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

Open Houses and Classes with Free Trials: After School Enrichment Options for LA Kids

Submitted by Roberta B on Wed, 09/03/2014 - 12:20pm

So we're back in school. We're packing lunches, going to PTA meetings. and overseeing homework. And we're probably starting to wrap our minds around figuring out some enrichment classes to fill in the gaps and/or add some sparkle to the process. Your child might attend a school with a great onsite, low-cost after-school program, which takes care of half the question already; on the other hand you might be trying to figure out the shortest distance between your house and a place to constructively use those ballet shoes. Open houses and free trial classes make the hunt for great classes a little more do-able, which is why we offer this list of 10 great places that offer chances to try it out for free, either in the coming weeks or - in many cases - all year long.

This Week: Labor Day Weekend, 5 Great Plays, & Summer's Last Hurrah

Submitted by Roberta B on Thu, 08/28/2014 - 4:28pm

Another Labor Day, another chance to honor hard work by taking a few days off—like our NYC editor, Raven, who is away in Martha's Vineyard celebrating the end of summer. Even without her here, Mommy Poppins can lead the charge away from labor this holiday weekend, and toward all that is fun, festive and/or FREE this week, in easy reach of the city. Feel free to bury your heads in the sand for one more weekend before facing the back-to-school music.

Care to escape the city for, say, Elizabethan England? It's never too late (or at least not until late September); the New York Renaissance Faire is still going strong in Tuxedo Park, including the holiday Monday. Or spend a few corny hours in Sleepy Hollow for Philipsburg Manor's CORNucopia celebration in Westchester.

If you're headed for the Hamptons this weekend, there's a Pow Wow worth stopping in on, and our New Jersey team has several suggestions for day trips in the Garden State (or you plan-ahead types can take a look at upcoming September festivals in NJ). Connecticut has fairs and festivals popping up all over this holiday weekend, including a life-affirming Labor Day parade in Newtown.

And wherever you spend this holiday weekend, make sure you take a minute to enter our Cinderella ticket giveaway. One lucky family will win four tickets to see the musical on Broadway!

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

This Week's Picks: Marionettes and Meteors, August 4 - 8

Submitted by Roberta B on Sun, 08/03/2014 - 9:49pm

They just don't make summer vacation the way they used to - by which I mean it didn't used to end in the middle of August. But since you get what you get and you don't get upset, it's time to make the best out of the small amount of summer left to us. Catch some free movies; dance at some free concerts, and indulge in some beach shack food and ice cream. This week there are meteor showers and campfires worth staying up late for, so long live summer break!

6 Unexpected Ways to Play as a Family--Even While Doing Chores

Submitted by Roberta B on Mon, 07/28/2014 - 10:30am

If you were raising your kids in, say, Utah—or any other place that doesn't have a Mommy Poppins daily calendar to point you in fun directions—you'd have to work a lot harder to keep your summer days playful. Our SUMMER OF PLAY partner, KaBOOM!, works with community leaders around the country to create more spaces and ways for kids to enjoy balanced and active play. Mother of three and registered nurse, Cyndalynn Tilley, is one of these community leaders in Woods Cross, Utah, and she's shared some of her favorite ideas for finding opportunities to play while doing ordinary daily activities. Backyard games are great when you have the time and space, but what about when you have to bring kids along to do chores like shopping and laundry? Even then grown-ups can help kids get the play they need to thrive.

What are your secrets for finding play in mundane situations? Share pics of your inventive playtime ideas on social media for a chance to win great prizes in our SUMMER OF PLAY CHALLENGE. Then for even more inspiration, check out our SUMMER OF PLAY photo gallery on Facebook to see what others are posting.

5 Things That Make This Week Different, May 26-30

Submitted by Roberta B on Mon, 05/26/2014 - 4:04am

Every Thursday we draw your attention to the best of the best things to do with kids around LA over the weekend, to make sure that the most intriguing activities on our events calendar don't pass you by. We also kick off each month with a Go List highlighting the weekend events worth planning ahead for. We talk about weekends a lot. But what about weekdays? Don't parents of toddlers crave fun outings all week long? Don't school aged kids love being picked up with an adventure to embrace? You could take them to see the Pompeii exhibit at the California Science Center. You could take them on a scavenger hunt at the Santa Monica Pier. Or you could take them to do one of the following five things that we think make this week different.

Kids’ Party Planning: 6 Expert Tips for Throwing a Fun, Stress-Free Birthday Bash

Submitted by Roberta B on Wed, 05/07/2014 - 10:22am

Much like telephones and VW Beetles, birthday parties look a whole lot different than they used to. Here in LA, I've seen kids' parties that looked like they had wedding planners, guest lists that go higher than the child can count, and party favors with bigger price tags than the gifts. I've also seen parents say, "Oh, stuff it," and run away to Disneyland. Whether you're on the birthday party fast lane or have no qualms about keeping it sweet and simple, a few tips from party experts can only make things better, so we asked some party professionals to share their insider tips.

Bears: Parent Movie Review of the Disney Film at El Capitan

Submitted by Roberta B on Wed, 04/23/2014 - 3:57pm

Every Earth Day for the last few years, Disneynature has given families a movie event to look forward to, and this year's treat is an all-ages celebration of the most kid-centric of mammals: Bears. In the tradition of other Disney Earth Day releases, which have included Chimpanzee, African Cats, and Oceans, the film Bears offers a breathtaking cinematic journey - and a peek into the world of Alaskan brown bears that seems almost impossible in its close-up detail. Not to mention, it is almost unbearably adorable. Read on to see just how adorable - and to find out if it's your little bear-lover's cup of tea.

Muppets Most Wanted: Parent Movie Review

Submitted by Roberta B on Tue, 03/25/2014 - 12:36pm

Muppets Most Wanted (PG) is in theaters, so read on for a parent review that helps you decide whether or not your little Miss Piggy fans are ready for this film. Looking for a kid-friendly theater on Long Island? Also check out this roundup of Family Movie Programs in the area.