Roberta Brown

Editor-in-Chief

Years spent at Nickelodeon prepared Roberta to launch Mommy Poppins' Los Angeles branch in 2011, eventually becoming Mommy Poppins Editor-in-Chief in 2013. Previously she served as LA Editor for GoCityKids, National Editor for ParentsConnect, and Editor for NickMom—all of which works out well for her son, who has grown up serving as Chief Guinea Pig for all things fun in LA and beyond.

Latest posts by Roberta

Language Immersion and Bilingual Options in LA's Public Schools

Submitted by Roberta B on Thu, 08/30/2018 - 1:28pm

Bilingual Immersion Schools in the Los Angeles Area

There are a few things kids can do better than adults: cartwheels and crawling under beds, for example. And then there's learning languages. Kids have a huge capacity for learning languages that will never be as powerful and flexible later on as it is in the early years, and an increasing number of parents are taking advantage of that window by sending their kids to bilingual and dual immersion schools (and preschools). Southern Californian families are lucky to have an unusually wide variety of public school options to support raising bilingual kids. At a time when gifted programs, arts programs, and extracurricular classes have been cut from public school budgets at an alarming rate, parents can still seek out an extra enriching curriculum by choosing language immersion.

10+ Preschools with Last Minute Options for Westside Kids—No Waiting Lists!

Submitted by Roberta B on Sun, 08/19/2018 - 9:40pm

Preschool is no problem for this little guy.

Before we became parents, we may have thought this business of LA parents asking expectant mothers what preschools they'd applied to was a joke. Then we found out it's only kind of a joke; there really are parents who focus on preschool applications as soon as the contractions stop. Then there are the parents who are reading this post. There really are preschools that feed the frenzy with a waiting list that starts before a child can talk; and then there are the preschools that are in this post. Whether you've procrastinated, just moved to town, didn't get the acceptance letter you wanted, or just woke up one day and realized that your baby isn't a baby anymore, it's possible to figure out preschool at the last minute—even on the Westside of LA. You could try your luck for an opening at one of LA's newest preschools, but more likely you need to know about the great preschool options below that don't have extended waiting lists, and just might rescue your family at the very last minute.

Jury Duty: How Can an LA Parent Cope with Jury Duty and Kids?

Submitted by Roberta B on Sun, 08/12/2018 - 5:37pm

If you're a US citizen and a stay-at-home parent, you've probably experienced jury duty panic. We may like to imagine the day when we'll serve on a jury and become one of those all-important dozen people who hold together the fabric of our justice system, scrutinizing the facts and determining whether the glove fits, but our imaginations don't quite stretch to how we will do that and keep our kids fed, cared for, and driven to school at the same time. So how do we plan for the challenges of jury duty?

Harry Potter Heaven: Warner Brothers Studio Tour Is a London Must

Submitted by Roberta B on Sat, 08/04/2018 - 1:00pm

Most American Potter fans know that Universal Studios has created a little piece of Hogwarts heaven in two locations—The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Hollywood and at Universal Studios Orlando—but it should come as no surprise that the true center of the Potter universe is in London, England, where all of Harry’s adventures began. Apart from all of the real life British places a muggle might want to snap a photo (e.g. Kings Cross Station for platform 9 3/4, which British Rail good naturedly erected a few years back), the true wizard Mecca is Warner Brothers Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter, housed at the film studio that was Harry's world for the decade or so that the films were in production. Fans of wizardry and magic can walk in the very footsteps of their heroes at the Warner Bros Tour.

Pop-Up Candy Museum Candytopia Coming to NYC This August

Submitted by Roberta B on Fri, 07/20/2018 - 10:00am

Candytopia is coming to NYC, bringing fun, candy, and photo ops.

Willy Wonka fans, get excited: Candytopia, the interactive pop-up museum of candy, is coming to NYC's Penn Plaza August 15, and tickets are now on sale.

July GoList: Best Things To Do with LA and OC Kids this Month

Submitted by Roberta B on Sat, 06/30/2018 - 5:50am

Summer has crept in under cover of June Gloom, and there are so many ways to enjoy it, in town or on the road. Already free summer concerts are rockin'; free summer movies are rolling, and great beaches are beckoning. Read on for the best of July in LA, Ventura, and Orange County. We'll keep adding to our events calendar daily, of course, and sending our weekly newsletter in time for each weekend, but here's your chance to plan ahead for a dozen July favorites.

Fireworks! 46 Different 4th of July Displays in Los Angeles & Orange County

Submitted by Roberta B on Fri, 06/22/2018 - 10:00am

Watch a baseball game and the fireworks at Dodger Stadium. Photo courtesy of the Los Angeles Dodgers

Who's ready for some rockets' red glare? LA and Orange County's many communities compete for sky space on July 4th, launching fireworks willy-nilly at the stroke of 9pm. From the mountains, to the valleys, to the ocean, Angelenos have plenty of directions to look on Independence Day. Whether your plan is to book a fireworks cruise, to lay a blanket in a park, or to close all the windows and try not to wake the baby, it helps to know where those firecrackers are being aimed. Below is a list of locations lighting up the night sky on the 4th of July (plus one or two on June 30). We'll keep adding more right up to the day!

Cabo with Kids! All Inclusive Decadence at Mexico's Grand Velas Resort Los Cabos

Submitted by Roberta B on Sat, 06/16/2018 - 1:24pm

Sometimes as parents we're happy to plan the family vacation around theme parks and cartoon characters; other times we want to be pampered like a real princess, not a Disney princess. A vacation that provides grown-up decadence and luxury with fun and entertainment for kids (including time supervised by someone else)—that is the ultimate family getaway. And that is what we found in Los Cabos at Grand Velas' new seaside resort.