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

This Week: Best March Events for NYC Kids, Summer Camp Directory, Drop-in NYC Play Spaces, St. Patrick's Day Celebrations

Submitted by Raven Snook on Thu, 02/27/2014 - 4:00pm

March arrives this weekend and there are lots of cool things to look forward to throughout the month, including the (alleged) coming of spring. But since it feels like winter right now, we're continuing to update posts in our Inside Activity Guide, like our comprehensive roundups of drop-in indoor play spaces in Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn.

Skipping ahead to summer, camp seems to be all anyone is talking about (I made the mistake of trying to involve my eight-year-old in the camp choosing process this year—it's taking forever!). If you're still figuring it out, too, our Camp Guide is here to make your life easier. We just relaunched our new and greatly improved camp directory, where you can browse programs by type (arts, sports, sleepaway, etc.), location and age range. It really helps you sort through all of the amazing options out there. Find a camp that piques your interest? Be sure to check our lists of camp open houses in NYC, Westchester, New Jersey and on Long Island—meeting the directors and seeing the programs in action is quite informative.

And a few other posts from across our sites that may be of interest to NYC folk: Our LA site has a lovely review of the Oscar-nominated animated family film Ernest & Celestine, which happens to be one of the offerings at this year's New York International Children's Film Festival that starts next weekend. Long Island has a roundup of awesome museum sleepover that are a lot less pricey than their NYC counterparts. And New Jersey has a post on dine-in movie theaters—the Dunellen Cinema Cafe, which is about an hour by car from midtown Manhattan, looks particularly spectacular.

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

This Week: NYC Winter Family Day Trips, Maple Sugaring Outings, New Summer Camps for NYC Kids, Last-chance February Break Fun

Submitted by Raven Snook on Thu, 02/20/2014 - 12:00pm

From a blogging standpoint it's been a quiet week on Mommy Poppins. But personally we've all been super-busy spending quality time with our kids over February break. My daughter and I took advantage of the winter season by going sledding and ice-skating, kind of like our own much-less-graceful version of the Winter Olympics. Next up: A few museum outings, a second viewing of the awesome Lego Movie (our Boston site has a great review of the flick) and wonderful weekend fun like a screening of West Side Story introduced by Oscar-winning star Rita Moreno (I'm going to have to stop myself from screaming her Electric Company catchphrase, "HEY YOU GUYS!" And we may even try one or two of the WeeWork projects we've been posting. I am pathetically challenged when it comes to crafts, but my creative eight-year-old has promised to hold my hand to help me through.

With four more days of midwinter break to go, there's plenty of time to take a family day trip. Maple sugaring season has arrived and we have roundups of tri-state area spots where you can see how the sweet stuff is made in Westchester and upstate NY, New Jersey and on Long Island. Our Westchester site also has a list of 40 things to do with kids in the quaint Rivertowns that dot the eastern shore of the Hudson River, all accessible via public transportation. Or enjoy a multiday getaway in winter hot spot Lake Placid, NY, which offers a wide variety of cool seasonal activities like skiing, snowboarding and a toboggan chute.

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

Weekend Fun for NYC Kids: BAMkids Film Festival, Culinary Kids Food Festival, Grammy Winning Family Rockers February 22-23

Submitted by Raven Snook on Wed, 02/19/2014 - 12:00pm

February break ends with a bang (and no blizzard!) with a weekend jam-packed with cool family fun. Catch international family flicks at the annual BAMkids Film Festival, check out new illuminated public art in Madison Square Park or rock out to Grammy winners The Okee Dokee Brothers at Symphony Space.

Are your kids more into hands-on activities? Families can make their own 3D tunnel books at the Center for Architecture, solder circuits at the Sony Wonder Technology Lab, and enjoy interactive cooking and nature fun at the New York Botanical Garden. If you're looking for a day trip, maple sugaring season has arrived and there are lots of nearby spots where you can taste the sweet stuff right from the tree.

Those are just a few of the great things going on this weekend. All of our best bets are below. You can find lots of other options in our Event Calendar and our Winter Fun Guide. Before heading out on your adventures, be sure to download our FREE Mommy Poppins Kids on the Go app so you can find the best family destinations wherever you happen to be in NYC.

This Week, February Break Fun, Free Indoor Places to Go with NYC Kids, Last-Minute Midwinter Break Travel Deals

Submitted by Raven Snook on Thu, 02/13/2014 - 12:30pm

The Presidents' Day holiday weekend and midwinter break are the big to-dos across all of our sites. Here in NYC, we rounded up 30 things to do over February break and inexpensive but enriching vacation camps, plus our Winter Fun Guide is packed with lots of other awesome options. If you're looking to get away for a day or two, our regional sites have posts about the best things to do over break in New Jersey, Long Island and Westchester.

Does this never-ending winter have you dreaming of cozier (or at least less snowy) climes? Our Travel site has a list of last-minute midwinter break deals, including three in Florida that are looking pretty tempting right about now. That's assuming you can get a flight out, but perhaps the fantasy is enough to keep you warm.

If you find yourself stuck at home during part of the break, our fun and easy WeeWork projects are great boredom busters. In fact, if you do any of our WeeWork activities, snap a pic, share it on social media and you just may win tickets to Baby Loves Disco. Get all the details on our giveaway page.

Whatever you do over midwinter recess, we hope you have fun, and stay safe and warm! Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

This Week: Affordable February Break Camps, DIY Winter Olympics Party, Best February Kids' Events in the Tri-State Area

Submitted by Raven Snook on Thu, 02/06/2014 - 4:00pm

This post contains no references to snow, sleet, slush or ice. That's our promise to you on yet another freezing winter's day! Instead, we'll warm you up (figuratively speaking) by linking to the hottest family events this February in NYC, Westchester, New Jersey, Long Island, Connecticut and beyond.

The February midwinter break is coming up quick for NYC public school students, so we rounded up 10 inexpensive camps in case you're in need of child care. Got the week off? Our NYC Day Trip Guide features lots of wonderful local getaways for families and our Winter Guide is chock-full of seasonal activities, from ice-skating, sledding, skiing and snow tubing (sorry—we broke our promise and mentioned snow), plus cool kids' culture like the best theater shows and museum exhibits.

Another great thing to do over midwinter recess? Try some of our fun and easy WeeWork projects. In fact, it just might win you tickets to Baby Loves Disco. Every week from now through April 11, we're giving away a family four-pack to this family dance party. All you need to do is share a photo of a completed WeeWork project on social media. Get all the details on our giveaway page.

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

This Week: Best February Events for NYC Kids, Snow Tubing Near NYC, Cool Winter Film Festivals & Concerts

Submitted by Raven Snook on Thu, 01/30/2014 - 12:00pm

February kicks off with a bang, literally, with the firecracker-filled Lunar New Year Parade in Chinatown, one of our picks for the best things to do with kids in NYC this month. Even though it's the shortest month, we still found plenty of awesome fun for families in February, including cool events for the upcoming midwinter break and the annual BAMkids Film Festival.

For the first time ever, Super Bowl Sunday and Groundhog Day will coincide, and I admit, my family is way more interested in whether Staten Island Chuck sees his shadow than who wins the big game. Regardless of the rodent's weather prediction, we suspect that winter isn't going to end anytime soon. The upside: We see more sledding, skiing and snow tubing in our future.

If you need a fantasy escape from the polar vortex, check out our post about Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas on our Travel site. Just clicking through all the sunny photos should give you a blast of warmth, and perhaps inspire your next vacation. Looking for fun closer to home? Enter to win four tickets to family dance party Baby Loves Disco—there's even a special Valentine's Day edition coming up.

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

Best NYC Kids' Concerts for Winter 2014: 12 Live Rockin' Music Shows

Submitted by Raven Snook on Tue, 01/28/2014 - 1:00pm

So far this month, we've told you about the best museum exhibits for kids, family theater shows and children's film festivals happening this winter. Now we wrap up our winter culture coverage with a list of the top 12 kids' concerts this season.

It's quite an eclectic roundup for music fans of all ages, even grown-ups. Preschoolers can get their sillies out grooving to interactive kindie rock groups like the Dirty Sock Funtime Band, and David Weinstone and the Music for Aardvarks Band. Older kids can learn about jazz great Dave Brubek and enjoy the offbeat Songs for Unusual Creatures. Meanwhile parents can take a nostalgia trip courtesy of a Rockapella reunion (of Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego fame), and Macaulay "Home Alone" Culkin's pizza-themed Velvet Underground cover band (no, I didn't make that up—I only wish I were that creative). Here are a dozen cool concerts to catch with kids this winter.

This Week: Best Winter Theater for NYC Kids, Winter Travel Deals, Super Bowl Fun for Families, A Full Week of WeeWork Posts

Submitted by Raven Snook on Thu, 01/23/2014 - 4:00pm

It seems like all anyone can talk about this week is the blizzard and the cold, but after all, it is the dead of winter in NYC. And not everything about it is bad. The freezing season brings snow days (though not this week for New York City public schools, which sparked much controversy not to mention a brief tantrum from my eight-year-old). Plus sledding, skiing, great winter travel deals, and crazy hats and headgear, like the horse head in the pic. (I couldn't help but sing the Mister Ed theme when I saw that kid... I don't think he or my daughter had any idea what I was doing.)

There are also plenty of great indoor activities to check out this season. This week we rounded up the best family theater shows opening this winter, profiled a Queens restaurant with a playroom and published our first full week of WeeWork activity posts so you can enjoy family fun without having to leave your home—a nice option when it's in the single digits!

We also have a great giveaway going this week: Enter to win a family four-pack to Sesame Street Live Elmo Makes Music at the Theater at Madison Square Garden. Even if you don't snag the prize, we've got an exclusive discount code so you can save 25% on tickets to select performances. All the info you need is right here.

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