Anna Fader

Founder & CEO of Mommy Poppins
Anna was born in Park Slope, spent her early years in the West Village. By the time she graduated high school, she had lived in 4 of the 5 boroughs. Growing up in NYC in the '70s meant the streets were her playgrounds. Museums and avant garde music venues were the kid-friendly activities. And living downtown taught her the importance of creating community for families in NYC.

Now, raising her own two children in the city, she tries to create the same sense of magic and community she felt growing up, despite today's more commercialized version of kid-friendly New York.

She started Mommy Poppins in 2007 to share a more artsy, educational, uncommercial, community-oriented vision of raising kids in New York City. Today Mommy Poppins is relied on by millions of families as the authority on the best things to do with kids beyond New York City: from Boston to Philly, Los Angeles, Houston and travel guides for dozens more cities and destinations.

Latest posts by Anna

Welcome Houston and More Exciting Mommy Poppins News

Submitted by Anna Fader on Sun, 10/02/2016 - 11:44am

I’m thrilled to announce that Mommy Poppins is now in Houston! Our local Houston moms have been running all over town to get the inside scoop on the best attractions and activity ideas and share their tips with you. Already the Houston site has loads of information from 24 fun family fest in October to Houston restaurants where kids eat free, 25 splash pads for keeping cool, great advice for finding a local nanny, and so much more. And we’re already starting to load up our family event calendar and local business directories, too.

Newsletter subscribers will get our first weekly email with the top weekend activities this Thursday. If you’re not signed up, sign up now and tell your friends! Don’t forget to like Mommy Poppins Houston on Facebook, too, and make our page a favorite so you don’t miss out on the latest news, highlights, and giveaways.

We’re so excited about our new Houston community, but that’s not all we’ve had in the works. Those of you who are long-time readers know that we totally revamped our website in February. Boy, was that a lot of work! Since our launch we’ve continued to develop more improvements to make it easier to find what you are looking for in the vast amount of information we have. Apparently, it’s not that easy to build a website when you have over 20,000 articles, 5000 listings, and 450 guides to manage! I thought this might be a good time to quickly run through some of those changes that you might not have noticed yet.

Funny Shows for a Girls’ Night Out in NYC This Fall

Submitted by Anna Fader on Mon, 09/12/2016 - 10:30am

You made it through the summer. The kids are back in school. Now for a little me time. And I don’t mean just sitting quietly reveling in being alone for the first time in months (although that’s awesome too). It’s time to go out with some friends and laugh your patooties off together. Hey, maybe even have dinner and adult beverages!

So gather your girl crew, ditch the mini-mes, and head out for a night of fun. We picked out a few Off-Broadway shows that won’t break your budget (one is only $5!), but will give you plenty of giggles. You deserve this!

Things To Do in Silicon Valley: A Kid’s Guide to Tech and Science Fun

Submitted by Anna Fader on Sat, 08/27/2016 - 9:55am

“What would you do with kids in Silicon Valley?,” people asked me when they heard we were planning on spending a few weeks there this summer. Sure, the nerd capitol of America doesn’t sound that thrilling at first. But just as we have to thank the geeks and nerds for bringing us great stuff like the smart phone, the internet and Pokemon Go!, having all those squares concentrated in one place means San Jose, Palo Alto, and the surrounding towns are jam-packed with some pretty awesome stuff for those of us who appreciate the geekier side of life.

Whether your family members are true technology buffs or just love a good science museum, there’s loads of fun from Santa Cruz to Palo Alto to get your geek on. Here are the top things to do in Silicon Valley for science and technology-loving kids:

Blue Waters Antigua: A Luxury Spot for Family Vacations

Submitted by Anna Fader on Tue, 08/16/2016 - 11:00am

Blue Waters Resort and Spa in Antigua is not your everyday vacation destination. This luxury spot is perfect for that special-occasion getaway, especially a multigenerational family vacation. With villas that can be configured for 1-6 bedrooms and a staff that makes sure everything goes smoothly, families can plan a truly get-away-from-it-all trip, including all the logistics and interests of a big-family vacation, and feel confident it will be a hit.

Antigua is known for its laid-back and friendly people, bright blue waters and 365 sandy beaches. Blue Waters Resort offers all that, with luxury suites, and service to boot. The staff is as friendly as it gets and bends over backward to make sure you are happy.

Neil deGrasse Tyson Vets the Science of Ice Age: Collision Course

Submitted by Anna Fader on Fri, 07/22/2016 - 11:25am

Ice Age: Collision Course is the fifth epic adventure for Scrat and friends. This time their pursuit of the elusive acorn leads the heros on a cosmic attempt to save the universe. You can bet the film is full of fun and laughs for the entire family, but what about the science? None other than Neil deGrasse Tyson, America’s favorite astrophysicist and the voice behind the film’s character Neil deBuck Weasel, has taken the time to vet the science behind the cosmic epic.

Pokemon Go Is the Most Awesome (and Dangerous) Mobile Game Ever

Submitted by Anna Fader on Mon, 07/11/2016 - 9:00am

To say the July launch of Pokémon Go has been a phenomenon would be to vastly understate it. Few mobile games have ever launched to so much anticipation and so many immediate downloads. And, it’s obvious why it would. Pokémon Go takes mobile gaming to a whole new dimension.

The idea of Pokémon Go is to turn your real-life environment into a Pokémon world through augmented reality technology. Players collect Pokémon as they move around, and, through their phones, Pokemon appear right in their real world. The Pokémon, and Poke Stops, are scattered all over the map, so as you travel through life you will find and catch more. When players get to higher levels, they can train and battle their Pokémon as well.

Pokémon Go has already had a huge impact on my kids. Some of it is super good, but there are also some trends that are very concerning. Here’s what parents need to know about what to love and what to fear about Pokémon Go.

Rainforest Adventure Awaits at Ecotourist Gem in Honduras

Submitted by Anna Fader on Sat, 06/11/2016 - 12:30pm

Imagine eating breakfast while toucans soar from tree to tree just feet from your perch. By day, you hike the same trails that cougars roam at night. And your evening activity is prowling the resort paths spotting kinkajous, tree frogs, and spiders as big as your fist. This is not a canned jungle-themed ecotourism resort experience; this is the jungle. And you are in it.

Off the radar for many, Honduras offers 300,000 acres of protected rain and cloud forests and beautiful Caribbean waters with one of the last unspoiled coral reefs. The Lodge and Spa at Pico Bonito, named for the national park it sits in, is one of the independent properties trying to draw more ecotourism to help ensure that the amazing natural resources, and the stunning array of wildlife that live in them, persevere.

NYC Toy Stores for Special Needs Children

Submitted by Anna Fader on Sat, 05/14/2016 - 9:17pm

As anyone who's gone toy shopping in NYC knows, the choices are endless. For parents of children with special needs, shopping for toys brings on a whole different bunch of considerations. I've learned this whether buying or receiving toys as gifts for my two children who each received Early Intervention services.

Whether you're shopping for your own special-needs child or the child of a friend or relative, here are some New York City toy stores that carry outstanding products for children of all abilities. There are no chain stores here, just excellent independent shops where you'll get personalized attention (if you want it) from a knowledgeable staff who has seen and heard it all.