Submitted by Shari Simpson on
What is up with our wonky weather? We're hoping that everyone has electricity again and is ready to enjoy a great weekend. Yeah, October ended with snow (!), but before the cold (and hibernation) settles in for good, there are still pumpkins to be smashed, pajamas to be worn, clay to be made and lots of concerts to enjoy. Stay warm, New Jersey.
Submitted by Stephanie Ogozalek on
[UPDATED: February 18, 2013] There's a secret most Murray Hill families don't want getting out: The Heimbold Family Children’s Playing and Learning Center, a beautiful interactive play space tucked away on the fourth floor of Scandinavia House. Back when my son was a toddler, we visited several times a week. The center was cozy, cheerful, inexpensive and rarely crowded, and it's where my kid became obsessed with Scandinavian toys like Legos and wooden Brio trains.
The Heimbold Family Children’s Playing and Learning Center underwent a major two-month renovation in 2011 overseen by Koko Architecture + Design, the husband-and-wife team that created the awesome (though sadly now closed) Imaginasium for the Children's Aid Society in Greenwich Village. Education has always been the center's focus, and this magical redesign enhances that mission with hands-on stations where kids can learn, explore and play using Scandinavian early childhood development concepts.
I visited the revamped center shortly after its grand reopening, and it's really amazing. My now six-year-old son wouldn't even recognize the space! Step inside, and you'll wish you were a kid again.
Submitted by Audrey Trieschman on
Our weekend roundup of events includes a family film festival in Watertown, two events at the deCordova Museum in Lincoln, a concert by the popular Rolie Polie Guacamole kids’ jam band, and the first Christmas Festival of the season. Read on for details, and remember, you can find additional options in our Event Calendar.
With holiday activities gearing up, exploring the Mayor’s Holiday Special website, which offers half-price tickets to many holiday shows all over Greater Boston, a $10-off holiday dining deal, and a full calendar of holiday festivities, is a great resource if you’re interested in saving some money and still seeing some of the best shows around.
This week, we’ve added to our occasional series of preschools in the greater Boston area by highlighting five Cambridge preschools that represent different philosophies or approaches to education, plus a schedule of Open Houses in November. We’d love your thoughts about other great schools to cover in our series; please drop me a line with your ideas.
Enjoy your extra hour of sleep on Sunday with Daylight Saving Time!
Submitted by Roberta B on
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.
Submitted by Toby B on
Well, folks, we made it through. Our tricks were treated; our houses were haunted; our buckets were filled with more candy than we’ll ever be able to eat. Now it’s time to sit back, take a breath, and relax, before the onslaught of turkeys, trees, and jolly old elves begins. (Outdoor ice skating has begun already!)
In the spirit of restoration, we all get an extra hour of sleep this weekend. It’s the end of Daylight Savings Time for 2011, so in the wee hours of November 6 the clock “falls back” an hour. Make sure to reset your clocks (and it’s a good time to check the batteries in your smoke alarm, as well).
This week's fun includes events for TwiHards, Muppet lovers, and kiddie music fans as well as one last chance for arachnophiles.
Submitted by Katia on
Halloween has come and gone and fall is starting to seem like it's on its way out already. But before we say goodbye to fall, we've rounded up more festival fun, some cool nature events, a kid's show, and a few links to help if your house is overwhelmed with Halloween candy.
Submitted by Stephanie Ogozalek on
Now that all of the Halloween madness is over, we're looking forward to a calmer weekend. Not that there aren't cool things to do—this is NYC after all. The main event is Sunday's annual ING New York City Marathon, which takes over all five boroughs (and makes getting around a bit of a pain). But there are also lots of awesome kids' concerts to choose from, including The Deedle Deedle Dees, the Anna Banana Band and Suzi Shelton, a brand-new family series at the French Institute and, since it's the first weekend of the month, many museums are offering free admission and special family programming. And since daylight saving time ends on Sunday, you get an extra hour of fun (or sleep) too.
And those are just a few of the great things going on this weekend. Read on for all of our picks and remember, you can find additional options in our Event Calendar.
Submitted by Karlyn on
Sadly, this outdoor market closed permanently in September, 2012. If you're not stressing out about holiday shopping yet, you will be soon. (Sorry!) But there's no reason to wait until the annual holiday markets open to start your gift search. The Dekalb Market is a funky new shopping spot in Downtown Brooklyn and it's open seven days a week, year-round. I'd heard great things about it from other families, so last week my four-year-old and I went to check it out.
The market is housed inside a series of repurposed shipping containers stacked on top of one another, kind of like a life-size set of my son's colorful Duplo Blocks. The bottom crates have been transformed into various shops and restaurants. The offerings are really cool and diverse, including designer duds, handmade jewelry, fine art, children's clothes and toys, coffee from Joe and sumptuous Jacques Torres chocolates.
In addition to being a great shopping spot, Dekalb Market makes for a fun family outing. There's lots of space for kids to roam around and you can even pack or buy lunch and eat at the picnic tables, where you'll sometimes be entertained by live musicians. Here's how my son and I spent our day (and our money) at Dekalb Market.
