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

Mostly Free Valentine's Day Activities: Cards, Crafts, and Things To Do

Submitted by Roberta B on Fri, 02/03/2017 - 7:55pm

Valentine's Day is always on February 14, and yet somehow it seems to sneak up on our family each year in plain view, taking us by slow motion surprise. For weeks we've known that we need to come up with Valentine's Day cards for every kid in the class (and we all know what's happened to class sizes). Putting two and two together to make 27 construction paper hearts, though, always proves harder than we think. To avoid a late-night glue stick session on February 13, or a last minute defeated run to Target for a package of Dora and Diego cards, we have assembled a list of events to get help and inspiration for Valentine's Day card craft projects—before February 14. And the photo above? It speaks for itself.

Groundhog Day: Where To Find Groundhogs (and Their Shadows) with LA Kids

Submitted by Roberta B on Thu, 01/26/2017 - 10:51am

The simple truth is that we Southern Californians are less inclined to seek out rodents to predict the weather than are our Eastern counterparts. The weather doesn't hold the same mystery for us as it does for, say, New Englanders. But that doesn't mean we have to be left out in the cold on Groundhog Day. After all, who can resist the fun of an entire holiday dedicated to ambushing a small, furry animal first thing in the morning and scrutinizing its shadow (or lack thereof)? So while the people of Punxsutawney put on their top hats to attend their highly scientific meteorological gathering, how about we find some ways to show that we care about their weather, too? After all, if the little guy is calling a premature end to ski season, we might want to know.

Preparing for Passover: LA's Bakeries for Unleavened Passover Desserts

Submitted by Roberta B on Sat, 01/07/2017 - 5:31am

What makes this holiday different from all other holidays? The cookies! Or rather, the lack of cookies. As the people "chosen" to eat unleavened bread know, Passover is a holiday about, above all, complicated recipes. The holiday of, "Don't let them eat cake." The holiday of, "Mom! Why is there matzo in my lunch box again??" Grandma handed down her miraculous recipe for a honey cake that rises by sheer force of will, but failed to hand down the time required to pull it off. So, for the reality check mom, we offer a list of some of our favorite local bakeries that leave out the leavening in all sorts of yummy treats at this time of year.

Hot Holiday Deals: Discounts on Groceries, Tinkering Camp, LA Zoo Lights, and More

Submitted by Roberta B on Wed, 12/14/2016 - 4:39am

We've rounded up some great deals from our partners to get your holidays hopping with special savings. Help yourself to free delivery and $10 off from a local farmers' market, savings on winter break camp, and discounted tickets to top holiday attractions like CHILL at the Queen Mary and Descanso Gardens' Enchanted Forest of Light. As always, you'll find lots more holiday fun in the Mommy Poppins Holiday Guide.

7 Holiday Shows that Aren't The Nutcracker: Christmas Carol, Pantos, and Disney on Ice

Submitted by Roberta B on Sun, 12/11/2016 - 11:57am

Christmastime. It's well nigh impossible to overstate the number of options SoCal families have for wholesome entertainment at this Yuletide time of year; in fact I'll go out on a Christmas tree limb and say it is impossible to exaggerate the array of lights, boats, Santas, and Nutcrackers that Angeleno kids could be enjoying at any given moment this month. But the theaters of LA and OC offer more theatrical experiences than just the 26 different productions of The Nutcracker (and counting). Looking for a Christmas show without a Sugar Plum Fairy? Try one of the seasonal classics below.

Trick or Treat: What To Do with All That Halloween Candy

Submitted by Roberta B on Sat, 10/29/2016 - 11:08pm

We may all be walking around our neighborhoods Halloween night dressed as witches (note to self: find witch hat in closet), but we’re not really mean; we’re planning to let our kids eat unreasonable amounts of refined sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and non-organic chocolate way past their bedtimes on a school night - for one night anyway.

The dilemma comes on November 1. When the trick-or-treating is over.

Knott's at Halloween: Is the Scary Farm for Kids?

Submitted by Roberta B on Wed, 10/12/2016 - 12:54pm

Halloween haunts are a major part of autumn for some SoCal kids, and Knott's Scary Farm is the theme park haunt that launched them all 40-odd years ago. Touted as the largest Halloween event in the country, the Scary Farm's reputation for terror precedes it. But is it that scary—or Knott? The daytime Halloween attraction, Camp Spooky, is good, clean holiday fun with nothing to ruin a toddler's day; but long before dusk falls everyone cute and cuddly is shuffled to the exit, allowing an entirely different crowd to fill the park as the Berry turns Scary. Should your tweens be among that crowd? And what exactly goes on?

Rosh Hashanah: 6 Activities to Celebrate Jewish New Year with LA Kids

Submitted by Roberta B on Mon, 09/26/2016 - 3:27pm

Whether you're Jewish, half Jewish, or just trying to figure out why your kids have a random day off school, you may want some suggestions for celebrating the Jewish New Year next week. Most LA area schools have a day off for Rosh Hashanah and/or Yom Kippur the following week (known, apparently, in biblical times as "Admissions Day"). We have some suggestions for family activities to ring in the year 5777; or, if the High Holidays are throwing a wrench in your week, we can suggest some camps that have your back on school holidays.