summer (mostly free)

mommy — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:15:44 +0000

I don't know about you, but this summer we've pared back on camps and vacations in an effort not to spend money we don't have. But our loss is your gain because, instead, what we're going to be doing this summer is exploring New York City and all the fun stuff we don't always have time to do during the school year.

To get organized for a full summer of fun NYC style (and 62 scarily empty days), I planned out an activity for just about every single day in July and August, 'cause, as my son would say, "that's what me do."

The following list is not comprehensive. These are the things I'm looking forward to doing this summer. These are the coolest family events coming up this summer, plus some great places I've just been meaning to get to. And most of them are free.

The Hamptons isn't all that, hang with me right here in New York. It's gonna be a blast (and don't forget to check out our Summer Activity Guide for even more great things to do with kids in NYC this summer). I hope to see you there.

50 Things to Do This Summer With Kids in New York City:

Pay for the Day: Best Private New York City Swimming Pools

charlotte — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 09:13:50 +0000

There are plenty of free swimming pools in NYC, but if the idea of putting your kids in a public pool makes your skin crawl, then you need another option. Ideally, you have wisely cultivated a friend with access to a free pool in their building, but for those of us who are mooch-challenged, don't worry. It's not commonly known, but there are plenty of private pools in New York that you can pay to swim in just for one day, or even have a moderate membership fee.

You can check the websites of each swimming pool for their varying hours, which change by season, but I strongly recommend that you call before you go because many of them close randomly for events or may have changed their policy.