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.
Submitted by Anna Fader on
Do you like to connect to the internet from wherever you are? Browse Facebook while waiting for the kids at Karate? Watch streaming video between meetings? New WiMAX-enabled laptops mean you can connect wherever you are at 4G speeds. To celebrate, Intel asked us to give away a $100 Best Buy gift cards and let you know how you can get another one too.
Submitted by Anna Fader on
How does the New Victory Theater manage to have so many amazing shows that are sophisticated, entertaining, and yet, great for young audiences? I don't know, but I love it. Their latest feat is MOMENTUM a feisty interactive dance performance that kids and adults will both love. We're giving away four tickets to this fun show that will certainly make your Holidays a splash.
Submitted by Anna Fader on
To show our appreciation for our readers (you) and add a little excitement into your Holiday celebrations, we are doing a week of giveaways this week. Starting today, we will be giving away one big ticket item each day this week. Each giveaway will only last one or two days, so don't blink. We're kicking this event off with tickets to the Big Apple Circus! And we've got other great prizes coming too: more great tickets and prizes, including a Best Buy gift card.
Submitted by Anna Fader on
On January 7, 2011 it will be exactly 4 years from the day that I posted my first post on Mommy Poppins. As the site has grown, I have asked myself what can I do, now that Mommy Poppins is read by hundreds of thousands of parents every month, to make a real, immediate difference in the lives of other New Yorkers. The answer that I came up with was to start a new site that would be dedicated to raising money for NYC schools. Education has always been a passion of mine and I have been a dedicated advocate of NYC public schools, which are struggling more than ever with terrible budget cuts.
So I am very excited to announce the launch of my newest website, Poppins Perks, which will offer great deals for NYC families with 40-90% off of products and services we love, plus each Perk will be targeted to fund an important project for one NYC classroom through a partnership with DonorsChoose.
I hope that Poppins Perks will enable you to try out more of the best things in New York City for families at unbelievable prices. Read on to hear more about Poppins Perks and our first Perk, a great Holiday gift for a friend, relative (or yourself!)
Submitted by Anna Fader on
This is the second year that I've teamed up with an eclectic group of NYC bloggers to put together a Holiday Guide, each posting a Holiday-themed post on our own blogs and then linking them all to each other. Each blog is a NYC-Centric blog with its own unique lens through which it views the city. The resulting Holiday Guide offers a wide range of gift ideas and things to do and I think you'll agree that this has to be one of the most eclectic Holiday Guides out there.
I hope this introduces you to some new blogs in the 'hood and some off the beaten track NYC holiday ideas. Check out our Holiday Guide for more great Holiday activities and gift ideas.
Submitted by Anna Fader on
Lady Mendl's is a true Victorian tea salon in a brownstone on Irving Place near Union Square. Walk up the stoop and through the all but unmarked door for an elegant, classic five course English afternoon tea in a Victorian era brownstone parlor. Sit on couches by the fireplace or at elegantly set tables and enjoy a filling afternoon tea of sandwiches, scones with Devonshire clotted cream and jam, desserts and bottomless pots of tea from a wide selection, including several of their own blends.
There are no gimmicks here or a child's menu. The fun of Lady Mendl's is in its "grown-upness'" and authenticity. Lady Mendl's is not for pretend playing, it's a true escape into another time and place for a few hours.
Submitted by Anna Fader on
Having afternoon tea (sometimes also called high tea) can be a fun outing with kids whether you are celebrating a special occasion or looking for a memorable part of your visit to New York. The Russian Tea Room's Children's Tea offers a relatively affordable and fun way to experience this legendary restaurant right next to Carnegie Hall in Midtown.
The Russian Tea Room's Children's Tea includes a selection of hot teas or a hot chocolate that comes with both whipped cream and mini marshmallows, so, ironically, children can experience the tradition of afternoon tea without actually sipping on tea at all.
Submitted by Anna Fader on
Yes, it's that time already. The unstoppable express train that is the Holiday Season is upon us. I have actually been getting emails for a few weeks already from people looking for Holiday info. So, as much as I'd like to put it off, we've been busting out the Holiday posts earlier than ever so all you early planners can be prepared...and now our Holiday Guide is up, filled with everything you need to know to soak up the Holiday magic in New York City.
