Rosalind Muggeridge

When not busy trekking across NYC with her two little explorers in tow, Rosalind Muggeridge is covering events for Mommy Poppins for Brooklyn and Queens. Her career includes 10 years in the nonprofit world followed by four years as the events editor at Brooklyn Parent Magazine. She can be reached at events@mommypoppins.com.

Latest posts by Rosalind

Color Factory, a Colorful New Pop-Up Museum, Is Coming to NYC

Submitted by Rosalind Muggeridge on Tue, 07/17/2018 - 4:00pm

Walk down a hallway of color to beautiful and exciting discoveries at the Color Factory.

The year of the interactive, Instagram-worthy art pop-up continues (we've already seen and loved the Dream Machine, The Egg House, Narcissus Garden, and the Hot Dog Bus) when The Color Factory lands in Soho on August 20 for a limited time. The Color Factory promises to be one of the coolest kid-friendly art events this summer, and tickets go on sale today.

Featuring 16 unique installations designed to encourage the exploration of color and light, this vivid exhibit—described by organizers as a "playhouse pop-up"—will convert a commercial space in Soho into 20,000 square feet filled with immersive artwork. Be ready for playful color palettes, jaw-dropping effects, and of course, lots of ways for kids and their grown-ups to interact with the art. For an advance look at photos of the gorgeous space, plus information about how to visit, read on.

50 Free Things To Do with Toddlers This Summer in NYC

Submitted by Rosalind Muggeridge on Mon, 07/02/2018 - 4:00pm

Take the ferry (free at certain times) to Governors Island for family activities all summer. Photo by Matt Nighswander

New York City is chock-full of exciting summer to-dos for its youngest citizens. Sure, visiting the sprinklers at your local playground can be enough to make your toddlers’s day, but when you and your littles are ready for some summer adventure, here are 50 FREE things to do with toddlers this July and August.

We've already put together a list of 100 Free Things To Do in NYC This Summer for kids of all ages, but the suggestions that follow are tailored just for little kids. (Looking for additional inspiration? Check out our Summer Fun Guide, Event Calendar, and Free in NYC Guide.)

Free Outdoor Kids Music Concerts in NYC This Summer

Submitted by Rosalind Muggeridge on Thu, 06/28/2018 - 12:30pm

The Pop Ups bring summertime music, dancing, and fun to Hudson RiverKids. Photo courtesy of the event

What's better than a spectacular, outdoor, family-friendly, FREE music performance? A whole series of free outdoor concerts for kids! We've already told you about the great concerts in June for NYC kids, and now we're rounding up all the free concerts in July and August, to keep the kids grooving all summer.

There are free concert series for kids in parks, playgrounds, piers and plazas across the five boroughs, so scroll, click, and set reminders with your favorites. With top family bands playing annual series like Madison Square Kids and SummerStage Family Workshops, you're sure to find something the whole family can shake a tail feather to.

For even more free family fun, see our jam-packed Summer Guide and our roundup of 100 free things to do with kids in NYC this summer.

Best June Festivals and Street Fairs for NYC Families

Submitted by Rosalind Muggeridge on Thu, 05/31/2018 - 4:30pm

Art-making and performances come to Governors Island for Figment NYC. Photo courtesy organizers

New York City's festival season kicks into high gear in June. The debut of warmer weather prompts a head-spinning number of fantastic fairs, parades, carnivals, and other fetes—more than two dozen.

And we're not talking about street fairs with random tchotchkes. These are favorites we look forward to every year, including Museum Mile, Egg Rolls, Egg Creams & Empanadas, Figment on Governors Island, and Coney Island's iconic Mermaid Parade—all of which made our list of the top annual festivals for NYC families.

So get your calendar; you're going to want to write these dates down. Here are more than two dozen great family festivals for June 2018, most of which are FREE.

Check our NYC Summer Fun Guide for more freebies and great kid and family events and outings, and be sure to click through to our listings for exact locations, times, and additional details.

Free June Concerts for NYC Kids: Rolie Polie, Los Lobos, Astrograss

Submitted by Rosalind Muggeridge on Tue, 05/29/2018 - 4:30pm

Join in the "Live at the Archway" fun in Dumbo. Photo by Noemie Trusty

Free outdoor music is one of the hallmarks of a great NYC summer...in our opinion anyway! Pack a picnic, stake out a spot, lay down a blanket, and soak up some no-cost culture in the form of New York City's top kindie bands as they play FREE concerts at some of the city's most beloved parks and playgrounds, including the annual BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Family Concert, featuring Los Lobos in 2018.

Of course, there are so many performances that it can be hard to figure out which ones are worth the time, energy, and schlep. That's why we've done the work for you. Read on for nearly two dozen cool concerts happening this June for NYC kids.

Corning Museum of Glass: GlassBarge Drops Anchor with Free Glass Blowing Demos and Ship Tours

Submitted by Rosalind Muggeridge on Tue, 05/29/2018 - 10:00am

Families in Yonkers and up the Hudson can climb aboard a river adventure to see molten glass take shape before our very eyes. A boat that serves as classroom, workshop, and history lesson, The Corning Museum of Glass's first ever floating exhibit, GlassBarge, has set sail for four months through nearly 30 communities en route to a homecoming celebration in Corning, NY. We got a sneak peek when it set off from Brooklyn, where glass and kids' minds were equally blown.

(Video) Dream Machine Pop-up Comes with Bubbles, Ball Pit, Playtime

Submitted by Rosalind Muggeridge on Fri, 04/27/2018 - 9:05am

Though there are amazing photo-ops around every intriguing corner of this whimsical, interactive art installation, Dream Machine in Brooklyn actually encourages visitors to let go of this dimension for a while and step into a space that feels...otherworldly.

Best Family Festivals and Street Fairs in NYC This May

Submitted by Rosalind Muggeridge on Tue, 04/24/2018 - 1:00pm

Fly a kite at the waterfront festival in Brooklyn Bridge Park. Photo by Alexa Hoyer for the park

There are street fairs—and then there are street fairs. We don't mean those random ones selling irregular socks and fried Oreos; we're talking about true community festivals. Each one is unique, reflecting the character of its neighborhood, and many feature rides, performances, activities, and food. The hard part, of course, is knowing which is which, but don't worry, we've taken the guesswork out of it for you.

We've gone through the city's list of top annual festivals, street fairs, and carnivals and put together our roundup of top picks for May—more than two dozen. Most of these fetes are FREE or cost just a couple of bucks, and in many cases your dollars go to support a local charity or school. Here are some awesome fests happening in NYC this May.

You can find even more seasonal activities in our Spring Fun Guide.