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

Presidents Day Weekend 2023: 21 Things To Do in NYC with Kids

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Wed, 02/15/2023 - 5:19pm

The Black Future Festival begins Sunday at the Brooklyn Children's Museum. Photo courtesy of the museum

Looking for the best things to do in New York City this weekend? Here are some family-friendly events and activities to add to your list for Presidents Day weekend.

The long Presidents Day weekend ahead segues right into February's Winter Break, and NYC is up for the challenge. How to keep the kids occupied, you ask? Kick off the weekend early with a Mommy Poppins-sponsored Skate and Play at Industry City on Thursday, and then look forward to the return of the lovely annual Orchid Show at NYBG this weekend. Kids can celebrate Black History at the Paley Center's Hip Hop Anniversary exhibition, count some chickadees (and other feathered friends) by joining the Great Backyard Bird Count, and watch ice sculptures come to life on Governors Island.

We've outlined all our top picks for February's winter break here, and you can be sure they include the kids' week celebrations at the Intrepid, in Bryant Park, and at local parks throughout the city. Still need more ways to keep the kids entertained? Bookmark this post full of the best FREE things to do during the week off.

Our Family Activity Calendar was designed to keep you as busy as you want to be and we've got even more picks for fun in our Guide to Winter Activities in NYC.

STEM Summer Camps in NYC: Robots, Coding, and More Tech Fun

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Thu, 02/09/2023 - 10:34am

NORY's summer camp invites little learners to build confidence alongside STEM skills. Photo courtesy of the camp

NYC kids who are itching for the school year to end so they can devote more time to their extracurricular technology passions are in luck. We've rounded up more than 20 STEM summer camps in New York City. Most of these STEM summer camps in NYC offer hands-on building, coding, 3D printing—even film-making! We also found a few that bring art and sports into the summer camp mix.

Read on for our picks for the best STEM summer camps in NYC. You can also find free coding for kids websites and apps.

Find more summer camps in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and the Bronx, including our top summer camps in NYC for tweens and teens, plus action-packed sleepaway summer camps in the Poconos Mountains, and more in our NYC Kids' Summer Camp Guide and NYC Camp Directory, where you can search for summer camps by type, age, and neighborhood.

Free in February: 19 Things To Do in NYC with Kids

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Fri, 02/03/2023 - 10:02am

Chinatown's streets come to life with the annual Lunar New Year Parade on Sunday, February 11.

It's February, and we're celebrating with this list of free things to do in NYC with kids. Our picks for the best free things to do with kids include the big Lunar New Year parade in Chinatown, fun ways to celebrate Valentine's Day, and plenty of picks for the upcoming weeklong Midwinter Break.

Looking for more fun things to do all month long? Be sure to bookmark our Family Activity Calendar and Guide to Winter Activities for more seasonal picks.

25+ Best Things To Do in NYC February 2023 with Kids

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Sun, 01/29/2023 - 6:51am

Celebrate Lunar New Year with Chinatown's big, annual parade on Sunday, February 12. Photo by Bob Dea

Whether sending valentines or planning a Presidents Day weekend getaway—there is plenty to love about February! Don’t miss our favorite kid-friendly events and activities in New York City this month.

Even though it's the shortest month, February in NYC manages to cram annual favorites like Chinatown's Lunar New Year Parade, the activity-filled Kids Week at the Intrepid, and the BAMKids Film Fest into its meager 28-day span, which includes the activity-packed winter break.

If you're looking for a fun way to celebrate Valentine's Day with your little loves, we're sponsoring a heart-shaped pizza-making workshop at Hudson Yards. It's going to be lots of fun and will likely fill up so grab your tickets now!

Find more top New York City fun on our winter fun list and be sure to bookmark our Guide to Indoor Activities for plenty of ways to beat the winter weather blues. We’re adding more events to our Family Activity Calendar every day, so don’t forget to check it frequently.

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MLK Weekend 2023 in NYC: Best Things To Do with Kids

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Wed, 01/11/2023 - 9:59am

Pay homage to the life and legacy of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a celebration at the Brooklyn Children's Museum. Photo courtesy of the museum

Looking for the best things to do in New York City this weekend? Here are some family-friendly events and activities to add to your list for this long MLK weekend.

The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend in New York City offers plenty of opportunities to honor the man and his mission. Kids can check out the FREE BAM-hosted tribute to the civil rights leader in Fort Greene, head to the Brooklyn Children's Museum for puppet performances and a volunteer project, salute the Freedom Quilters of Gee's Bend, and create a community mural at CMOM. Be sure to check our calendar for Monday, January 16, for a complete list of MLK activities.

What about the rest of the weekend? The Thunderbird American Indian Dance Concert is back at the Theater for the New City, you can hit the bumper cars on ice at Bryant Park, and the Brooklyn Museum is hopping on the Lunar New Year bandwagon with a lion dance and more.

Our top picks for the long weekend are below, but if you're looking for more ideas, our NYC Winter Activities Guide and Family Activity Calendar are well-stocked.

Best Lunar New Year Celebrations in NYC for Families

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Tue, 01/10/2023 - 2:20pm

The Better Chinatown Society hosts its annual Lunar New Year celebration on Sunday, January 22, in Sara D. Roosevelt Park with firecrackers, cultural performances, and more. Photo by Bob Dea

Lunar New Year is one of our favorite winter celebrations in New York City. In 2023, many museums, cultural institutions, and community groups are once again holding in-person celebrations to usher in the Year of the Rabbit, which officially starts on Sunday, January 22.

Although the holiday is often referred to as Chinese New Year, many Asian nations celebrate Lunar New Year, and city kids can mark this cultural holiday with family-friendly celebrations throughout the five boroughs, capped off with the massive parade through Chinatown on Sunday, February 12.

Plus, the holiday provides an awesome opportunity to get out and explore a new-to-you neighborhood, such as Koreatown and Chinatown in Manhattan, Flushing in Queens, and Sunset Park in Brooklyn.

Free in January: 25+ Free Things To Do in NYC with Kids

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Fri, 01/06/2023 - 1:33pm

Celebrate the Year of the Rabbit with folk dances, the lion dance, and traditional arts and crafts at the Queens Museum. Photo courtesy of the museum

The holiday festivities have fizzled, the bank account has been maxed out, and we're on the hunt for free things to do in January with kids. Fear not, we've found 25+ fun options to keep New York City families busy all month long.

Though most of the big holiday attractions in NYC are packing up the tinsel this month, January celebrations of the Three Kings and Martin Luther King Jr. are just getting started. Plus, many NYC parks offer outdoor nature programs like the Gather around the Campfire in Queens and Maple Tap Fest in Staten Island.

Looking for more FREE things to do? Escape the cold with picks for the top indoor places where kids can play for FREE, and bookmark our Family Activity Calendar where we'll add more options as we learn about them. We've got plenty more winter to-do's in our NYC Winter Fun Guide for Families.

Best of January: MLK Day and More Top Things To Do in NYC with Kids

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Fri, 12/30/2022 - 2:44pm

The Better Chinatown Society's annual New Year's celebration is hosted in Sara D. Roosevelt Park with firecrackers, cultural performances, and much more. Photo by Bob Dea

From New Year's Day to MLK weekend and Lunar New Year, January can be a great time for indoor and outdoor activities. Don't miss our favorite kid-friendly events and activities in New York City this month.

Our Mommy Poppins January forecast of fun lights up the winter gloom. Start the new year by watching Coney Island Polar Bear Club members plunge into the freezing Atlantic, visit Governors Island for winter games, ice skating, and fire pits, and catch up with the Three Kings, handing out gifts on the Lower East Side. Speaking of kings, BAM's always-moving tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King inspires young activists on Monday, January 16, and Manhattan Country School's annual youth-led march takes to the streets in honor of the holiday as well.

Thomas and Friends are welcoming little train fans back to the audience at the New York Botanical Garden, the Thunderbird Dance Concert returns to the Theater for the New City, and Carnegie Hall introduces Gullah music, Malian tunes, and hip-hop to little listeners. We're hosting a skate and play party every Thursday at Industry City, and you can close down the first month of 2023 with FIAF's brilliant annual Animation First Film Fest.

We’re adding more events to our Family Activity Calendar every day, so don’t forget to check it frequently.