Shari Simpson

Shari Simpson

Shari Simpson has Anna Fader and Mommy Poppins to thank for learning to appreciate her own state. Before she started editing Mommy Poppins NJ, Shari dragged her spawn into NYC for any type of "culture"; now she knows all the good stuff to be had in New Jersey and is not so fast to hop on that PATH train. In her other life, Shari is a comedic playwright ("Maybe Baby, It's You", Dramatic Publishing, Inc.), a humor blogger ("Earth Mother just means I'm dusty"), and a freelance writer. She is mother to four (two human, two pug) and resides in Hoboken, where she can be found jogging along the waterfront or dragging her Brownie troop of 30 crazy little girls around town.
You can also follow Shari on Google+.

Latest posts by Shari

iPlay America: A Fun Indoor Amusement Park and Arcade in New Jersey

Submitted by Shari Simpson on Wed, 04/09/2014 - 8:04am

What do you get when you cross an amusement park with an arcade with a sit-down restaurant with laser tag with a concert hall with a "cool in the summer and warm in the winter" indoor space? Well, you get iPlay America, of course. I was recently invited to spend a day with my family at this fun amalgam of kid-friendly activities in Freehold, NJ, so read on for all the info - and then head out and youPlay at iPlay!

One Great (Birth) Day in NJ: Kids U

Submitted by Shari Simpson on Tue, 04/01/2014 - 7:00am

"That was the best birthday party EVER." David, age 6. We had the good fortune of choosing KidsU in Paramus for my son Miguel's party last week, and we all pretty much agreed with our buddy David's assessment. Fun, energetic, entertaining, varied and engaging are some of the happy adjectives that can be used for a birthday party at Kids U--oh, and moderately priced. And we like that one a lot. For even more great ideas, check out our NJ Kids' Birthday Party Ideas Guide.

Our New Camp Guide and Business Listings with Improved Search & Features

Submitted by Shari Simpson on Mon, 03/17/2014 - 8:30am

Last fall, we asked our readers to take a short survey and share their thoughts about how to improve our Summer Camp Guide. Overwhelmingly, we heard that you wanted a combination of our editorial recommendations, plus the ability to search listings and find recommendations from other parents.

So we're happy to debut our newly updated Camp Guide and our Camp Directory, now featuring an improved search, parent reviews and star ratings, and other enhancements. Even better: Our overhauled Directory isn't just for camps. We have listings for party places and services, and enriching classes, too.

Read on to find out more or head straight to our Day Camp Guide and Directory to browse the listings and leave reviews for your favorite programs.

Presenting the Mommy Poppins Guide to Great Small Towns in Northern NJ

Submitted by Shari Simpson on Tue, 03/11/2014 - 8:58am

We've been researching, crowd-sourcing and reminiscing like mad, and we're thrilled to be able to present our Guide To Great Small Towns in Northern NJ! The first of our Guides to small towns in the Garden State (Central NJ, you're next), our growing database of "sweet", "charming", and just plain old "great" little towns touches on our writers' favorites, from Chester to Nutley to my personal fave, Hoboken; and so many more. Check out our picks and feel free to tell us some of your beloved small towns in the comments!

A Wonderful Summer Riding Camp at Kierson Farm

Submitted by Shari Simpson on Fri, 02/21/2014 - 7:48am

When it comes to choosing a summer camp, you hope for an amazing experience for your child, full of love, fun, creativity, learning, and “family.” Add some gorgeous horses into this mix, and you have the recipe for Kamp Kierson, the summer camp run by Mike and Jessie Richardson of Kierson Farm. Read on to find out more about this charming horse farm and its wonderful summer camp experience in the heart of Flemington, NJ, just one hour west of New York City.

Ski All Over PA: Deals and Details of the Pennsylvania Ski Areas Association

Submitted by Shari Simpson on Tue, 02/04/2014 - 8:03am

Whether you jump the moguls like an Olympiad or hang on for dear life traversing the bunny hill, 'tis the season for all things skiing, and Pennsylvania just happens to be an entire state of amazing resorts. We love to let you know about cool stuff, and the incredible travel and winter recreation opportunities of the 21 sports areas in the Pennsylvania Ski Areas Association (PSAA) fit the bill; from a special program that lets 4th and 5th graders ski for free with their parents, to midweek skiing deals, read on to find out about all the locations and opportunities in the Keystone State!

Introducing our 'New Jersey Indoor Play and Rainy Day Activity Guide'!

Submitted by Shari Simpson on Thu, 01/09/2014 - 12:20pm

We are very excited to present our 'New Jersey Indoor Play and Rainy Day Activity Guide'! Whether it's too cold, too rainy, too hot, or just too outside outside, we hope this will help you NJ parents to find fun things like indoor playspaces, our favorite museums, indoor sports, and much more. And if you like all your information and possibilities in one chunk, don't miss our other great Guides like our Winter Fun and Activity Guide, Day Trips Guide, and the wildly popular 100 Things To Do in New Jersey With Kids Before They Grow Up. We're so happy to be to Guide you to fun, NJ!

Travel To NYC's Holiday Fun on NY Waterway

Submitted by Shari Simpson on Wed, 12/18/2013 - 5:49am

I've spoken of my affection for NY Waterway before; my usual mode of travel when hauling myself and two kids to NYC involves a jumpy bus ride or a claustrophobic journey on the PATH, but my few experiences on the NY Waterway ferry have been downright--dare I say it?--pleasurable, and fun, even. So we are happy to tell you that NY Waterway is making the holidays even more festive (and affordable) by letting all children travel free from the Port Imperial terminal in Weehawken to the Midtown/39th Street terminal! Read on to find out the details of this special "Kids Ride Free" deal and all the other reasons why NY Waterway ferry is a great choice for your holiday travel to Manhattan.