Raven Snook

Raven is a writer, editor, performer and mom, who was born and bred in NYC, just like her husband, her mother and now, her daughter. As a writer, she's contributed articles to New York Magazine, Time Out New York, The Village Voice, the New York Post, TV Guide, Better Homes and Gardens, iVillage, AOL TV and Moviefone, Parents.com, and worked as an in-house editor for ParentsConnect.com and TimeOutKids.com. As a performer, she's appeared on many downtown stages (sometimes even for pay!), a couple of obscure films and TV shows, and The Maury Povich Show as a female drag queen. She's also the founder of Hot Mama Burlesque, the world's only all-moms burlesque show. After being the NYC editor from March 2011-March 2015, she is now happy to just be a blogger as she pursues additional writing opportunities.

Latest posts by Raven Snook

Opting Out of the State Tests: The NYC DOE Issues New Opt-Out Guidelines for the ELA and Math Assessments

Submitted by Raven Snook on Sun, 03/30/2014 - 10:00am

Last year, when the New York State Education Department decided to overhaul the ELA and Math Assessments to be more in line with the Common Core standards, there was a huge outcry. Teachers and parents alike complained that students weren't adequately prepared for the tougher tests and some families decided to have their kids skip the exams all together even though the NYC Department of Education refused to officially acknowledge opting out. Now that has changed.

Less than a week before the ELA Assessments, which begin on Tuesday, Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña has updated the New York State Tests Parent Guide with opting out guidelines. So families who don't want their children to take the ELA or Math Assessments have a clear course of action. We've got the details on how to opt out and the implications it has for your child.

This Week: Easter Bunny Photos & Train Rides, Best Spring Museum Exhibits for NYC Kids, Hot Deals on Summer Camps

Submitted by Raven Snook on Thu, 03/27/2014 - 12:00pm

This last weekend of March we're all looking ahead to everything spring brings like Easter, the ELA tests (they're next week!), school break and a lot more time outdoors. While we're still in the process of updating our super-popular Easter egg hunts post (don't worry, it's coming next week), we did share the best places to take your photo with the Easter Bunny in NYC and New Jersey, as well as fun holiday-themed train rides with the big bunny.

Spring is also a great season for family culture, both high and low. We kicked off our coverage with a roundup of the best new museum exhibits for kids in NYC while our Los Angeles site has a great review of Muppets Most Wanted, which my daughter and I also loved. Be warned, once you read about all the awesome extras you get when you see it at Disney's El Capitan Theatre in LA, you may feel inspired to book your spring break vacation there.

And if your family's not quite ready to say goodbye to winter, we have a great giveaway going on for you: Enter to win a family four-pack of lift tickets to Killington Resort in Vermont.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

Deals on Summer Camps & Classes, Plus Discounts on a Kidrockers Concert and Kids' Magic Show

Submitted by Raven Snook on Sun, 03/23/2014 - 10:00am

Right about now, figuring out summer camp is at the top of most parents' minds. So we're happy to share some awesome deals on great NYC day camps like NYC is My Backyard, Wingspan Arts, the just-opened Brooklyn School of Rock and more.

Already have summer camp all planned out? (We're impressed!) We also have significant discounts on the upcoming Kidrockers concert and the family magic show The Amazing Max. If you see a bargain you can't pass up, act fast: Many of these deals will be gone before the first buds bloom.

This Week: Spring Break Travel Deals, Ethnic Food Experiences for NYC Kids, Little League, First Weekend of Spring Fun

Submitted by Raven Snook on Thu, 03/20/2014 - 4:00pm

The rain washed away the last of that ugly black snow and we took our Winter Guide down from our homepage. So I guess that makes it official: Spring is truly here! This weekend is full of great ways to celebrate the new season like the debut of Macy's Flower Show, the opening day of Queens' mini-amusement park Fantasy Forest and spring's first big movie release, Muppets Most Wanted (my daughter and I saw a preview last Saturday and thought it was a riot—it's all silly puns, goofy gags and celebrity cameos, plus a great Chorus Line parody).

If the upcoming school recess is on your mind, our Travel site has a great list of spring break getaway deals both near (Hudson Valley) and far (the Caribbean). Or check our regional sites for vacation ideas: Our New Jersey bloggers just wrote about farms with adorable baby animals and put all of their great small towns posts into a handy guide. Meanwhile our Connecticut site has a list of family road trip tips.

However you decide to spend the first weekend of spring, we hope you have a blast. Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

This Week: Amazing Weekend Events for NYC Kids, Easy School Fundraising Ideas, Focus on Carroll Gardens & Cobble Hill

Submitted by Raven Snook on Thu, 03/13/2014 - 1:00pm

Although we moved our clocks ahead back on Sunday, I still feel like I'm playing catch up (I've even had trouble getting my kid out of bed in the morning). But my daughter and I are loving the longer days, just look at that beautiful shot of Central Park at sunset, our view as we walk home from after-school.

We definitely want to get our energy up for this weekend, which is jam-packed with super-cool things to do including four of our top family event picks for all of March. Personally, we're planning to hit a Purim party, see the opening night of the new kids' musical Peace, Love and Cupcakes and maybe catch The Muppets sing-along at the New York International Children's Film Festival. It's definitely not a weekend to hang around at home!

Researching summer camps is also on our agenda. I whittled our possibilities down to eight (hey, I started at 30) using Mommy Poppins' new-and-improved Camp Directory. All of our regional sites have overhauled Camp Guides as well in case you want to see what kind of summer programs are offered in Westchester, Long Island, New Jersey and Connecticut.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week.

This Week: Free & Cheap Summer Camps, Best March Events for Kids in the Tri-State Area, Family Travel Ideas for Spring Break

Submitted by Raven Snook on Thu, 03/06/2014 - 12:00pm

Get out your family calendar: This week has been about planning ahead across all of our sites. Our carefully curated March Go Lists are up for NYC, New Jersey, Long Island, Westchester and beyond so you can find out the absolute best things to do with kids throughout the month.

If you're looking ahead to summer, we continued our overhaul of our Camp Guide by updating our free and cheap camps post, and highlighting all of the improvements to our Camp Directory, including the ability to leave reviews and ratings for the programs you love.

And if spring break is on your mind (it's coming up this month for private school students and in April for public school kids), you can find destination inspiration on our Travel site, in our NYC Family Getaways Guide and on all of our regional sites. Connecticut just wrote a post about the awesome Catamount Aerial Adventure Park and Rockwell Museum in Great Barrington, MA, Westchester has a list of the best things to do with kids in Mount Kisco and New Jersey has a wonderful series on great small towns worth discovering.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

Purim Parties for NYC Kids: Put on Your Costumes and Make Some Noise in Honor of the Festive Jewish Holiday

Submitted by Raven Snook on Sun, 03/02/2014 - 4:00pm

You don't have to be Jewish to enjoy Purim. Often called the Jewish Halloween, Purim is a super-fun holiday when kids can do some of their favorite things, like dress up, play games and eat treats.

Inspired by the great biblical tale of Queen Esther, who saved the Jews from annihilation by standing up to her husband's evil adviser Haman, Purim is celebrated by reading the Megillah (Esther's story), noshing on hamantaschen (triangular fruit-filled pastries meant to represent Haman's ears—gruesome but tasty) and rejoicing in a carnival-style atmosphere.

This year, Purim officially begins on the evening of Saturday, March 15 and ends at sundown the next day, but Jewish cultural institutions are marking the holiday both this weekend and next. So get your Halloween costumes out of the back of your closet and get ready to make some noise: Here are the top 10 Purim celebrations for New York City families.

Save Big on Scooby-Doo Live, Family Photo Sessions, Cool Classes, Kids' Pirate Show & More

Submitted by Raven Snook on Sun, 03/02/2014 - 10:00am

Our second set of winter deals includes cool indoor fun for kids like The Greatest Pirate Story Never Told! and Scooby-Doo Live. We've also got discounts on family photo sessions, coding summer camp, fencing classes and more. Don't wait to take advantage of these great bargains. Deals this good will be gone before spring arrives.