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

Harry Potter Store Set to Debut in Summer 2020

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Mon, 01/13/2020 - 4:04pm

Get ready muggles: The largest collection of Wizarding World products in the world is coming to Flatiron this summer. Rendering courtesy of Warner Bros. Wizarding World

Raise your glasses of butterbeer in celebration: A brand new Harry Potter store is coming to New York City. The shop, which promises to house the world's largest collection of Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts products under one roof, opens in the heart of the Flatiron District this summer.

While New York has seen its share of Harry Potter pop-ups, from the huge History of Magic exhibition at the New-York Historical Society to a fun coffee shop in the East Village, the new Harry Potter store is here to stay.

Giant Seesaws Invade Two NYC Neighborhoods

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Wed, 01/08/2020 - 10:12am

As visitors put Impulse's giant seesaws into motion, they radiate light and emit musical elements. Photo by Alexandre Ayer

It's no secret New York City is our favorite playground. Always on the hunt for a cool place to play, we were thrilled to visit Impulse, a public art installation that brings giant seesaws to the Garment District and to hear about a second similar installation entitled Wave-Field at the South Street Seaport.

These innovative installations give New Yorkers young and old a pair of unexpected new playgrounds in the heart of the city. Read on for details and plan your outing whether you live uptown or downtown. But hurry: Both displays are here for a limited run.

15 Best New Kid-Friendly NYC Destinations of 2019

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Tue, 12/24/2019 - 1:30pm

Camp is now in Brooklyn at Citypoint. Photo by Ros Muggeridge

It's prime season for end-of-year "best of" lists, and at Mommy Poppins, we love a good year-end roundup too. So we've searched our archives and scrolled through our Instagram feed to bring you this list of the best kid-friendly openings in NYC in 2019. From the debut of an entirely new neighborhood and shopping hotbed to some long awaited and highly anticipated openings, it's been quite a year for city kids. We've seen some classic destinations get upgrades and made some new friends along the way.

Without further ado, here is our list of the 15 best kid-friendly destinations that opened (or re-opened!) in 2019 in New York City.

7 Things to Love About NYC's National Museum of Mathematics

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Thu, 12/19/2019 - 9:29am

MoMath is wall-to-wall with interactive STEM activities kids really enjoy.

Editor's note: MoMath has shuttered its East 26th Street location. Temporary programming will be offered at 225 Fifth Avenue; an expansion is promised to re-open the museum in a larger home in 2025.

My kids are usually game for adventure. They've trotted all over the five boroughs to help me review a range of museums, playgrounds, and play spaces. So I was a bit surprised when they protested an outing to the National Museum of Mathematics, a.k.a. MoMath. Math is boring, they exclaimed.

What was much less surprising: Their reaction after actually spending an afternoon at MoMath, one of the best STEM spots in NYC. I believe my 6-year-old's exact words were, "That's the best museum! When can we go back?" Read on for seven reasons to love the National Museum of Mathematics, and plan your own fun-filled (and educational!) outing.

Radio City Music Hall: Five Reasons to Visit (and Love) the Classic NYC Theater

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Fri, 12/13/2019 - 11:50am

Radio City Music Hall in Midtown NYC has a timeless appeal and a packed calendar of kid-friendly entertainment.

Few things are as quintessentially holidays in New York City as the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, starring the Rockettes (and live camels!). While the leggy precision dancers clad in Swarovski crystal leotards are scene-stealers, perhaps the biggest star of the show is the grand old dame of a theater that serves as its home base. Whether you're in town for only a short time, or making your annual trek to the Spectacular, here are five things to love about Radio City Music Hall in Rockefeller Center, and why the art deco masterpiece is worth a visit well beyond Christmastime.

10 Tips for Visiting NYC From Local Parents

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Fri, 12/06/2019 - 10:19am

Central Park offers a respite from the busy streets of Manhattan.

New York City makes a magical vacation spot for families year round. From its world-class cultural institutions to the bright lights of Broadway, towering skyscrapers, history-steeped, old cobblestone streets, and well-known landmarks, there's plenty to entertain your family whether you're here for a day, a week...or even longer.

While a vacation in the concrete jungle can be an action-packed experience, it can also be a challenge. Read on for our parent-tested tips to make a New York City family vacation one to remember.

Empire State Building Debuts New and Improved Visitor Experience

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Wed, 12/04/2019 - 10:01am

Take kids on an adventure to the revamped 80th floor of the Empire State Building. Photo by Evan Joseph

In the age of gleaming skyscrapers and daring new observation decks in NYC, it's easy to forget the grand dame of them all: the Empire State Building. The art deco beauty and iconic landmark has just finished a four-year, $165 million project to reimagine and refurbish the experience for visitors to the Observation Decks, including a completely redesigned 80th floor, which opened to the public last week. Read on for a look at the breathtaking new space, plus tips for planning a visit to the Empire State Building observatory with kids.

Holiday Windows Walk 2019: Midtown's Most Brilliant Holiday Window Displays

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Thu, 11/28/2019 - 2:00pm

The holiday windows at Saks this year feature scenes from Frozen 2. Photo by Jody Mercier

The festive fun of the holiday season is officially upon us, and New Yorkers and tourists alike know that seeing the brilliantly decorated holiday windows in Midtown's iconic stores is a Christmas-season must-do. Besides, what better way to work off some holiday treats than with a wintry stroll through Midtown to take in the sights?

If seeing the holiday window displays in NYC is part of your family's holiday traditions too, read on for our top stops during a 2019 holiday windows walk.

Latest posts by Jody Mercier

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