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

New Summer Camps for NYC Kids in 2020

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Sun, 03/08/2020 - 4:33pm

Sign your kids up for a summer of adventure, fantasy, intrigue, and splendor at the NY Society of Play camp.

Cue the panic: Summer camp search season is entering a full-tilt frenzy. It's that time of year when NYC parents shudder in unison upon realizing they still haven't figured out what to do come June. If you, too, have put off summer planning until now, breathe a collective sigh of relief. We've got you covered with this list of new summer camps.

As one glance at our Summer Camp Guide proves, NYC and its surrounding suburbs offer tons of summer camp choices, from cooking to coding, music to sports, and everything in between. And because NYC is always changing, we've found 11 new summer camps or programs for the 2020 season, including some new locations for old favorites. Book now because summer break will be here before you know it.

Things To Do in NYC This Weekend: Purim, Women's History, and More

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Wed, 03/04/2020 - 4:07pm

Kick winter to the curb with the annual Purim Carnival at Commonpoint Queens. Photo courtesy of the venue

Purim arrives on Monday, March 9, but why wait to celebrate? The 92nd St Y, the Park East Day School, BKLYN Studios, Commonpoint Queens, and the Tribeca Synagogue all host celebrations Sunday. You can also find out what it was like to be a Jewish child on the Lower East Side more than a century ago or learn about Navroz, the Muslim festival celebrating spring at CMOM on Saturday.

March is Women's History Month. Award-winning author Vashti Harrison (Bold Women in Black History, among other great titles) makes an appearance at the New-York Historical Society on Sunday. Kids can also meet historical interpreters portraying some of the women's rights movement's legendary leaders. While you're pondering the wonders of girl power, this weekend would be the perfect time to catch a performance of She Persisted, enjoy the story of Cinderella, or follow Alice down the rabbit hole.

As you can see, the weekend brings with it plenty of fun, though the arrival of coronavirus may curb the crowds or cause schedule changes. Be sure to double-check with the venues to ensure all events are on before heading out, and heed the advice of the CDC to keep you and your kids healthy. If you decide to stay in, be sure to check our boredom busters to keep everyone entertained.

As always, you can find more top events in our March GoList, or our packed daily Event Calendar. We've also rounded up 40 FREE events happening this March, including some this weekend.

Best Summer Camps in Brooklyn

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Fri, 02/28/2020 - 10:53am

BHMS opens the doors in late June to welcome campers to A Montessori Summer. Photo courtesy of the camp

So, you're looking for a new summer camp and, naturally, you want the best for your child. "Best" is, of course, a relative term. Without putting too fine a point on it, "best" could describe the one that best fits your financial picture. Or has great counselors. Or culminates in a rock concert. Or gives kids lots of water time. Maybe when you close your eyes and think "Best Summer Camp," you envision one where your child is spirited away for a day of fun on a little cloud, while you sleep in (that's my idea of best, anyway, and I am still looking). Believe it or not, our list of the best Brooklyn summer camps includes picks for almost all of those scenarios.

While "best" is a bit subjective, Brooklyn has tons of excellent options when it comes to summer fun. So, think of this as a little tasting platter. Excellent options in a sea of delicious dishes. Check our Directory for many more and be sure to visit our Summer Camp Guide for other top picks.

Read on for the big reveal. Here are 21 Brooklyn summer camps that just might provide the best fit for your family.

Things To Do This Weekend in NYC: Leap Year, NYICFF, St. Pat's Parades

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Wed, 02/26/2020 - 4:18pm

Transform the world around you at the interactive technology showcase Teknopolis. Photo by Ros Muggeridge

We have what might theoretically be described as an extra day this year—and Saturday is that day. Celebrate the leap year with a visit to Staten Island's St. George Library, where kids can find out all about leap year and have a dance party. With the calendar turning to March on Sunday, St. Patrick's Day parades are already prepping to meander down local boulevards. Join the throngs in Sunnyside, Queens, or on Staten Island!

Since you have this extra day on your hands, why not head to the Bronx to check out the opulent Orchid Show at the New York Botanical Garden? You can catch a performance of Drumfolk at the New Vic, introduce your tweens to Jane Austen, or snuggle up with some popcorn as the New York International Children's Film Fest gathers momentum.

More Saturday to-dos include an indoor block party in Brooklyn and a celebration of Danish Halloween (Fastlavn) at Scandinavia House. Sunday's options include a salute to Hinamatsuri (Doll's Day) at Japan Society, squirrel data gathering in Manhattan parks, Mummenschanz in the Bronx, and carnival fun in Brooklyn. And if the weather holds out, Wildman Steve Brill celebrates his 38th year of foraging with tours this weekend in Central Park and Prospect Park.

Come Monday, don't forget to salute good old Dr. Seuss on his birthday—he'll be 116 on March 2! Parties are popping up all over town in his honor, and we have some fun at-home ideas for you, too.

Find more top events in our March GoList or our always packed daily NYC event calendar.

Things To Do in NYC This Weekend: Film Fest, Black History, New Museum Exhibits and More

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Wed, 02/19/2020 - 4:12pm

The Black Future Festival at the Brooklyn Children's Museum invites kids to reflect, act, and look toward the future. Photo courtesy of the museum

Whether you've just returned from a family vacay, or you've been in the city for all of midwinter break, this weekend offers a chance to visit the Children's Museum of Manhattan's new Superpowered Metropolis exhibit or try some engineering activities at NYSCI, which just debuted a Survival exhibit. You've even got one last chance to check out Kids Week at the Intrepid before it rolls to a close on Saturday.

The New York International Children's Film Fest kicks off this weekend. While the School of Visual Arts Theater is the main hub, families can also catch the kid flicks at the Alamo Drafthouse in Brooklyn and Scandinavia House in Manhattan. A very cool (and FREE!) alternative is the 90-Second Newbery Film Fest on Saturday.

Black History Month is quickly coming to a close. Still, this weekend's activities include an extraordinary Black Culture Fest at the Children's Museum of the Arts, interactive performances, crafts, and a scavenger hunt at the Museum of the City of New York, plus the Black Future Fest at the Brooklyn Children's Museum.

Other unbeatable options include performances by Gustafer Yellowgold and Pete the Cat, the National Museum of the American Indian's the Art of Storytelling, and BAMKids' Teknopolis, where kids can experiment with technology in a series of virtual reality and multi-sensory installations. Oh, and the American Museum of Natural History is all about polar bears Sunday.

Need more ideas for family-friendly fun to fill your weekend? Our packed Event Calendar and Winter Fun List are here to help.

Things to Do in NYC This Weekend: Lunar New Year Parade, Black History, and More

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Wed, 02/05/2020 - 4:03pm

Celebrate the Lunar New Year in Chinatown. Photo by John Wenceslao

It's a busy weekend in New York City, as we wrap up the Chinese Lunar New Year festivities with the massive Lunar New Year Parade. If you're in Brooklyn, honor the Year of the Rat with a stop at the Prospect Park Zoo to meet one of the world's tiniest rodents.

Valentine's Day paints the town red next weekend, so it's the perfect time to make a city-themed Valentine, create huggable heating pads to give as gifts, or give your card the old "collage" try. Mark Black History Month with an On the Journey to Freedom living-history program at DiMenna, a special tour of Fraunces Tavern, the New York Botanical Garden's Black History: Rooted in Plants event, and the Paley Center's month-long celebration, which includes a salute to black comedians.

On Saturday, watch the dog fur fly at the Westminster Agility Championship and AKC Meet the Breeds. On Sunday, kids might learn a thing or two about obedience (at least as it applies to canines). Also on Sunday: Don't miss the Children's Museum of the Arts' Indonesian Culture Fest, or City of Science in the Bronx. Rock Center also hosts a day of family art-making.

Plus, there is a ton of exceptional family theater to see this weekend. Film fest season is starting up, and we highly recommend seeing FIAF's Animation First Film Fest.

Still rarin' to go? Options abound in our February Go-List, our dazzling list of 40 FREE things to do with kids in February, and our always stocked Event Calendar.

Things To Do in NYC This Weekend: Lunar New Year, Winter Jam, Groundhog Day

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Wed, 01/29/2020 - 4:06pm

Celebrate Lunar New Year at the Met. Photo courtesy of the museum

The first weekend in February is action-packed. First of all, it's NYC Must-See Week, and that means 2-for-1 tickets to some very cool places around town, including museums, zoos, the aquarium, and more. Winter Jam schusses back to Central Park on Saturday, spinning in with a blizzard of activities. And the BAMkids film festival in Brooklyn is back for its 22nd year.

Lunar New Year celebrations abound at the Prospect Park Zoo, The Met, Brookfield Place, and the Asia Society. February is also Black History Month, and you can mark the occasion with a special tour at Fraunces Tavern, family-friendly screenings at the Paley Center, or learn about Harlem's storied history at the New-York Historical Society.

Sunday is Groundhog Day, and while Punxsutawney Phil (accuracy rate 38%) is poised to prognosticate once again, NYC's local groundhog, Staten Island Chuck (accuracy rate 80%!), is the one to watch. Early risers at the Staten Island Zoo get a spring proximity forecast, plus musical performances and animal encounters. In the Bronx, Wave Hill hosts a Groundhog Day Pancake Breakfast as part of its Hibernator's Weekend festivities.

You don't ever need to suffer from FOMO. Our February GoList, Winter Fun Guide, and list of 40 FREE Things To Do in February With NYC Kids keep you entertained. Our Event Calendar is on point through the coming spring (or endless winter, depending on Phil and Chuck).

Things To Do in NYC This Weekend: Lunar New Year, FrostFest, and More

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Wed, 01/22/2020 - 4:04pm

Celebrate the Year of the Rat in Chinatown. Photo by Janet Bloom

Winter's chill might be unavoidable in January, but that doesn't mean kids lack for things to do in NYC this weekend. There's a Winter Spooktacular in Queens, a Winter Blast Family Day of Native Games, and Bryant Park's FrostFest embraces the season with live ice carving and ice fishing.

The Lunar New Year is in full swing at the Japan Society. The popular Firecracker Ceremony and Culture Fest takes over Roosevelt Park on Saturday, the Queens Botanical Garden hosts holiday crafts and performances, and the Brooklyn Children's Museum celebrates Sunday. In short, if you love Lunar New Year's events, there are plenty of ways to celebrate, even though the big parade isn't until February 9.

Don't miss the spectacular Thunderbird American Indian Dance Concert and Powwow at Theatre for the New City. You can still snag some seats for Elizabeth Mitchell's Symphony Space performance and The Transfiguration of Benjamin Banneker, which uses shadow puppets, projection, and a marching band to tell the story of a free black man in 1731 and his passion for astronomy. Plus, the Paper Bag Players celebrate 61 years of cardboard costumery.

This unpredictable winter weather is giving us a bit of whiplash, but our Indoor Fun Guide, Winter Fun Guide, and Event Calendar will keep you busy, no matter the forecast.