| Page 516 | Mommy Poppins - Things to Do with Kids

10 Great Birthday Cake Ideas for a Kids' Birthday Party

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Thu, 04/22/2021 - 9:32am

Find out how to paint a rainbow and more decorating secrets.

I was 10 years old the first time I tried my hand at decorating a cake, and I was instantly hooked. I've never been artistic with a paintbrush or pen, but give me a pastry bag, and magic happens. Fast-forward about 30 years, add in three kids and 33 kids' birthday parties between them, and I've learned a few tricks for creating bakery-quality cakes on a busy-mom schedule.

These birthday cake ideas and decorating tips yield showstopping results with very little skill required, and I'll even share with you my shortcut trick for turning a boxed cake mix into a bakery-worthy birthday cake recipe.

Of course, there are times when even a shortcut cake masterpiece is out of reach, so be sure to check out our ready-in-an-instant mug cake recipes and find more parent-tested meals in our Guide to Easy Recipes for Kids.

Activities To Get You Out of the House This Weekend in NJ

Submitted by Laurie Rein on Wed, 04/21/2021 - 5:50pm

Climb high at Clayton Park, where Monmouth County Parks pulls out its portable 25-foot climbing wall for visitors to scale.

Happy Earth Day, New Jersey. This weekend features a slew of ways to celebrate Mother Nature. Enjoy an Earth Day walk in Monmouth County Parks, make furry friends at Grayrock Farm, and witness sheep shearing at Longstreet Farm.

For a less-structured outing, you can get outdoors for nature-focused fun at New Jersey's botanical gardens and arboretums or explore the Pine Barrens.

Of course, you should bookmark our always-updated Event Calendar, which includes a roster of upcoming spring festivals for New Jersey families. Last, don't forget to book those summer camps. You can learn more about local and virtual options with our upcoming Online Camp Fair, where you're invited to visit virtual booths and watch live camp demos.

Best Things to Do This Weekend in NYC with Kids: Street Arts, EarthFest, Holi!

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Wed, 04/21/2021 - 2:29pm

Alex Da Corte’s Enchanting commission As Long as the Sun Lasts is now open on The Met's rooftop garden. Photo courtesy The Metropolitan Museum of Art by Anna-Marie Kellen

Happy Earth Day, everyone! The official day is Thursday, but plenty of events are running on Saturday, including the Street Arts celebration, taking over West 103rd Street with music and dancing, Brooklyn Downtown's car-free bonanza, and the Bronx Zoo's annual Run for the Wild fundraiser. The American Museum of Natural History's Earth Day celebration is an all-online affair but action-packed as ever.

Kids Take Over Camp is designed to help kids build financial savvy and is offered at all three NYC Camp stores Saturday. You can toss some color around at the Brooklyn Children Museum's Holi celebration or enjoy the return of live art programs at Wave Hill.

For more outdoor art, check out Rock Center's Life Forces immersive installation, The Met's Sesame Street/Calder mashup, As Long as the Sun Lasts, or nature's own contribution to impressionism, the Randall's Island's cherry blossoms.

For more ideas, sprint over to our Event Calendar, check out our April GoList, and don't miss our spring day trip ideas.

Remember, it's time to book summer camps, and you can learn more about local and virtual options at our upcoming Online Camp Fair, where you can visit virtual booths and watch live camp demos from the comfort of your couch.

Activities To Get You Out of the House This Weekend on Long Island

Submitted by Jaime Sumersille on Wed, 04/21/2021 - 12:35pm

Enjoy some hands-on, outdoor, springtime exploration at CSTL's family-friendly programming. Photo courtesy of CSTL

Outdoor adventures are calling this week, and Long Island families have their choice of inventive springtime programs to enjoy. Wander the trails by lantern light at Heckscher State Park, explore in broad daylight with Ranger Eric at the Sands Point Preserve, or clean the seashore during National Junior Ranger Day at the Fire Island Lighthouse.

You'll find more seasonal happenings in our roundup of 25 fun things to do this spring, plus our Event Calendar and Spring Fun Guide get constant updates as we learn of new family-friendly happenings.

Of course, summer will be here before you know it, so don't forget to book those summer camps. Slots are going fast for the 2021 season! Learn more about local and virtual summer camps with our upcoming Online Camp Fair. Visit virtual booths and watch live camp demos.

5 Things To Do on a Day Trip to Croton Gorge Park

Submitted by Marisa Iallonardo on Wed, 04/21/2021 - 10:00am

Croton Gorge Park is a gorgeous destination in any season.

From excellent playgrounds for little ones to wonderful destination parks, there are plenty of reasons for Westchester families to head outside year-round. One of my personal favorite outdoor destinations is Croton Gorge Park, a 97-acre county-owned gem on Route 129 in Cortlandt. It's home to the Croton Dam and a huge, cascading waterfall, one of the park's defining features.

These days, there’s lots for families to do while visiting Croton Gorge Park. We’ve rounded up our top five ways to spend the day. If you're looking for even more outdoor fun, check out these easy state park hikes nearby and the seasonal activities in our Spring Fun Guide.

Things To Do in Los Angeles this Weekend with Kids: Earth Day, Oscars, Getty Villa Reopens

Submitted by Toby B on Wed, 04/21/2021 - 9:23am

Let's go fly a kite! Photo courtesy of Ascot Hills Park

We here at Mommy Poppins are all about mothers, and this week we’re celebrating the biggest mother of them all: Mother Earth. While Momma E has appreciated the improved air quality from us all staying home for the last year, she is happy to welcome us back for in-person, with-people events. Top options for in-person Earth-Daying include the newly reopened Heal the Bay Aquarium and the kite-flying celebration in Ascot Hills Park.

If you're not ready for the up close and personal, virtual options still abound, and not just for Earth Day. This week we have virtual celebrations of Cherry Blossoms, the continuations of the LA Times Festival of Books, and a birthday bash for the Bard. And let us not forget the Oscars, which I will watch this year from home, in order to reduce my carbon footprint and because I wasn't invited.

You know where I have been invited? The Mommy Poppins LA Online Camp Fair, and you're invited, too. Our virtual expo starts on April 26 and offers a one-stop-shop for virtual tours and face-to-face sessions with the best camps in town. And it's totally free!

You are invited to keep reading for a motherload of activities you can do with your family this week...

World's First All-Accessible Splash Park Is at Morgan's Wonderland in Texas

Submitted by Carrie Taylor on Tue, 04/20/2021 - 4:17pm

You read that right: the world's first water park made entirely for guests of all abilities is a short drive away from Houston, in San Antonio, Texas. Of course, Houston kids are already fortunate to have a whole bunch of exciting water park options nearby, not to mention several local splash pads for a hot summer day, but for some kids these may be hard to access or even a little overwhelming. So how lucky are we to have the innovators at Morgan's Wonderland right in our back yard, creating the magnificent and unique Morgan's Inspiration Island—and providing it free of charge for kids with special needs?

Harry Potter New York Sets June 2021 Opening

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Tue, 04/20/2021 - 3:33pm

The world's largest Harry Potter store finally has an official opening date. Harry Potter New York debuts on Thursday, June 3, 2021.

Muggles and wizards alike can circle a magical date on the calendar: Harry Potter New York has set its opening for Thursday, June 3, 2021. The flagship store, in the heart of the Flatiron District, transports visitors to the Wizarding World with 15 different themed areas spread out over a sprawling, three-floor, 21,000-square-foot-retail wonderland.

The opening is one of our most anticipated family-friendly debuts of the year. Read on for more magical details and a sneak peek at the shop's interior.