Jacqueline Stansbury

A native Angeleno, Jackie enjoys revisiting her childhood as a mom and writer for Mommy Poppins. She did a lot of cool stuff as a kid and has newfound respect for her own mom who made that happen without the internet! Today in Los Angeles, some things are gone, some have changed and some, like the grunion, remain exactly the same. In her former life, Jackie was a development executive on the Fox Studios lot where she rounded up writer/director lists and covered screenplays. Mommy Poppins is much more fun. Jackie's kids, Benjamin and Juliet, agree.

Latest posts by Jacqueline

Weekday Event Picks for LA Kids: Eggs, LEGOS, & Bubblefest March 30-April 3

Submitted by Jacqueline Stansbury on Sun, 03/29/2015 - 2:01pm

While this LEGO lover is still reeling from The Academy’s decision not to include The LEGO Movie in its list of nominees for best picture, no harm no foul; a sequel is in the works, and this week you can see the original again (or for the first time if somehow your family missed it) at the Santa Monica Public Library.

Passover starts this week, and Easter hits its stride. Plus right in the middle we have April Fools' Day—care to play a prank or two on your kids? For those on spring break, it's a great time to head to the Discovery Cube in Orange County for Bubblefest, or check out the new Discovery Cube in the Valley while its introductory discount price is still in effect.

Weekday Event Picks for LA Kids: Egg Hunts, Camp, & Cinderella, March 23-27

Submitted by Jacqueline Stansbury on Mon, 03/23/2015 - 3:35am

Nothing gets me thinking about summer like the approach of spring break. With a little help from Mommy Poppins, a week or two can fly by. There is always so much to do in our fair city, and sometimes it’s nice to have kids home to take advantage of the bounty of life in Los Angeles. That said, sometimes it's nice to have spring break camp.

Whether you're doing a staycation, camp, or a combination of the two, this week holds plenty of options. If Cinderella, the movie, was a hit with your family, you may want to catch the musical at the Ahmanson. Malibu has Easter covered for all ages with daytime activities for the kids and a glow-in-the dark egg hunt at night for teens. Read on for more ways to enjoy the week.

Weekday Event Picks for LA Kids: Return of the Swallows & St. Pat March 16-20

Submitted by Jacqueline Stansbury on Mon, 03/16/2015 - 4:36am

While our parched region may be praying for more rain, it is pretty apparent that spring has sprung. The asparagus spears are tender; wildflowers bloom, St. Paddy’s Day is here, and Easter is on its way. Celebrate the season of life with egg hunting and nest building in San Juan Capistrano, where the cyclical return of the swallows (who build their nests in the building’s eaves) on St. Joseph’s Day is an annual miracle – and something to experience at least once. Then clean out your closet for SoCal’s largest consignment sale.

Weekday Event Picks for LA Kids: Free Art, Cowboys, & Comics, March 9-13

Submitted by Jacqueline Stansbury on Sun, 03/08/2015 - 10:10pm

The first thing to know about this week is that there are still three more days of half priced coffee to enjoy at Peet’s. Get caffeinated and get going through Wednesday, March 11. The Autry is free on Tuesday and is just across the street from Griffith Park. Start the day with some wild west history and then head outside to play cowboys on the pony rides. If our glorious weather continues, a trip to one of Sierra Madre’s hiking trails in the morning could conclude with some gentle reading time with an appreciative rescue dog at the library. End the week museum hopping in Pasadena. Free art and free transportation.

Highland Hall: A Unique Learning Experience for LA Kids

Submitted by Jacqueline Stansbury on Fri, 03/06/2015 - 10:47pm

Living in Los Angeles, there's no shortage of choices when it comes to educating our children. Even so, finding a school with a unique approach to teaching, inspiring, and mentoring students can get parents truly excited about their children's education. And that's just what happened to me after a recent tour of our sponsor, Highland Hall, the first Waldorf school in the western US for children in nursery through 12th grade.

At the heart of the Waldorf approach is the recognition that children pass through distinct stages of development, and that both the subject matter and the way it is taught need to be age-specific. The focus is to engage the whole child in the learning process, with the arts integrated into every subject, using movement, music, storytelling, and rhythm to bring the material to life and make learning a stress-free process. Nature also plays an important role in students' education.

Weekday Event Picks for LA Kids: Cheap Coffee, Free Pancakes, & Dr. Seuss, March 2-6

Submitted by Jacqueline Stansbury on Mon, 03/02/2015 - 3:03am

A new month is upon us, which means free days at museums and other venues this week. And if it’s Tuesday, it must be time for the free LEGO monthly model build. Eat well and do good with free pancakes at IHOP’s hospital fundraiser. Wash them down with a half priced cup of coffee from Peet’s, available any day after noon through March 11. And while there are several fun things to do listed here, don’t forget to check our event calendar for even more.

Birthday Parties for a Crowd: 10 Budget Party Ideas for the Whole Class

Submitted by Jacqueline Stansbury on Tue, 02/24/2015 - 5:02pm

When it comes to birthday parties, I am all for the spirit of inviting the whole class. There is no worse feeling than being excluded or not making the A list, and encouraging our kids to be inclusive is surely the right thing to do. However, public school class sizes being what they are, this can sometimes be an unmanageable proposition. And most of our kids have lots of other friends from other places, too, like pre-school or extracurricular activities. If you approach your child’s party with the good intention of inviting everybody, the guest list is likely to have at least 20-30 kids on it. So, if you don't have an acre of rolling lawn behind your family estate, how is this remotely feasible on a budget? We've got 10 great ideas that don't cost a bundle.

Weekday Event Picks for LA Kids: Engineering at the Discovery Cube & the Life Aquatic, February 23-27

Submitted by Jacqueline Stansbury on Mon, 02/23/2015 - 2:08am

A week designed for builders and creators of all ages, National Engineers Week is one event, but it's celebrated in two locations in the Southland. The Discovery Cube in Orange County and its newly opened sister branch in the San Fernando Valley both have many interactive activities aimed at young engineers and scientists, including the not-to-be-missed egg dropping contest. For those more interested in the natural world, there are two free aquarium opportunities in Santa Monica and Long Beach, and the one in Santa Monica comes with free food for our kids.