Alina Adams

Alina Adams - NYC Writer

Alina was born in the former Soviet Union, spent her teen years in San Francisco, and came to New York City to work for ABC Daytime and ABC Sports. She spent her pre-marriage/pre-kid years as a figure-skating researcher and producer for the U.S. and World Championships, the 1998 Olympics in Nagano and various professional shows.

After learning that international travel and resentful toddlers don’t mix, she switched to PGP Productions and its soap operas As the World Turns and Guiding Light, where she wrote New York Times best-selling tie-in books and developed interactive properties like AnotherWorldToday.com.

The birth of her third child (and the process of enrolling her two older kids into NYC schools—a full-time job in itself!) convinced Alina that she was not, in fact, Superwoman, and prompted her to leave TV and turn to writing books, including romance novels (Counterpoint: An Interactive Family Saga, When a Man Loves a Woman), figure-skating mysteries (Murder on Ice, On Thin Ice) and nonfiction (Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama’s Greatest Moments).

In addition to contributing to Mommy Poppins, Alina blogs for Jewish parenting site Kveller.com and is in the process of turning her previously published backlist into enhanced e-books with multimedia features like audio, video and more. Follow her exhaustive and exhausting efforts to become a Mommy Media Mogul (is that a thing? If it isn’t, it really should be) at AlinaAdams.com and on Google+

Latest posts by Alina

21 Birthday Freebies in NYC: Places Where Kids Eat Free and Nab Gifts

Submitted by Alina Adams on Tue, 01/30/2024 - 9:58am

Hit up the Hard Rock Cafe for a free birthday treat.

Rent-out-the-whole-museum and hire-a-marching-band kid birthday parties have their fans, but when it comes to a memorable day, we think it's nice to find a few birthday freebies. Of course, there are plenty of at-home, DIY ways to celebrate your child's birthday for FREE, from leaving cute notes on the mirror to playing hooky. But it's also the one time each year you can take advantage of all those corporate birthday clubs that promise to make your kid's big day even more special with fun birthday freebies like complimentary gifts, food, and other deals.

We've rounded up a mix of local spots, with a lot of national chain restaurants and popular kids' stores thrown in, which all offer FREE birthday goodies. Some are specific to kids, though adults can snag a few birthday freebies, too. Most require an email list or loyalty card sign up.

Find more fun for your little one's big day (maybe even a marching band) in our NYC Kids' Guide to Birthday Parties.

Teens Can Apply Now for Summer Internships in NYC

Submitted by Alina Adams on Sun, 01/21/2024 - 7:31am

DOROT's Manhattan Teen Internship Program pairs teens with older adults in need of companionship and aid.

Summer internships can make your average, high-achieving, New York City kid really stand out from the rest of the equally high-achieving pack when it comes time to apply to colleges. In an era when applications have become increasingly competitive—leaving schools to look for more than good grades, great test scores, an outstanding essay, and a list of after-school activities—these summer internships in NYC offer kids hands-on, real-world experience, and some even include leadership opportunities.

NYC summer internships come in various formats, paid and unpaid, regular and intermittent, educational and creative, with some also offering school or volunteer credit. The primary thing summer internships in NYC for teens tend to have in common is the due dates to apply are usually long before most teens have started thinking about their summer—or college—plans.

To make sure your teens don’t miss out on any opportunities, we've rounded up 18 great summer internships in NYC for teens. Most are accepting applications now. Find more teen-friendly happenings in our Tween and Teen Guide to NYC.

Best Gymnastics Classes in NYC for Kids

Submitted by Alina Adams on Thu, 09/07/2023 - 1:00pm

Chelsea Piers offers gymnastics classes for kids from toddlers to teens.

Gymnastics classes for kids provide a great introduction to physical fitness. Often called the "mother of all sports" for its conditioning qualities and focus on strength, balance, and flexibility, gymnastics gives kids an early athletic foundation.

Read on for 16 gymnastics classes in NYC for kids—whether you just want somewhere for little ones to get their wiggles out, or they're eyeing a future Olympic appearance. Take note: Fall is the prime time for registration. For more great classes for kids, including everything from tennis classes to karate classes and more, check out our NYC Classes for Kids Guide and Classes Directory.

Best Things To Do with Your Train-Obsessed Kid in NYC

Submitted by Alina Adams on Fri, 04/14/2023 - 2:27pm

The New York Transit Museum is a beloved culture spot for little straphangers.

For train-riding New York City kids, it's hard not to develop a love of locomotives, and if you've got a train-obsessed kid on your hands, there are plenty of train museums, train shows, and train rides to enjoy near NYC to foster that love of riding the rails.

These train-centric outings range from the obvious—hello, New York Transit Museum—to the adventurous like regional rail trials. No matter where you go, it's all aboard for an outing sure to impress your little rail enthusiast.

Where to Donate Clothes, Toys, and More in NYC

Submitted by Alina Adams on Mon, 01/16/2023 - 12:40pm

Goodwill accepts clean, gently used adult and children's clothing and household items. Photo courtesy of the Goodwill

The end of the holiday season always has me looking for places to donate clothes, toys, and other goods in NYC. With two adults and three kids in my family's typically small NYC apartment, the holiday season stresses me out. Not because of all the things I need to do, but because of all the extra "stuff" that I know is about to flood our home. That's why this is my favorite time of year to donate my kids' gently (or sometimes never!) used clothes, toys, books, and other items so we can free up some space, support worthy charities, and get the whole family in a giving mindset.

While you may have donated to Toys for Tots before the holidays, local charities can use your support all year round. We've gathered details on several organizations where you can donate clothes in NYC. Be sure to contact the charities directly to confirm what they accept and how best to drop off.

13 Family-Friendly Restaurants in Coney Island and Brighton Beach

Submitted by Alina Adams on Mon, 06/20/2022 - 4:55pm

Grab a dog at Nathan's Famous for a kid-friendly meal on your next trip to Coney Island.

Coney Island is a prime summer day trip destination, but if you linger too long, you're going to need a list of family-friendly Coney Island restaurants to refuel at. Whether you're exploring Coney Island or Brighton Beach with kids for their subway-accessible beaches, amusement park rides, a visit to the New York Aquarium, or just to enjoy the ocean breeze, you'll likely need to stop to eat at some point. That's where these family-friendly restaurants in Coney Island and Brighton Beach come in handy.

You're sure to find plenty of casual family-friendly restaurants serving kid-pleasers such as pizza, hot dogs, burgers, and shakes along the Coney Island boardwalk. Thanks to its large Russian population, Brighton Beach restaurants are family-friendly, too, but in a different way. There are many upscale spots where kids can try new-to-them foods; or, if they're picky, fried potatoes and bread. Read on for our top picks for family-friendly restaurants in these neighboring waterfront communities, and find more great NYC eats in our Family-Friendly Restaurant Guide.

Best Math Apps for Kids

Submitted by Alina Adams on Thu, 04/02/2020 - 11:00am

For those of us who are not good at math, we need a little help. I was a straight-C math student all my life. But, if I'd had all the help that kids have today? My math story might have turned out a little better!

Do you know how to teach Common Core math? I sure don't. So I've rounded up fifteen apps that we think will help the kids best learn math and figure out that math homework without making you tear out your hair.

For more math and science fun through hands-on experiments, check out our Guide to Science Experiments for Kids and Fun STEM Activities.

Entering NYC Kindergarten: 5 Things to Know

Submitted by Alina Adams on Wed, 08/28/2019 - 10:05am

The first day of kindergarten is exciting, nerve-wracking, hectic, tear-jerking and adorably photogenic all over the country. But New York City kids (and parents) face a unique set of challenges when headed to school for the very first time.

I have three children, ages 16, 12 and 8. That means I’ve been through NYC kindergarten three times. (I’ve also been through the admissions process three times, and wrote an entire book, Getting Into NYC Kindergarten, of tips and tricks.)

Over the years, I’ve learned five things that all families must know in order to have a successful transition from pre-K (public or private) into elementary school (public, private, charter, gifted, magnet, religious; like I said, it’s NYC, things are different here).

Check out the list below and learn from my mistakes, rather than your own.