Jody Mercier

When asked to illustrate her dream job as a first grader, Jody drew a picture of a mom with one kid on each hip and another clinging to her leg. All these years later, that is her reality, raising three kids in New York City. Since that gig only pays in hugs and kisses, she has spent her professional career as a journalist covering health, fitness, sports, and parenting topics. She's currently the regional editor overseeing the Mommy Poppins NYC, New Jersey, Long Island, and Westchester sites and can be reached at jody@mommypoppins.com.

Latest posts by Jody Mercier

10 Activities To Do with Grandparents on Zoom

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Mon, 06/15/2020 - 10:15am

Zoom became popular during the pandemic, but the video chat platform—and others like FaceTime and Skype—is great for more than just quarantine times. For families like mine, with grandparents spread across the country, a Zoom date is an easy, satisfying way to foster face-to-face connections between generations. While a casual chat is fun in itself, sometimes we like to up the ante and incorporate some fun activities into the video session. Here are our 10 favorite activities and games that kids can do with grandparents over Zoom.

For more fun Zoom tips, be sure to read our roundups of ways to make virtual hangouts more awesome and the best games to play with friends virtually.

17 Day Trips Near NYC for Summer 2020 Adventures

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Fri, 06/12/2020 - 11:15am

Take a leisurely familly hike at Rockefeller State Park. Photo by Sara Marentette

Ready to get out and see a bit of the world again? Or maybe just take a drive? We've rounded up 17 summer day trips near NYC just right for area families ready to make a break for it. These destinations are all within easy driving distance from NYC, Long Island, and Westchester.

The tristate area is in various stages of reopening, so we've done our best to pick outdoor day trips from NYC where maintaining some social distance is possible. No matter where you travel, don't forget to bring your masks along (they're required in New York state and encouraged most places), plus plenty of hand sanitizer.

Visit our Days Trips Guide for more summer getaway inspiration, and our National Travel Guide if you're ready to wander further afield.

NYC Schools' Fall Reopening Plan Outlined by Chancellor Carranza

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Thu, 06/11/2020 - 5:17pm

NYC schools hope to reopen in September. Photo by Valerie Connor

New York City is examining a range of ways to reopen public schools in the fall, including staggered schedules and potentially more remote learning, according to a letter Chancellor Richard Carranza sent to school staff earlier this week. The chancellor breaks down the reopening plans into an eight-point "Fall Framework" and points out that there are still many unknowns.

While the letter does not offer a firm NYC school reopening date other than September, the city's mayor hinted that September 10 is a possibility during a Thursday press conference. Mayor Bill de Blasio referenced the date several times in responding to questions about the school reopening plan, saying, it's "impossible to say, 'Here's exactly what's going to happen on September 10, 2020,'" and "there's going to be a certain number of parents that even if school was open to all in person, they're not going to be ready necessarily on September 10 to send their child back."

Read on for the full contents of the chancellor's letter to learn more about what the new normal might look like for NYC's 1.1 million students come fall, including a combination of in-person and online instruction, split schedules, social distancing protocols, enhanced health measures, and more.

New York Summer Camps Get Green Light to Reopen Statewide as NYC Nears Phase 1

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Thu, 06/04/2020 - 4:00pm

Camp Pixel plans to limit camp groups to five kids and take social distancing precautions upon opening. Photo courtesy of the camp

New York parents and day camp directors alike got some much-needed good news this week: Summer camps statewide will be allowed to open on June 29, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Tuesday.

While the order applies only to summer day camps (no decision on sleepaway yet), the decision offers some parents weary after months of distance learning a helping hand on the horizon.

This summer is sure to look different than years past—both at camp and elsewhere—but the other good news is that after 80 days on lockdown, New York City moves into Phase 1 of reopening Monday, while the Mid-Hudson and Long Island Regions are likely to enter Phase 2 next week if necessary health metrics are met.

Read on for more details on summer camps and the other reopenings each NY region can expect soon. Visit our Summer Camp Guide for open local camp slots. You can also register for our upcoming Online Camp Fair, where you can attend live panels and info sessions with camps and explore virtual info booths for online and in-person camps. We've also got a safety summer camp checklist to help everyone have a healthy camp experience.

The Six Flags Great Adventure Safari Drive-Thru Returns in All Its 1970s Glory

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Mon, 05/25/2020 - 5:13pm

Guests will be able to experience the safari at Six Flags Great Adventure from the privacy and safety of their own vehicles.

Updated: Wednesday, June 22: Six Flags Great Adventure and Safari has announced a reopening date of Saturday, July 4, with a member preview day set for July 3. Reservations will be required, and all guests must undergo a contactless temperature check before entry. Capacity will be limited, masks required, social distancing enforced, and enhanced sanitation protocols will be put into place. Due to its popularity, the drive-thru safari will remain open for the foreseeable future.

Families fed up with online field trips take note: It's time to grab your binoculars and cameras because Six Flags Great Adventure and Safari is reopening its animal kingdom as a drive-thru experience this weekend. Timed-entry tickets go on sale this week.

This isn't the first time Six Flags Great Adventure and Safari has allowed visitors to drive their vehicles through the attraction; some parents may still have vacation photos from the good old days, when baboons used to jump on the family station wagon. The 350-acre park operated as a drive-thru adventure from its 1974 opening through 2012.

The return of this classic experience is temporary, though. So if you aren't quite ready to flock to the beaches at the Jersey shore, read on for how and when your family can get tickets for a local safari. We've also got the scoop on what Phase 1 of reopening means for NJ families.

Reopening NY State: What the Four-Phase NY Forward Plan Means for Families

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Fri, 05/22/2020 - 2:44pm

New York Forward reopens the state on a regional basis as each area meets the criteria necessary to protect public health.

If coronavirus quarantine has got you down, help is on the way. New York on PAUSE is out; New York Forward is in. Governor Andrew Cuomo let the state-wide stay-at-home order expire last week, but what does that mean, particularly for downstate families who have been living at the center of the nation's coronavirus outbreak, enduring 2+ months of lockdown, only seeing each other in car parades and 8pm howls, giving our kids quarantine haircuts, and trying to find something to celebrate every day? Well, right now, it's more of the status quo, but the end is in sight, and once a region has met seven data-driven metrics, New Yorkers ranging from Manhattan to the Hamptons and Staten Island to Westchester can enter Phase 1 of the four-phase reopening plan.

Read on to find out what that means for families and when your favorite local businesses might fully reopen, plus info on outdoor fun at beaches, parks, and more.

June Is Pride Month: 25 Ways to Celebrate Pride and LGBTQ Rights

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Thu, 05/21/2020 - 7:02am

The arrival of June means it's Pride month, a vibrant, rainbow-filled celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community that is marked by over-the-top parades, jam-packed rallies, and marches in cities across the country.

Whether you're a member of the Queer community or consider yourself an ally, here are 24 ways to celebrate Pride Month this June with your kids. For local parades and rallies, be sure to check your area's calendar of events.

For further reading for kids of all ages, check out our list of the Best LGBTQ Books for Kids To Celebrate Pride Month.

NYC Beaches Are Closed; These Beaches are Open in NY, NJ, and CT

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Wed, 05/20/2020 - 12:00pm

NYC begins to prepare for a hot summer with closed beaches. Photo courtesy of NYC Parks

Like summers past, Memorial Day weekend brings with it the opening of beaches across much of the tri-state area. Though NYC beaches remain shuttered for the foreseeable future, city-dwellers won't be left to sweat it out, because, from the Jersey Shore to Long Island beaches, and the sands of Connecticut, there are plenty of family-friendly beaches nearby where the sun and the surf await.

While many local shorelines are reopening, beachgoers can expect the summer beach season of 2020 to look a little different than years past, with limits to crowd size and fewer amenities, but we're doing our best to break it all down for area families, so you can enjoy some traditional summer fun. At popular state-run beaches like Jones Beach and Robert Moses State Park, capacity will be limited by putting caps on available parking spots. Elsewhere, at local Long Island, Connecticut, and Jersey Shore beaches, the sale of beach tags will be restricted and be forewarned: Some spots will be limited to residents only.

This means families must plan beach outings days in advance, and arrive early to beat the crowds and heed closures. Rules and regulations are likely to change throughout the season, so be sure to click through to your favorite shoreline's local home page for details on its current status before you head out.

Latest posts by Jody Mercier

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