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

Best Events This Fall for NYC Preschoolers

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Sun, 09/02/2018 - 9:20am

All aboard the Transit Museum's vintage buses at October's Bus Festival. Photo courtesy of the museum

Let the fall fun begin! This fall there are tons of events, festivals, and shows in NYC just right for the preschool crowd. From fall fairs with petting zoos to music performances to great toddler and preschooler activities, here are 30+ fall events for NYC preschoolers—and best of all, many events and activities are FREE.

Don't forget to check out our September GoList and Best NYC Fall Festivals for even more great fall events, not to mention our just released Fall Fun Guide. Looking for a special day trip? Preschoolers are old enough to pick their own apples this September or even find the perfect pumpkin.

Labor Day Weekend Things to Do with NYC Kids: Festivals, Unicycles, Beaches

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Wed, 08/29/2018 - 11:28am

Labor Day Weekend 2018 is the the last weekend to enjoy the amazing Pop-Up Pool in Brooklyn Bridge Park. Etienne Frossard for BBP

For NYC kids, Labor Day weekend means one thing: time to finish that summer bucket list before heading back to school. There's plenty going, too. On Governors Island, ride into NYC's annual unicycle fest. Or head to an outdoor carnival at the Richmond County Fair. Plus, Wildman Steve Brill is prowling the parks in Brooklyn and Queens for fascinating tours of NYC's green spaces.

There's still time to end the summer with your beach game strong: Hit the Jersey shore with our handy-dandy guide, daytrip to Long Beach or Asbury Park, take the subway (or ferry) to the beach, or hit the road for a nearby freshwater swimming lake. For less sandy but equally fun options, see our guide to outdoor pools and sprinklers within the five boroughs, plus nearby amusement parks and water theme parks.

Looking for something low impact and close to home? Enjoy family brunch outdoors at one of these kid-friendly restaurants in Manhattan or Brooklyn, or go for an ice cream crawl at these worthy NYC sweet shops. If the clouds don't stay away this weekend, we've got suggestions for rainy day fun at museums and play spaces.

You could also go on an impromptu art hunt: Public art popping up around NYC includes suits of armor dotting the lawns of Fort Tryon Park, a Poetry Jukebox in Greenwich Village, and—our fave—dusk.space at the Seaport.

On Monday, don't miss the FREE pie throwing event that kicks off the 2018 NY Clown Theatre Festival. If ever there was a reason to stick around the city on Labor Day weekend, this might be it.

Read on for all of our Labor Day weekend picks. You'll find additional suggestions in our Event Calendar and September GoList. Farewell, summer!

Weekend Fun: US Open Kids' Day, Battle of Brooklyn, Soapbox Derby, and Sprinklers

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Wed, 08/22/2018 - 4:00pm

Enjoy the last days of summer at Sprinkler Day at Asphalt Green. Photo courtesy of the Asphalt Green

Tennis anyone? The annual Arthur Ashe Kids' Day is back, bringing tennis stars and music superstars to NYC in advance of next weekend's US Open. Can't get to Queens? Check out the US Open Experience down in the Financial District for kids' clinics and big-screen tennis viewing.

For old-fashioned summer fun, soapbox contraptions roll through Park Slope at Saturday's South Slope Derby, or get soaked at Sprinkler Day at Asphalt Green. History buffs can celebrate the anniversary of the Battle of Brooklyn, fought in 1776 on land that is now part of Green-Wood Cemetery, at the Battle of Brooklyn Monuments Tour or the Battle of Brooklyn Commemoration on Sunday.

Also on Sunday, it's time to Boogie on the Boulevard up in the Bronx. The center lanes of the Grand Concourse from 162nd Street to 170th Street are closed to cars and open to a world of fun—with free music, art, and activities. This weekend is also your last chance to snag a free hot dog from the Hot Dog Bus.

Check a few more things off that "before school starts" summer bucket list—or start planning for fall: Tickets for Smithsonian Museum Day Live, offering FREE access to museums all around the city on September 22, are available to download now. Get 'em before they're gone! For more end-of-summer fun, check our August GoList and Event Calendar.

Weekend Fun: Math Fest, Kites, Sand Sculptures, and Harlem Week

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Wed, 08/15/2018 - 4:01pm

A new art installation at the Seaport, dusk.space, provides a little bit of nature in the city. Photo by myrealestateshots via NYC Parks

Statistically speaking, we're due for a dry weekend, and that would be an excellent thing, since we're counting on having a great time at the third annual Math Festival hosted by MoMath on Saturday. Laser cutting, giant mazes, music, and roller coaster design make STEM as exciting as sunshine after a long, soggy stretch.

Also this Saturday: Watch the colors fly at the Upper West Side's annual Kite Flying Festival. Bring a good kite and some string, or take advantage of the materials supplied on site (while supplies last). Down at Coney Island, enjoy the sunshine and artistry at the annual Sand Sculpting Contest, and learn some sand sculpting tricks of your own at Kaiser Park on Neptune Avenue, where the NYC Parks and Rec team awaits with a sand creature building program from 11am-12:30pm on Saturday.

Harlem Week romps through uptown all weekend long, with a children's festival on Saturday and Sunday. Daily performances run from hip hop to poetry to tap dance. And do visit our favorite new art installation, dusk.space, at the Seaport. It's magical to lie under the grid as the sun goes down and smell freshly mown grass, listen to crickets, and watch the "fireflies."

All this, plus over a hundred other events (50+ each day) are baked into the Mommy Poppins Calendar. Check out our list of the 50 best places to cool off this summer, and don't forget the fun-packed August Go List. And the outdoor movies that were canceled due to all the rain are now being scheduled through September—follow our August Movie page, updated frequently, to see what's playing (for free!) near you.

Weekend Fun: Dragon Boats, Puppet Shows, Dance Fest

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Wed, 08/08/2018 - 4:00pm

Celebrate bees and honey at Wave Hill's Honey Weekend. Photo by Erics Berger

High on our "must" list of things to do in New York City this weekend are the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in Corona Park, and this Saturday's car-free Summer Streets fest on Park Avenue. Looking to cool off with some indoor fun? This weekend's Puppet Fringe Festival includes some great productions for kids, like the gorgeous Sueno: A Latino Take on A Midsummer Night's Dream, featuring 50 carnival puppets, stilt walkers, music, and dance.

New York City kids who like to dance (a decided majority) should love the FREE West African Dance performance at the 37th Annual Battery Dance Festival on Saturday. And on Sunday, YahYa Kamate hosts a West African Dance class for all ages at Morris-Jumel Mansion.

City parks are packed with cool activities, like Mostly Mozart concert in Central Park, and the last Summer on the Hudson Playdate of the year, featuring magic with Sammie and Tudie. Foodies in training can cultivate their palates at Connecting through Food in Queens' Socrates Sculpture Park, Totally Tomatoes Weekend at the New York Botanical Garden, and Honey Weekend at Wave Hill.

Our August GoList and Summer Fun Guide are powered up with the best ideas for family outings, and our event calendar adds things to do daily. And don't miss our list of Summer Must Dos: 33 ways to squeeze all the fun you can out of summer, before the school year starts up again.

100+ Free Outdoor Family Movies This August in NYC

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Thu, 07/26/2018 - 11:20am

Pack a blanket for Summer in the Square movie nights. Photo by Liz Ligon

In August, FREE outdoor movies can be found almost every night in New York City. Not all are family-friendly, though, so we've rounded up those that are. Behold: More than 100 FREE outdoor movies this August, most rated G, PG, or PG-13, organized by date. All you need to do is carve out time in your busy NYC summer schedule and pack a blanket and snacks.

Click through to our listings for details, including addresses and times. Arrive early to stake out a good spot—plus, some outdoor film series also include pre-screening fun, like kids' activities and music. In case of rain, movies may be canceled, so before heading out check the series' official websites for weather-related updates.

Weekend Fun: Powwow, Lincoln Center, Poetry Fest, Sandcastles

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Wed, 07/25/2018 - 4:00pm

Celebrate summer at the 23rd annual sandcastle contest at Rockaway Beach. Photo courtesy of NYC Parks and Recreation

It's another jam-packed summer weekend in NYC. The spectacular Thunderbird Mid-Summer Powwow brings over 40 Native nations together for a weekend of dance and celebration, plus there's Lincoln Center Family Day, the High Line July Family Fest, and tons more happening around town.

The 8th Annual New York Poetry Festival on Governors Island takes place Saturday and Sunday: Kids can go on a "poetry scavenger hunt," and teens can register in advance for special day-long workshops with published poets.

On Sunday, head over to the Brooklyn Roots Fest at Lefferts, make stunning sandcastles on Rockaway Beach (or just watch the contest and applaud the results!) or check out the Ballet Folklorico Mexicano's Guelaguetza Festival at Socrates Sculpture Park. Ready to raise your voices to help reunite migrant families? Come to the Beatles Sing-along fundraiser in Park Slope (tickets must be purchased in advance, but 100% of proceeds go to Immigrant Families Together).

Keep an eye on our packed Summer Fun Guide and our NYC Event Calendar for even more fun things to do with the family as we head into August!

Weekend Fun: Family Fests, Sprinklers, Water Carnival, Free Picnics

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Wed, 07/18/2018 - 4:00pm

Kids learn to samba at the Whitney Museum's Family Day. Photo courtesy of the museum

It's mid-July, which means it's the perfect time to race through some sprinklers. This weekend marks the return of one of NYC's water fun highlights: the (FREE!) salute to shower power, Sprinkler Day at Asphalt Green (there's also another one in August, if this weekend doesn't work for you).

If you prefer to stay more or less dry, the 5th Annual Carnival on the Water in Brooklyn brings families out onto (as opposed to into) the water, plus there's a whole army of family-friendly events trooping through town, including Kids Rock! Family Day at Rockefeller Center, Come Out & Play Family Day in Brooklyn, and the (air-conditioned) Whitney Museum Summer Family Day. And Fairway Market holds its FREE picnic giveaway Saturday morning (fair warning: expect a big crowd).

Need a break from outdoor fun this weekend? Explore the Jewish Children's Museum's Safety City exhibit, with its child-sized road course, complete with pedal go-carts and working traffic lights. Or stop by the Historical Society, where fortune tellers are crystal balling, tea leafing and palm reading all weekend.

Our ever-expanding summer fun calendar has lots more in store, including free outdoor movies in every borough. Keep an eye on our July GoList. And consider taking a field trip to one (or more!) of these 11 cool neighborhoods!