Laurie R

Laurie Rein is thrilled to have made a career of digging up activities (especially free ones!) for her twin daughters. Prior to working with Mommy Poppins NJ, Laurie wore many hats in the television industry including gigs as an NBC page, NBC copywriter, affiliate liaison for The Rosie O'Donnell Show and research manager for CBS. She is currently the Events Editor for Mommy Poppins NJ and can be reached at njevents@mommypoppins.com

Latest posts by Laurie

Things To Do in New Jersey This Weekend With Kids: Alpacas, Jack-o'-Lanterns, Harvest Weekend

Submitted by Laurie Rein on Wed, 09/23/2020 - 4:32pm

Meet the sweet alpacas at Swallow Hill Farms Alpaca Open House. Photo courtesy of the farm

It's the first official weekend of fall, and no matter whether you choose to spend it with cute alpacas, colorful pumpkins, or spooky jack o' lanterns, there's autumnal fun for everyone. So hop on a fall train and explore all those long-awaited seasonal activities with this fresh crop of even picks.

Be sure to click through to the individual websites for social distancing and reservation guidelines and bookmark our Event Calendar for daily updates on reopenings at our favorite family-friendly spots, plus additional exciting live events.

If you're looking for extracurricular activities, our Back-to-School Fair is still going; catch the last few FREE demo classes this week, including sessions from Atlantic Acting and Coucou French. We've also rounded up some cool in-person classes and enrichment centers offering remote learning support.

Things To Do in Boston This Weekend: Lanterns, Scarecrows, Tide Pools

Submitted by Laurie Rein on Wed, 09/23/2020 - 11:00am

Boston Lights at the Franklin Park Zoo is now open on a nightly basis. Photo courtesy of Zoo New England

Let there be light! Due to popular demand, the colorful, animal-shaped lantern sculptures at the Franklin Park Zoo will be illuminated on a nightly basis starting this week. In this first official week of fall, Boston families can also create a tide pool, enter a scarecrow contest, or grab one last chance to see dinosaurs "roaming" Gillette Stadium. Read on, because we've rounded up more top events happening this week and beyond in the Boston area—most in person!

Looking for even more seasonal fun? It's high time to go apple picking, get lost in a corn maze, or visit animals or sample cider at a Massachusetts farm. Just remember to bring your mask and practice social distancing. If more enriching activities are what you're after, our Back-to-School Fair is still going on; catch the last few free demo classes this week, including Atlantic Acting and Coucou French. As always, keep tabs on our Boston events calendar for daily updates on reopenings at favorite spots, and more local and virtual opportunities for family fun.

In-Person Classes Enrolling New Jersey Kids For Fall 2020

Submitted by Laurie Rein on Thu, 09/10/2020 - 3:01pm

Take a class on the Genius Gems Terrace. Photo courtesy of Genius Gems

While remote learning plays a key role in the curriculum of many New Jersey schools this fall, in-person extracurricular activities can provide much-needed socializing and screen breaks for housebound students. Kids of all ages can burn energy in athletic classes, explore their creativity in art workshops, and expand their learning in technology classes. We've rounded up nearly two dozen in-person classes for New Jersey kids this fall. Some are classes in the great outdoors, while others take place indoors with social distancing guidelines in place. If you need more support during virtual school hours, be sure to see our roundup of centers offering remote learning support in-person and homework help this fall.

Check out these diverse fall class options, and find more extracurricular opportunities in our online Back-to-School Fair or our Guide to Classes for New Jersey Kids.

Fun Outdoor Classes for Kids in New Jersey

Submitted by Laurie Rein on Fri, 08/07/2020 - 12:33pm

Enjoy outdoor art-making at the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey.

While indoor learning options are a bit limited for NJ kids during the ongoing pandemic, many creative organizations are turning the great outdoors into a classroom. We've found a number of classes for kids, as well as workshops and storytimes, taking place in NJ parks and other outdoor areas that offer fresh air and easy social distancing. Kids of all ages can saddle up, have farm fun, rock out, or hit a hole in one, all in the Garden State's outdoor settings.

If you're looking for more ways to spend time outside, visit New Jersey mini golf courses, zoos, swimming lakes, and sunflower farms. Find online classes and more virtual entertainment options in our Poppins@Home platform.

Free Online Classes For Kids: Science, Art, Fitness, and More Free Enrichment

Submitted by Laurie Rein on Sun, 07/19/2020 - 2:33pm

Finding the bright side of 2020 may feel challenging some days, but the variety of free classes and enrichment opportunities available to kids online is definitely a win. In a year when summer slide feels like it started in March, it's great to be able to learn from institutions normally out of reach. Kids can get crafty in art classes at New York's MCNY X Project Kid, whip up recipes in cooking class at Fresh Bites for Kids, learn marine biology at Santa Monica's Heal the Bay Aquarium, or write music with Nashville's Country Music Hall of Fame.

There are plenty more free science, art, dance, technology, and cooking classes below. For more options to enrich the long days of summer, check out the free and low-cost classes on Poppins@Home, our Giant List of Top Virtual Summer Camps, 20+ Free Online Summer Camps, or How to Make Summer Camp at Home Fun.

Super-Fun Day Trips in New Jersey for Families

Submitted by Laurie Rein on Fri, 06/12/2020 - 12:00pm

Beach day trips near NJ's shore are always popular with kids! Photo courtesy of Wildwoods Tourism

After months of staying cooped up in the house, it's time to hit the road and explore all New Jersey has to offer this summer. Due to the pandemic and statewide closings, road trip options are a bit more limited than prior seasons, but there are still plenty of fun day trips in New Jersey. NJ state parks are open for hiking and biking. Most of New Jersey's beaches are open with social distancing guidelines. Brand-new drive-through activities offer unique opportunities for family day trips in New Jersey, too.

Need more inspiration? Check out our Summer Fun Guide for NJ Kids for even more NJ day trips.

New Jersey Reopening Phase 1: What's Open and What's Closed in NJ Now

Submitted by Laurie Rein on Sat, 05/23/2020 - 1:58am

Six Flags Wild Safari Drive-Thru Adventure returns starting May 30 from the comfort of your own car! Photo courtesy of Six Flags

New Jerseyans who are itching to get to the the beach this weekend after months of lockdown have something to look forward to. On Monday, Governor Murphy announced the next reopening stage of the five stage "road back" reopening plan for our state, explaining which restrictions will be lifted and which businesses can reopen, with key safety guidelines. New Jersey has entered Stage 1 (after Stage 0 of maximum restrictions) which allows relaxed restrictions on low-risk activities if appropriately safeguarded.

Beginning Friday, May 22, New Jersey beaches and lakes can reopen. Plus, outdoor activities like batting cages, golf ranges, and horseback riding facilities are set to remove restrictions. After two months of non-stop Coronavirus news, only seeing each other in car parades and 8pm howls, giving our kids quarantine haircuts and virtual birthday parties, we finally have the beginnings of a plan to get out and enjoy the Garden State's natural beauty.

Shop Local to Support Small Businesses in New Jersey

Submitted by Laurie Rein on Tue, 05/12/2020 - 4:30pm

The artists at Messy Artist have put together on-the-go kits to bring art projects and supplies home! Photo courtesy of the shop

With the economic crisis surrounding the pandemic, local businesses are looking for new ways to reinvent themselves and stay afloat during quarantine. Restaurants, small markets and toy stores have become accustomed to serving customers curbside, as well as offering local delivery. Other businesses, such as pharmacies, craft stores and clothing shops have used their creativity to think outside the box and serve their customers safely. Some food establishments have put together DIY food kits as a spin on take out, while still offering ready-made meals to go. Craft stores are now packaging kits to bring home to restless children. Many of these local businesses give back to the community with donations of goods and services to frontline workers.

Help support businesses in your area by continuing to purchase their products, consider buying gift cards for future use as well, and order directly through local restaurants, rather than a third-party delivery service, to help keep all of the profits with the company.

Read on for a sampling of local businesses throughout New Jersey that would appreciate your patronage. Be sure to check out all all kinds of businesses in your town.

And while you're showing your support for the businesses you love, we hope you'll count Mommy Poppins and our small business partners among them. You can support Mommy Poppins by sharing articles you find useful with friends or on your social media channels, checking out our directory of virtual classes, camps and birthday parties and telling businesses you found them through Mommy Poppins. Also, as part of our effort to keep our local parent writers and this website afloat and support some of our favorite family businesses, we've created Poppins@Home, a platform for small businesses to share free and low-cost online classes and birthday parties with kids all over the country. Please consider trying a few of these fun, affordable, and creative classes—and spreading the word among your friends—as yet another way to support, uplift, and get through these challenging times together! And for hundreds of fun ideas during quarantine, browse our Stay-at-Home Guide.