Jody Mercier

When asked to illustrate her dream job as a first grader, Jody drew a picture of a mom with one kid on each hip and another clinging to her leg. All these years later, that is her reality, raising three kids in New York City. Since that gig only pays in hugs and kisses, she has spent her professional career as a journalist covering health, fitness, sports, and parenting topics. She's currently the regional editor overseeing the Mommy Poppins NYC, New Jersey, Long Island, and Westchester sites and can be reached at jody@mommypoppins.com.

Latest posts by Jody Mercier

February GoList: Best Things To Do With NYC Kids

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Sun, 01/26/2020 - 4:12pm

Get your calendars ready! Here are the top 15 things to do with NYC kids this February, plus 10 more great events happening this month.

Even though it's the shortest month, there are still plenty of awesome family activities in NYC. Our February GoList includes annual favorites such as Chinatown's Lunar New Year Parade, the activity-filled Intrepid Kids Week during the public school midwinter break, and the city's most prominent movie fest for families: the New York International Children's Film Festival. Of course, there are some brand-new, exceptional shows, concerts, and other extraordinary experiences for kids of all ages. We made sure to highlight a range of options, whether you have toddlers, elementary schoolers, or older kids.

16 Epic Kid-Friendly Openings Coming to NYC in 2020

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Thu, 01/16/2020 - 4:00pm

Improve your Spinjitsu skils at Lego Ninjago World. Photo courtesy of Legoland New York

So far this month, we've ushered in a new decade, taken a ride on an interactive art installation, and celebrated the news a Harry Potter megastore opens this summer. City kids have it pretty good but dare we say, the best is yet to come. Our 2020 calendar is already packed with epic kid-friendly openings.

We've scoured the five boroughs to pull together this list of the most anticipated kid-friendly fun on the horizon, and there's something for everyone. We're psyched to celebrate the 150th anniversary of two of our favorite museums and are excitedly anticipating new thrills at Coney Island's Luna Park. We're dreaming of hot summer days and cooling off at a sprawling new splash pad, and killing time until then by twirling on a sky-high ice rink that's already open.

Here are 16 can't-miss openings, premieres, celebrations, and must-do activities for New York City kids this year.

Harry Potter Store Set to Debut in Summer 2020

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Mon, 01/13/2020 - 4:04pm

Get ready muggles: The largest collection of Wizarding World products in the world is coming to Flatiron this summer. Rendering courtesy of Warner Bros. Wizarding World

Raise your glasses of butterbeer in celebration: A brand new Harry Potter store is coming to New York City. The shop, which promises to house the world's largest collection of Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts products under one roof, opens in the heart of the Flatiron District this summer.

While New York has seen its share of Harry Potter pop-ups, from the huge History of Magic exhibition at the New-York Historical Society to a fun coffee shop in the East Village, the new Harry Potter store is here to stay.

Giant Seesaws Invade Two NYC Neighborhoods

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Wed, 01/08/2020 - 10:12am

As visitors put Impulse's giant seesaws into motion, they radiate light and emit musical elements. Photo by Alexandre Ayer

It's no secret New York City is our favorite playground. Always on the hunt for a cool place to play, we were thrilled to visit Impulse, a public art installation that brings giant seesaws to the Garment District and to hear about a second similar installation entitled Wave-Field at the South Street Seaport.

These innovative installations give New Yorkers young and old a pair of unexpected new playgrounds in the heart of the city. Read on for details and plan your outing whether you live uptown or downtown. But hurry: Both displays are here for a limited run.

15 Best New Kid-Friendly NYC Destinations of 2019

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Tue, 12/24/2019 - 1:30pm

Camp is now in Brooklyn at Citypoint. Photo by Ros Muggeridge

It's prime season for end-of-year "best of" lists, and at Mommy Poppins, we love a good year-end roundup too. So we've searched our archives and scrolled through our Instagram feed to bring you this list of the best kid-friendly openings in NYC in 2019. From the debut of an entirely new neighborhood and shopping hotbed to some long awaited and highly anticipated openings, it's been quite a year for city kids. We've seen some classic destinations get upgrades and made some new friends along the way.

Without further ado, here is our list of the 15 best kid-friendly destinations that opened (or re-opened!) in 2019 in New York City.

7 Things to Love About NYC's National Museum of Mathematics

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Thu, 12/19/2019 - 9:29am

MoMath is wall-to-wall with interactive STEM activities kids really enjoy.

My kids are usually game for adventure. They've trotted all over the five boroughs to help me review a range of museums, playgrounds, and play spaces. So I was a bit surprised when they protested an outing to the National Museum of Mathematics, a.k.a. MoMath. Math is boring, they exclaimed.

What was much less surprising: Their reaction after actually spending an afternoon at MoMath, one of the best STEM spots in NYC. I believe my 6-year-old's exact words were, "That's the best museum! When can we go back?" Read on for seven reasons to love the National Museum of Mathematics, and plan your own fun-filled (and educational!) outing.

Radio City Music Hall: Five Reasons to Visit (and Love) the Classic NYC Theater

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Fri, 12/13/2019 - 11:50am

Radio City Music Hall in Midtown NYC has a timeless appeal and a packed calendar of kid-friendly entertainment.

Few things are as quintessentially holidays in New York City as the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, starring the Rockettes (and live camels!). While the leggy precision dancers clad in Swarovski crystal leotards are scene-stealers, perhaps the biggest star of the show is the grand old dame of a theater that serves as its home base. Whether you're in town for only a short time, or making your annual trek to the Spectacular, here are five things to love about Radio City Music Hall in Rockefeller Center, and why the art deco masterpiece is worth a visit well beyond Christmastime.

10 Tips for Visiting NYC From Local Parents

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Fri, 12/06/2019 - 10:19am

Central Park offers a respite from the busy streets of Manhattan.

New York City makes a magical vacation spot for families year round. From its world-class cultural institutions to the bright lights of Broadway, towering skyscrapers, history-steeped, old cobblestone streets, and well-known landmarks, there's plenty to entertain your family whether you're here for a day, a week...or even longer.

While a vacation in the concrete jungle can be an action-packed experience, it can also be a challenge. Read on for our parent-tested tips to make a New York City family vacation one to remember.