Susan Miele

Latest posts by Susan

Valentine’s Day Fun: Top FREE Activities for Westchester Kids

Submitted by Susan Miele on Sat, 02/04/2017 - 4:00pm

It’s almost Valentine’s Day, and love and creativity are in the air! If those Pinterest valentines are making you envious—but the mad dash of daily living has you resorting to pink and red construction paper with crayons and stickers—we propose the perfect solution: Take it on the road.

Our Event Calendar includes numerous ways to get ready for Valentine’s Day. Below, we’ve culled our top FREE events that allow kids of all ages the opportunity to whoop it up at celebrations and make gifts for their special sweetheart—all without getting any glitter on your rug!

Happy Valentine’s Day from Mommy Poppins!

The Best Kid-Friendly Holiday Shows (Other than The Nutcracker!)

Submitted by Susan Miele on Mon, 11/21/2016 - 4:00pm

The holiday season is fast upon us, and while there are some ways we can self-pace how we savor the season, one recommendation for advance planning is to purchase tickets for holiday performances. Not only do they often sell out in advance, but claiming choice seats can avoid the familiar whines of “I can’t see …”

Fortunately for Westchester residents, there are various holiday productions to choose from in addition to the The Nutcracker performances in our area. We’ve rounded up the best kid-friendly productions—from traditional concerts to new musical theater—to help you ring in the holiday season. Read on and click through for details. Also be sure to visit our Event Calendar, where you’ll find an ever-growing number of other holiday events we’re curating for your family to enjoy!

Rockin' Jump: Gravity-Defying Fun for Westchester Families

Submitted by Susan Miele on Fri, 08/19/2016 - 4:00pm

Prepare for intense jumping at Rockin’ Jump, the indoor play space in Mount Kisco. The 18,000-square-foot facility (located in the same shopping plaza as Grand Prix) boasts high-action activity areas, a food zone, party facilities and more and is well suited for all ages. From ball pits to dodgeball to basketball and more, the abundance of trampolines allows for gravity-defying fun in leaps and bounds! Read on for the inside scoop.

Westchester News: 5 Updates Families Should Know for April

Submitted by Susan Miele on Fri, 04/01/2016 - 3:00pm

Keeping tabs on the changing landscapes of Westchester businesses and attractions is no small task, but we've kept our ear to the ground to help you stay in the know. Below is our news roundup for Westchester and Hudson Valley families. Read on to learn about the future of dining, kids’ clothing, FREE days and more.

Be sure to sign up for our free newsletters to get all our latest news, roundups and in-depth reviews delivered straight to your inbox!

Best St. Patrick’s Day Events For Kids in Westchester and Hudson Valley

Submitted by Susan Miele on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 4:00pm

St. Patrick's Day may be officially on March 17, but the festivities span at least a week in Westchester and the Hudson Valley. Our Event Calendar is just jigging with family-friendly activities for all ages! From leprechaun crafts and bodhran-making to Celtic music and Irish step dancing, there’s a satisfying array to choose from—not to mention the many St. Patrick’s Day parades of all sizes.

Below we've rounded up our top 10 picks (excluding parades) to help you hone in on how best to celebrate your Irish heritage (or just pretend you're in the tribe). Added bonus? Most of these are FREE!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

FREE Yoga Classes for Westchester Families

Submitted by Susan Miele on Mon, 02/01/2016 - 4:00pm

As the popularity of yoga has increased in recent years, so too has the interest in introducing children to its benefits at a young age. Yoga has been associated with stress reduction, concentration and agility, and even public schools have begun offering in-school yoga and relaxation instruction.

We recently provided you with a roundup of family-focused yoga classes offered by centers devoted to the subject. Augmenting that resource, below is a list of yoga classes for kids offered by Westchester libraries, with options for teens, tots and even special needs—all of which are FREE!

Read on for details and contact the libraries directly to register. These classes can fill up quickly, so reserve your spot and get your downward dog on!

Weekday Picks for Westchester Kids: Tot Yoga, Body Science, Super Hero Origami, Jan. 25-29

Submitted by Susan Miele on Sun, 01/24/2016 - 5:10pm

Winter weather is finally upon us, but that doesn’t stop the fun for families in Westchester! Below are our top picks for each weekday to help keep your kids occupied and enriched.

The novel opportunities that await include folding fun at Super Hero Origami, domestic STEAM at Science Around the House and a party for puzzles at National Puzzle Day for Kids. Best of all—all of our top picks this week are FREE!

If you continue on to our Event Calendar, you’ll find even more diverse offerings, so read on and head straight there!

Weekend Fun for Westchester Kids: Film Festival, Toys and Trains, African Dance, Jan. 23-24

Submitted by Susan Miele on Wed, 01/20/2016 - 4:00pm

Important Note: Because of the snowstorm, many of these programs may have been canceled or postponed. Please check with the location before you head out!

Winter weather in Westchester can bring out the homebody in all of us. But for when you need to get out of the house and embrace the fun that awaits, Mommy Poppins keeps our Event Calendar well-populated with family activities. Below are our top picks for this weekend.

In addition to two cooking classes and several nature programs—among them, the chance to learn about our Backyard Birds—the gamut of activities includes the return of the annual Toy and Train Show and the NY International Children's Film Festival: Best of the Fest. Take a spin at the African Dance Class, or see if you’re the next Bobby Fischer at Take on the Teen Chess Master (as he takes on a remarkable number of opponents at the same time).

So bundle up and have fun! In the event of a significant snowfall, do check with any venue you plan to visit to confirm their plans are unaltered. Be sure to sign up for our FREE newsletters to get all our latest news, roundups and in-depth reviews delivered straight to your inbox. Tell a friend!