Pam Hegner

Pam has worked as a tv producer/writer at the local and national level for over 15 years. Covering events such as the World Series and Final Four fulfilled childhood dreams; as was taking a break from her career to stay home and raise her young son. She is a proud graduate of the Indiana University School of Journalism in Bloomington, Indiana. A long-time city dweller, (Atlanta and NYC) Pam now adores her home in central CT. She loves blogging about the beauty and culture the Nutmeg State offers for families.
You can also follow Pam on Google+.

Latest posts by Pam

Mostly Free and Fun Things to do in CT with Kids This Weekend September 21-22: Envisionfest, Peace Day, Fairs and Festivals

Submitted by Pam Hegner on Thu, 09/19/2013 - 9:19am

Beautiful Litchfield County is a tourist's dream during autumn. Yankee Magazine selected Kent as the top foliage town in New England last year. I live in the county next door to Litchfield, and I was surprised to hear that so many of my neighbors have never visited!

If you would like to check it out for the first time or a repeat trip, you'll want to read our post on 13 Fun Things to do With Kids in Litchfield County This Fall. For those in Hartford County we've rounded up some great Fall Festivals and Fairs. With all of this talk about Fall we'd be remiss if we didn't mention our Halloween and Fall Fun Guide too!

I took my family apple picking last weekend and it was our unofficial kickoff to fall. Nothing tastes quite like a freshly picked apple. Confused as to where to go? Consult our Apple Picking Guide for plenty of ideas. And to plan ahead for a month full of activities, check out our September Go List .

Our events calendar is always updated with the latest happenings, and here are suggestions for this weekend!

Mostly Free and Fun Things to do in CT with Kids This Weekend August 24-25: Fairs, Festivals, Hikes and Woofstock

Submitted by Pam Hegner on Wed, 08/21/2013 - 11:51am

For many Nutmeggers, this is the last weekend of summer before school starts. If you would like to cram in as much fun as possible, but need to get errands done, we are here to help. Tax-free week ends Saturday, and our guide of Back to School Shopping in Fairfield County and Eastern Connecticut provides some ideas. I'm always searching for new nourishment for my son's "surprise plates" so I'm going to check out our post on Food Shopping for After School Snacks in Fairfield County.

To celebrate, Mommy Poppins is having a Back to School Swagapalooza Giveaway. Prizes include Two Schwinn Kids Bikes, $150 worth of personalized school supplies from My Chronical Books, A Disney Junior package that includes Disney bedding and a backpack, $100 off at Famous Footwear, and A Years Supply of French Toast School Uniforms. But before we get in full school mode, let's enjoy some activities this weekend. Our suggestions on things to do are below. You can find additional options in our Event Calendar and our guides to CT Beaches and Water Fun, Swimming Holes in Hartford County, Best Playgrounds with Water Play and Splash Pads in Eastern CT, CT Day Trips and Indoor Play Guide. Our CT Go List of ideas is a monthly round up to help you plan ahead for the remainder of August.

Mostly Free and Fun Things to do in CT with Kids This Weekend August 10-11: Jazz, Jewish and Italian Festivals, Water Ski Show

Submitted by Pam Hegner on Wed, 08/07/2013 - 5:43pm

The world-renowned Litchfield Jazz Festival highlights the weekend slate, and Mommy Poppins CT is proud to be involved! We are sponsoring the Kids Zone at this year's Litchfield Jazz Festival in Goshen on Saturday and Sunday. There will be a mural artist, magician, hoop dancers, stilt walkers and a circus act. Lots of interactive things for the kids to do as well. Come out and join us! Kids 12 and under are free.

Our suggestions on things to do this weekend are below. You can find additional options in our Event Calendar and our guides to CT Beaches and Water Fun, Swimming Holes in Hartford County, CT Day Trips and Indoor Play Guide. Our CT Go List of activities is a monthly round up to help you plan ahead for the remainder of August.

Mostly Free and Fun Things to do in CT with Kids This Weekend July 27-28: Family Hikes, Fair Days, Festivals & Super Heroes

Submitted by Pam Hegner on Wed, 07/24/2013 - 12:05pm

Between vacation, camp and day trips, summer can burn a hole in the pocket. Not to mention the daunting electricity bill from running the A/C constantly. We have over a month left before school starts, and if you still want to have adventures that won't break the bank, check out Ten Free Family Activities in New Haven County and Free Events and Activities in Southern CT This Summer.

There are some wonderful free, family hikes this weekend including Giant Adventure at Sleeping Giant State Park in Hamden, Salter's Pond Adventure in Manchester and the Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center. CT has 618 miles of coastline, and Our CT Beach and Water Guide will simplify that search on where to go.

Mostly Free and Fun Things to do in CT with Kids This Weekend July 13-14: Blueberry Picking, Fireworks, Sailfest and Live Music

Submitted by Pam Hegner on Thu, 07/11/2013 - 5:56am

When school is out during the summer, it is a good time to educate your children about the importance of supporting local farms. Our food travels an average distance of 1500 miles to reach our grocery stores, and that is a lot of gas used by trucks and airplanes. Plus, produce loses nutrients the longer it sits after harvesting. Blueberry season is here, so get out and enhance your family's health and the local economy! We make it easy for you with our guide on Blueberry Picking in CT: Pick Your Own Farms. This weekend you can still see fireworks during Sailfest and also at Lime Rock Park. There are lots of festivals throughout the state as well.

Mostly Free and Fun Things to do in CT with Kids This Weekend June 29-30: Festivals, Fireworks, Italian Feasts and Berry Picking

Submitted by Pam Hegner on Wed, 06/26/2013 - 3:55pm

My son just got out of school this week, so it feels like our summer weekends are numbered! I want to cram everything in, but often get overwhelmed on how to narrow down the fun activities available in our state.

Mommy Poppins CT is here to simplify your summer plans. Our Connecticut Beaches and Water Fun Guide and Water Fun guide in Hartford County will keep you cool on hot days. We've also researched Carnivals, Fairs and Festivals in Litchfield County, Fairfield County and Eastern CT. You may find some fresh ideas, especially in the beautiful and less-traveled quiet corners. Independence Day is next week and the 4th of July fireworks start this weekend. Check out our list of Fourth of July Fireworks Celebrations in Connecticut.

Mostly Free and Fun Things to do in CT with Kids This Weekend: June 1-2: Trails Day, Fire Safety, Trucks and Teddy Bears

Submitted by Pam Hegner on Wed, 05/29/2013 - 12:31pm

If you are like me, you don't carry around a laptop when out for a day of fun with the family. I rely on my phone for everything, so when I heard The Mommy Poppins App is coming, I got really excited! The Mommy Poppins App will allow you to use your phone to find all the resources we write about online — places to jump, dance, create, learn, shop, eat and more.

Creating an app is very time consuming and costly, and we've been working on it for months. We are on track to debut in June, but we're hoping you can help make it happen. We've got some great incentives if you do, so please check out The Mommy Poppins App today.

It's going to be hot the next few days so you might want to check out our CT Summer Beach and Water Fun Guide. Did you know that CT has over 600 miles of coastline? Beaches aren't the only place to have water fun. There are plenty of water parks, lakes and rivers to splash around in too!

Mostly Free and Fun Things To Do With Kids This Weekend May 18-19: Farms, Festivals, Wheel Fun Day and Outdoor Art

Submitted by Pam Hegner on Wed, 05/15/2013 - 9:06am

One of the things I love about living in Connecticut is that I can be in downtown Hartford in ten minutes, and If I drive ten minutes in the other direction, I can be on a rural, working farm that feels like I'm far away from any hustle and bustle.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, CT has nearly 5,000 farms. They are wonderful places to show your children where our food comes from, and why local agriculture is crucial to the environment and the economy. If you would like to get out and see for yourself, check out our post on Where to See Baby Farm Animals in Fairfield County.