Anna Fader

Founder of Mommy Poppins

A fourth-generation Brooklynite, Anna started Mommy Poppins in 2007 to help families find the best things to do with kids in NYC, with a particular emphasis on sharing activities that are free, affordable, and enriching. The site, used by millions of families, has grown to become the ultimate resource for parents in the major US cities, plus travel guides for 100s of destinations.

Anna is a believer in the magic of summer camps, traveling with kids, and that you can raise kids on a budget and still have a rich life full of amazing memories. Anna's first Mommy Poppins book, The Young Traveler's Journal and Activity Book, published in 2025 and co-written with her daughter, Amelia Eigerman, brings that ethos to life, in addition to this website.

Latest posts by Anna

Kids of Hanami Photo Contest

Submitted by Anna Fader on Tue, 04/07/2009 - 8:33pm

Hanami is the Japanese tradition of viewing and cherishing the cherry blossom season. And there's no better place to enjoy the beauty and grace of cherry blossoms than at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, which has more flowering cherry trees in one place than anywhere else in the world outside of Japan! Strolling beneath the stunning, pink canopy of blooms is a wonderful spring tradition the whole family can enjoy and Sakura Matsuri, the two-day cherry blossom festival (May 2 and 3, 2009), has delighted families for over 25 years.

For children, Hanami is a delightful learning experience: watching the seasonal magic of spring as the trees show their first buds, burst into a luscious bloom, and finally send out a flurry of petals that carpet the ground in pink and are replaced on the trees by the tiny green leaves of summer.

To celebrate Hanami, Mommy Poppins is teaming up with Brooklyn Botanic Garden for a great photo contest.

STILL TIME TO ENTER. CONTEST EXTENDED THROUGH MAY 5th!

Enter our Hanami Photo Contest to win an incredible prize package.

Final Spring Giveaway: Thomas and Friends Live! Tickets

Submitted by Anna Fader on Sat, 04/04/2009 - 7:18pm

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If you have a toddler who loves Thomas, then you're going to love this giveaway. Thomas the Tank Engine returns to the Beacon Theatre with an all new, live musical adventure: Thomas and Friends Live! On Stage: A Circus Comes to Town.

Thomas lovers will follow the familiar tale from the Island of Sodor, where Thomas and his friends must learn to work together to prepare for an exciting event under the Big Top. All your child's favorites, Percy, James, Gordon, Sir Topham Hatt and of course Thomas and a cast of circus performers will entertain with a story that teaches the importance of friendship and cooperation.

We're giving away 4 tickets to Thomas and Friends Live! On Stage: A Circus Comes to Town. And, don't forget to enter our giveaways for Dear Edwina and The Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus.

Spring Giveaway #6: Win Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus Tickets

Submitted by Anna Fader on Sat, 04/04/2009 - 12:08am

When I was a kid the Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus was the circus. But now, we haven't been to the Ringling Brothers Circus in years. There's a lot of circus competition now with not just The Big Apple Circus, but Cirque de Soleil and lots of small circus acts. But this year, I have heard great things about the big Ringling Brothers circus. They've gotten rid of the three ring format and made their acts more of a visual feast a la Cirque de Soleil, but with animals. It sounds like it's beautiful, magically and truly a special performance.

We're giving away 4 tickets to the Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus Zing Zang Zoom. And, while there's still time to enter our Dear Edwina giveaway, tomorrow will be our last giveaway of this event with tickets to Thomas the Tank Engine at Madison Square Garden. So check back in tomorrow, but see below for how to win the Circus tickets.

Spring Giveaway #5: Dear Edwina Tickets and Discount

Submitted by Anna Fader on Fri, 04/03/2009 - 7:43am

As usual, toward the end of our giveaway events, things start to heat up a little bit. There's still time to enter our La Famiglia Dimitri Giveaway. This afternoon we'll be posting a Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus giveaway, and tomorrow it's Thomas the Tank Engine. But right now we've got the critically acclaimed (and not just by my own discerning critics) Dear Edwina.

Dear Edwina is about a girl who has a rocking advice column she performs out of her garage. It is a great show with a great message and super songs. Check out our full review here. But if you want details on how to win four free tickets plus a discount code, click to read more. And stay tuned for the great giveaways coming up later today and this weekend.

Enter to win 4 tickets to Dear Edwina:

Free weekend activities for NYC kids April 4-5: Easter Egg Hunts, Festivals and More

Submitted by Anna Fader on Fri, 04/03/2009 - 6:53am

This weekend is chock full of Spring fun. You might want to try an Easter Egg Hunt in New York City or on Long Island. There are some great places to enjoy a nice day trip. But Easter could always wait till next weekend, cause there are lots of other cool events happening his weekend, from a juggling festival to a "Petacular", the season "openings" of Coney Island and Prospect Park, and the not to be missed International Pillow Fight Day or Brooklyn Kids Record Day. Check those activities out and more inside:

Help Protect Congo Gorillas and the Planet: Celebrate Earth Month at The Bronx Zoo

Submitted by Anna Fader on Wed, 04/01/2009 - 3:01am

If you thought this was the Year of the Ox, you are so wrong. According to the United Nations, it’s the Year of the Gorilla. In order to raise awareness about the threats to the iconic Gorilla species, the United Nations has declared this year the “Year of the Gorilla” and the Wildlife Conservation Society (the global conservation organization that owns and operates the Bronx Zoo) is helping to support these beautiful beasts with a month-long celebration of the planet during Earth Month and a fundraising run that supports their work to protect gorillas.

Check out the fun, family –friendly events that are going to be going on at the Bronx Zoo in April:

Spring Giveaway #2: Shrek the Musical on Broadway

Submitted by Anna Fader on Tue, 03/31/2009 - 5:26am

What's big and green and smells like old cheese? No it's not that spot under your sink that you keep meaning to get to...it's Shrek! And he's now on Broadway singing, and burping, his heart out in a Dreamworks musical.

Shrek The Musical is now on Broadway bringing the movie to life in a big, slightly gross, and beautiful production. Shrek on Broadway is said to be hilariously funny and incredibly like the movie with wry humor that makes it fun for adults as well as kids. Don't miss a great opportunity to win tickets to this family favorite show.

We're giving away a family pack of tickets (4 tix) to see Shrek The Musical on Broadway!

Spring Break Giveaway Number 1: Wizard of Oz Tickets

Submitted by Anna Fader on Mon, 03/30/2009 - 5:03am

Spring Break is right around the corner and many of us are not going anywhere this year, but at Mommy Poppins we choose to celebrate the opportunity to stay home and enjoy New York CIty and all it has to offer. That's why this entire week we'll be giving away tickets to NYC's top family shows. We personally picked the best shows we wanted to see ourselves and wrangled family four packs to each one. And that's not all, we also convinced each show to offer all our readers great discount codes that everybody can use, with as much as 50% off ticket prices.

First up: Family Four Pack to The Wizard of Oz at Madison Square Garden

Anna Fader

Latest posts by Anna

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