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 Year's Eve Weekend 2022 in NYC: Fireworks, Balloon Drops, Noon Year's Eve

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Wed, 12/28/2022 - 12:10pm

A Central Park fireworks show lights up the sky on New Year's Eve. Photo courtesy of Central Park

Looking for the best things to do in New York City this New Year's Eve weekend? Here are some family-friendly events and activities to add to your list for this New Year's holiday weekend.

It's time to ring in the new year, and the midday dance party at the Staten Island Children's Museum, Noon Year's Eve at Camp, or one of these other kid-friendly fetes make the perfect way to welcome 2023. You can bundle up for a FREE ice skating show in Rockefeller Center, and don't miss the final performance of Fancy Nancy Splendiferous Christmas—we have a special discount for $25 tickets!

On Sunday, your family can embark on a first day hike to start the year on the right foot or watch the Coney Island Polar Bear Club members take their annual dip in the Atlantic.

If you're looking for more holiday break fun, be sure to peek at our list of 35 fun things to do while school's out. If you need to escape the city before the grind of 2023 sets in, we've rounded up 25 winter day trips, too. However you welcome 2023, we wish you a very healthy and happy new year!

Christmas Weekend 2022 in NYC: Carols, Santa Visits, and Hanukkah Celebrations

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Wed, 12/21/2022 - 1:11pm

Explore the Brooklyn Botanic Garden's after-dark, illuminated spectacular Lightscape, and celebrate the beauty of nature in winter Photo courtesy of the gardens

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

You may still have gifts to wrap (or—gulp—shop for) and stockings to hang, but there's festive fun to be had all weekend, no matter how you celebrate. It's also the last weekend of Hanukkah and the start of Kwanzaa!

Our annual favorites include singing carols under the Washington Square Arch, catching a classic holiday show (tickets are still available for A Charlie Brown Christmas and Fancy Nancy Splendiferous Christmas), and checking out the Dyker Lights. Christmas Day is also the second-to-last night of Hanukkah, and the Jewish Museum is celebrating with a concert by Oran Etkin.

Need more? Check our lists (twice) for the best family outings on Christmas Eve, what's open (and fun) on Christmas Day, and the best ways to keep kids busy, happy, and occupied during the holiday break. It’s also not too late to snap a photo with Santa, even one for FREE.

Our Family Activity Calendar is an excellent source for school break boredom busters, including the NYC Parks Department's kids week programming, and check out our list of 100 things to do with NYC kids before they grow up for the ultimate staycation cheat sheet. Happy holidays from all of us at Mommy Poppins!

37 Free Holiday and Christmas Events in NYC for Kids

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Sun, 12/04/2022 - 7:48am

The most extravagant Christmas light displays in the country are located in Brooklyn's Dyker Heights, aka “Dyker Lights.” Photo courtesy Dyker Heights Lights

When it comes to holiday gifts, we've found the perfect one for you, dear reader: This list of FREE holiday and Christmas events in NYC. Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and New Year's Eve are all fast approaching, but between Nutcrackers, family-friendly holiday shows, and meals with Santa, things can get expensive. So, we've rounded up 37 FREE holiday and Christmas events in NYC to enjoy now through New Year's Eve.

For more things to do in New York City this season, bookmark our Guide to Holiday Activities and Christmas Events in NYC and our always-up-to-date Family Activity Calendar.

Best of December: 38 Awesome Things To Do in NYC with Kids

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Fri, 12/02/2022 - 5:03pm

Celebrate Hanukkah at the newly opened, FREE Seaport Ice Skating Rink! Photo courtesy of The Seaport

Holiday lights, sights, and celebrations abound in NYC this December. Read on for our top things to do with kids to celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and New Year's Eve.

We're still plowing through the leftover turkey, and suddenly Santa is popping up all over town, trees are lighting up, carols are being sung, Nutcrackers are battling mouse kings, toy trains are dazzling young engineers, and Hanukkah gelt and doughnuts are being passed out in abundance. The year 2022 takes its final bow with a spectacular array of kid-friendly things to do.

Read on for our top picks for family fun in December 2022, and find more holiday happenings in our Guide to Holiday and Christmas Events in NYC for Families, including our top picks for holiday must-do's and 15 picture-perfect seasonal day trip destinations, too.

The Mommy Poppins Family Activity Calendar is the digital equivalent of cookies and hot cocoa. Check it daily for sustenance during this incredibly busy holiday season.

Thanksgiving Weekend 2022 in NYC: Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and More Things To Do

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Tue, 11/22/2022 - 12:21pm

NYBG Glow offers a beautiful after-dark experience in the expansive landscape. Photo by Jody Mercier

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

We're sending up a cheer of gratitude for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloon Inflation, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and Macy's Santaland, which all serve as the gateway to the sparkly NYC holiday season. Catch a Christmas tree lighting in Park Slope or ride ice bumper cars at The Standard. Plus, Thanksgiving Day weekend brings the opening of two iconic ice skating rinks: South Street Seaport and the Brooklyn Children's Museum's ArtRink.

Nutcrackers are leaping across stages all around town, including the classic New York City Ballet version at Lincoln Center and Chiara Atkun's take at Ballet Arts Center. A Christmas Carol is haunting the Merchant's House Museum again. Fancy Nancy and Pinkalicious are both on stage, and you can book tickets directly from our calendar. While you're there, be sure to book your FREE tickets to the upcoming Mommy Poppins' Holly Jolly Holiday Party, too.

Our Family Activity Calendar and Guide to Christmas and the Holidays in NYC are positively lit with even more amazing holiday activities.

Where to See The Nutcracker in NYC in 2022

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Tue, 11/15/2022 - 12:46pm

The Yorkville Nutcracker stars talented local dancers in an NYC-centric version of the classic tale. Photos by Rosalie O'Connor

The Nutcracker ballet is a classic holiday experience for kids and parents, and we're excited to see old favorites and new versions of The Nutcracker ballet in NYC in 2022.

Many children are captivated by the energy and drama of The Nutcracker—from the sweet Sugar Plum fairy visit to the frantic battle with the Rat King—but the full-length ballet can be long for some. We've found more than a dozen variations of The Nutcracker ballet playing this season across all five NYC boroughs, from Lincoln Center's iconic classic iteration to abbreviated just-for-kid versions. We've also found one Nutcracker ballet performance featuring stunning marionettes, a Nutcracker Dance workshop for little dancers, and one performance that's 100% FREE!

Prices range from splurge-worthy to completely FREE. Read on for all our picks for the best Nutcracker ballets in NYC for families, and find more holiday-must do's and Christmas activities in our Guide to the Holidays in NYC.

Veterans Day Weekend in NYC: 27 Top Things To Do with Kids

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Wed, 11/09/2022 - 10:27am

The NYC Lantern Festival lights up the holiday season with over 1000 lights at The Queens County Farm Museum. Photo courtesy of the farm.

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

Friday is Veterans Day, and that means it's time for the biggest celebration of service in the United States: the NYC Veterans Day Parade. You can also salute our military at Veterans Day Weekend events at the New-York Historical Society or join Prospect Park's Veterans Day family programs. Register in advance to learn about sailors' work on the tall ship Wavertree.

The Big Apple Circus is back at Lincoln Center, the Three Musketeers serve up swagger at the New Vic, Pinkalicious is overindulging in her favorite hue again, and Divi Roxx plays the Jewish Museum.

Early holiday fun arrives with the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, and the Museum of the City of New York hosts the Great Borough Gingerbread Bake-off. The Queens County Farm Museum's Illuminate the Farm opens Friday, and you can climb aboard the North Pole Express for an early chat with Santa.

Find more November fun in our picks for the best things to do all month, including our top tips for viewing the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. There are even more things to do in our always-updated Family Activity Calendar.

Best of November: Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Holiday Lights, and More Things To Do in NYC

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Sun, 10/30/2022 - 7:29am

The Amaze Light Festival in Queens is geared toward all ages. Photo courtesy of the Amaze Light Festival

In November, New York City gears up for holidays from Election Day to Veterans Day to Thanksgiving and then scrambles full steam ahead to Christmas.

November ushers in the holiday season in NYC and the biggest events on our calendar are the Macy's balloon inflation and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade at the month's end. But, there's plenty of fun before those giant balloons take flight. Families can enjoy Paul Taylor's Family Menagerie Matinee, the annual Canstruction exhibition, and hit the ice at the Rockefeller Center Rink. We're also jumping for joy because the Big Apple Circus returns to Lincoln Center early this month, too.

Mid-month brings the beloved TILT Kids' Day, a gingerbread competition, and the annual Brooklyn's Children's Book Fair, along with the big Titanic exhibition, and a dazzle of kid-friendly shows, including the Fancy Nancy Christmas show.

Speaking of dazzling, holiday lights are illuminating all five boroughs, including Lightscape in Brooklyn, Illuminate the Farm and Amaze Light Festival in Queens, the NYC Winter Lantern Fest on Staten Island, the Bronx Zoo's Holiday Lights, and NYBG Glow.

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