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

Mommy Poppins $15 Discount at Veterans Day Beach Camp

Submitted by Roberta B on Thu, 11/03/2011 - 12:39am

Venice del Play Beach Camp (which, in spite of the name, meets on the beach in Santa Monica) is always a great option for school holidays. The yoga, boogie board, and sand castle experts are out there in the California sunshine on Veterans Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, and any other time that school is closed - winter, spring, summer, or fall. All you have to do is call.

Guaranteeing a 5-to-1 ratio of adults to children is important when there's water involved, which explains why the camp charges $90 for a full day of fun. However, Venice del Play is offering Mommy Poppins readers a $15 discount for a limited time! Grab this deal for Veterans Day Capoiera Camp and pay only $75.

Flying Monsters in 3-D at the California Science Center IMAX Theater

Submitted by Roberta B on Mon, 10/10/2011 - 4:33pm

What self-respecting kid wouldn’t want to see a movie called Flying Monsters in 3-D?

The California Science Center reminds us once again how lucky we are to have the California Science Center, with the arrival of David Attenborough’s IMAXsterpiece, Flying Monsters. It was almost too easy answering my son’s “What are we doing today?” with the hero-making reply, “We’re going to see a 3-D movie called Flying Monsters.” I confess, though, I harbored a small doubt; what if he felt conned when he discovered that this impressive sounding title was in fact a cover for a documentary film narrated by some old English guy?

Fencing Classes Where LA Kids can Swash Their Bucklers

Submitted by Roberta B on Fri, 09/30/2011 - 5:56pm

Fencing sometimes gets a bad wrap – plagued by rumors of violence, elitism, and big price tags. Don’t believe any of it! Kids know that fencing is cool because it’s kind of like what Johnny Depp does in all those Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Savvy parents know that it’s the favorite sport of Ivy League sports scholarships. Either way, it’s an extreme sport worth checking out.

Huntington Beach Weekend Getaway: So Far and Yet So Close

Submitted by Roberta B on Fri, 09/16/2011 - 5:06pm

The Los Angeles Grail, the Great Quest of the Southland, may well be the search for the ultimate family weekend getaway. The vacation that gives the most pleasure for the least effort. The highest decadence to travel time ratio. And I am here to share the news that Nirvana is only an hour away down an Orange County stretch of the 405 to Huntington Beach.

Santa Monica - Can a Suburb Be Too Much in the Sun?

Submitted by Roberta B on Fri, 09/02/2011 - 3:53am

When people imagine raising kids in Southern California, what they’re picturing is Santa Monica. The beach, the sunshine, the tall swaying palm trees, the parks, the pier, the virtually ubiquitous farmers’ markets, the pedestrian zones, the bike lanes, and the beat cops on Segways – it’s all here in sunny Santa Monica by the sea.

Mommy Poppins Arrives in LA!

Submitted by Roberta B on Thu, 09/01/2011 - 5:37am

Mommy Poppins - New York City's leading resource for things to do with kids - has arrived in Los Angeles!

Mommy Poppins LA is a free, online resource guide for families in the greater LA area. Parents and kids can discover great things to do and places to go, and get insights into the best activities, resources, services, schools, parks, and classes around.

On our site you'll find a daily events calendar that we are continually updating, camp and class guides, giveaways and ideas for things to do with kids of all ages. You can also sign up for our free weekly newsletter that includes a round-up of weekend events in the area. And we’d like to hear from you if you have a favorite event to share - a school fundraising fair or concert or other activity, a special story time, or a hidden gem we have yet to uncover.

Mommy Poppins began in New York City nearly five years ago, with sites in New Jersey, Connecticut and Long Island now well-established. As in these cities, we hope to help parents by inspiring them to get out and do things that will be meaningful and memorable with their children and providing level-headed, practical information on raising kids in our communities. We are very excited to be bringing our unique stripe of content to LA.

Enjoy!

Fun & Free Things To Do Labor Day Weekend 2011 with LA Kids: LA County Fair, Fiesta Hermosa, and Shakespeare in the Park

Submitted by Roberta B on Thu, 09/01/2011 - 5:04am

Labor Day weekend is always bittersweet - a big, barbecued symbol of the end of summer and the beginning of a new school year. This year, the festive farewell to summer brings something else new to LA families: Mommy Poppins! Angelenos can now enjoy their own edition of New York City's favorite family online guide.

To introduce you to the wonderfulness that is Mommy Poppins LA, we bring you the Labor Day Weekend Fun Guide, with suggestions galore for great ways to enjoy the three-day weekend and send summer out with a bang!

For starters - or more accurately for finishers - there are a few great summer activities that sing their swan songs this weekend; this is your last chance to ride the Marina del Rey waterbus, the last of the Music Center's Drum Downtown series, the last Concert in the Park in Manhattan Beach, and the last chance to splash in several of LA parks' free water play areas.

On the other hand, this weekend also marks the beginning of the Los Angeles County Fair, bringing with it everything from kangaroos to deep fried Twinkies.

Read on for Labor Day weekend’s best bets...

2011/12 Academic Year Calendars for LA Area Schools

Submitted by Roberta B on Tue, 08/30/2011 - 3:17am

Labor Day weekend is no longer the sacred signal of end of summer that it once was; changes have been taking place at schools all over the Southland, making the first day of school something of a moving feast. Some families are scrambling for one more round of summer camp, while others have been knee-deep in homework for weeks already.