Drew Kristofik

Drew Kristofik's early career editing teen magazines somehow morphed into a seven-year stint at MacNeil/Lehrer, followed by a very long sojourn at Nickelodeon/Viacom as Director of Content for Nick online and then Editor-in-Chief of ParentsConnect.com local. She was a founding member of the WebbyAward winning GoCityKids, has written for Family Fun Magazine, Vanity Fair, and New York, and her novel for middle schoolers, The Time Boat, is available on Amazon Kindle. She strives to keep the MommyPoppins New York Events calendar packed and accurate, and can be reached at events@mommypoppins.com.

Latest posts by Drew

Things To Do in NYC This Weekend & Beyond: Restaurant Week, Local Hikes, See Laurie Berkner

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Wed, 01/27/2021 - 2:36pm

The Skyline Drive-in is still going strong, offering nightly movies with a stunning backdrop. Photo courtesy of the venue

And just like that, January is practically in the rearview. In the "excellent news" column, it's NYC Restaurant Week, and it's all about take out this year, so you can take a night off, check out new cuisine, save money, and help local businesses, all in one swoop. To help you work up an appetite, the Urban Park Rangers are leading hikes in Fort Tryon Park, Long Island City, Central Park, and Prospect Park.

Don't forget: Poppins@Home is your go-to spot for virtual fun and learning. This week, we're all about Baby in Tune classes, the Happy Feet soccer online series, cartooning, and magical potions.

We're scouring NYC for great in-person events, and we're all over virtual happenings, too, so you're covered whichever you prefer. Check the NYC Event Calendar frequently, and don't miss our list of the top indoor play spaces open now.

30+ Free Ways to Celebrate Your Kid's Birthday at Home

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Thu, 01/07/2021 - 11:00am

Make the day special by letting your kid call the shots!

Ready to spoil your kid for their birthday? We love to make our kids feel special on their big day, and our readers have helped come up with dozens of completely FREE ways to show the birthday star how much they mean to us, from a "Yes" day to a special breakfast surprise.

With a little bit of imagination—and this handy list for inspiration—your family might just create new traditions that don't involve forking over next month's rent with a pricey party. Most of these birthday party ideas work especially well during these days of continued social distancing and immediate-family-only celebrations. Check out our Birthday Party Guide for more ideas or find a virtual party entertainer on Poppins@Home.

Best Things To Do in DC in January with Kids: MLK Weekend, Presidential Inauguration

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Wed, 12/30/2020 - 10:10am

Log on to the Los Angeles International Children's Film Festival's presentation of Luz. Image courtesy of the festival

Happy New Year and buh-bye, 2020!

While every new year brings change, changes wrought by 2020 have been decidedly "unprecedented." The changes in 2021 may be equally challenging, but we're up for it and confident that America and the world are ready to vaccinate, rebuild, and reconnect.

January in DC has always come with small parenting challenges ... finding things to do to get the kids out of the house when the weather is cold and changeable. This January, we're turning our eyes again to the treasure trove of virtual experiences the pandemic has provided. When cabin fever rattles our equilibrium, we're looking forward to hiking, skating, nature bathing (dressed for the weather, of course) in a local park, and —with any luck—participating in a snowball fight or two as part of our roundup of fun things to with DC kids this winter.

This is the perfect month to hunker down with history and celebrate the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. And on January 20, we'll be virtually holding hands with the rest of the country, watching as the 46th President is inaugurated to office on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol.

Best Things To Do in DC in December with Kids: Christmas, Hanukkah, Holiday Lights

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Sun, 11/29/2020 - 11:30am

Lace up your skates and take a spin around the ice. Photo courtesy of Reston Town Center

Lights, camera, action! The winter holidays are all about lighting up as we reach the winter solstice (the shortest day of the year).

And Washington DC is sparkling this season, despite pandemic challenges. Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Year's Eve/First Night offer all the reasons to celebrate anyone could possibly wish for.

Does someone in your house have a long wish list and a frantic need to chat with Santa? There's a Zoom Room for that. Need to keep those holiday calories in check? The average person burns 640-850 calories per hour ice skating. Need some last-minute gifts? The Downtown Holiday Market is back, with plenty of social distancing rules in place to keep shoppers safe.

Things To Do in NYC This Weekend With Kids: Intrepid Reopens, Broadway Drive-in, and More

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Wed, 09/23/2020 - 1:02pm

Explore the Flight Deck at the Intrepid Sea ,Air and Space Museum. Photo courtesy of the museum

The last week of September is packing a sweet punch. We started the week with the first full-day of (remote) school and a treat at Krispy Kreme's new Times Square mega shop, and we're ending it with an Event Calendar jam-packed with things to do.

Most exciting is the return of one of our favorite kid-friendly museums, as the Intrepid lowers its gangplank once again. We've also got the news that two more of our favorite haunts, the Brooklyn Children's Museum and CMOM, have set October reopening dates.

We're also hosting an Online Back to School Fair with tons of enrichment options. Catch the last few FREE demo classes this week, including sessions from Atlantic Acting and Coucou French. If you're itching to get out, we've got intel on outdoor art trips near NYC, fall family day trips, pumpkin picking (tis the season), the best corn mazes nearby, and even some scenic, seasonal train trips.

Read on for all our top picks for things to do this week with New York City kids.

Cool In-Person Classes Enrolling New York City Kids For Fall 2020

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Mon, 09/21/2020 - 5:05pm

Join a science pod at Alley Pond. Photo courtesy of Alley Pond

Learning is about more than the three "Rs," and while remote learning plays a key role in the curriculum of many city schools this fall, in-person extracurricular activities can provide much-needed socializing and screen breaks for housebound students. Kids of all ages can burn energy in athletic classes, explore their creativity in art workshops, and expand their science chops in technology classes.

Classes for Learning Pod Enrichment and Remote Learning Support in NYC

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Thu, 09/10/2020 - 2:47pm

FIAF offers learning pod support for children as young as age 5. Photo courtesy of FIAF

Many New York City parents are turning to learning pods, made up of small groups of like-minded families, to alleviate the stress during this surreal time of part-time school schedules. But, beyond the regular remote learning curriculum, what's a learning pod to do? Many of our favorite local providers and community orgs are stepping up to the plate, offering extra enrichment for your learning pod. If you don't have a pod, some of these spots help you build one; and, if you'd rather go-it-alone, others provide plenty of support for remote learners with drop-off programs where kids can complete assignments and receive tutoring support in safe, supervised environments.

Things To Do in NYC This Week: In-Person Events, Virtual Fun and More

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Wed, 08/19/2020 - 4:29pm

Glide along the water while kayaking with the Brooklyn Bridge Park Boathouse. Photo by Etienne Frossard

With Labor Day behind us and the mystery and magic of school blinking on the horizon (September 16, here we come?), we're doing our level best to settle back into some kind of autumnal routine.