Jody Mercier

Jody Mercier always dreamed of being a mom, and she's raised three wonderful kids in New York City. Since that job only pays in hugs, she’s spent her career as a journalist covering health, fitness, sports, and parenting for Sports Illustrated, espnW, and Mommy Poppins. Follow her family’s adventures on Instagram @momtakesmanhattan or reach her at jody@mommypoppins.com.

Latest posts by Jody

CAMP Store and Play Space in Flatiron Launches New Toy Lab Theme for Holidays

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Tue, 11/12/2019 - 8:18am

CAMP, one of our favorite NYC stores where kids can play for FREE (and one of our favorite new additions to NYC last year, period) isn't your average toy store with a play space. The entire space reinvents itself every season, making it an imaginative wonderland designed for repeat exploration.

Situated on the corner of 16th Street and Fifth Avenue, CAMP looks like a retail shop from the street—albeit one with an on-site cafe and a funky collection of merchandise, from toys and games to books and clothing. But look closer and you'll see that there's something spectacular hiding behind a secret door. Find the entrance (with the help of a super-friendly CAMP counselor) and you're in for hours of fun, and a cool indoor place to play.

CAMP has reinvented itself again, with a toy-focused theme just in time for the holiday shopping season—read on for a peek inside.

22 Ways Families Can Volunteer and Donate in NYC for the Holidays

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Mon, 11/11/2019 - 9:30am

Support the work of the Make-A-Wish Foundation by having your child write a letter to Santa and deliver it to the mailbox in Santaland. For every letter Macy's receives, the company will donate $1 to Make-A-Wish. Photo courtesy of Macy's

During the holiday season, families gather to enjoy delicious meals, exchange gifts, and celebrate the year gone by. But for many New Yorkers, the holidays can be a particularly difficult time. Volunteering is a wonderful way to help others in the community and an ideal opportunity to teach children the true spirit of the season.

We've rounded up some of our favorite kid-friendly volunteering opportunities. No matter where in the tri-state area you live, the age of your children, or your family's interests, chances are there is a program that can use your help.

What's New in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Lineup for 2019

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Fri, 11/01/2019 - 3:00pm

Snoopy makes his 40th appearance at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade as an Apollo astronaut.

With Halloween firmly in the rear-view mirror, the holiday season is officially upon us, and we're gearing up for one of our favorite turkey day traditions: The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, which has just announced the new additions for the 2019 parade.

Read on for the details and new stars of the show, from soaring giants to gliding floats, and then start plotting your Thanksgiving parade viewing strategies, whether you're planning to watch the balloons come to life on the Wednesday night before the parade, or see the main event, which steps off at 9am on Thursday, November 28.

Disney and Saks Team up for Magical Frozen 2 Holiday Display

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Tue, 10/29/2019 - 4:07pm

Get ready for a Frozen winter wonderland coming to the Big Apple! Photo by Jody Merceir

What do you get when you combine a favorite annual holiday tradition with a bit of mysterious magic and a sure-to-be holiday blockbuster? Saks Fifth Avenue's treat for all of us this holiday season. The iconic department store is teaming up with Disney to pay homage to Frozen 2 with its holiday windows and a themed in-store experience.

Both will be unveiled on Monday, November 25, with an assist from actress (and voice of Elsa!) Idina Menzel, plus a choir, a cast of characters from Frozen 2, and more. The popular annual light show at Saks will also kick off that night. Read on for details on how to see the biggest holiday store experience to hit NYC since Macy's Santaland (or the return of FAO Schwarz).

Get Your Tickets Now for Edge, the New Observation Deck at Hudson Yards

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Mon, 10/28/2019 - 12:09pm

New York's Hudson Yards will be home to the highest outdoor observation deck in the western hemisphere.

Hudson Yards has brought NYC families plenty of new attractions and ways to play—but another big development is still to come. Mark your calendars: Edge, the highest outdoor observation deck in the Western Hemisphere, is set to open on March 11, 2020 at Hudson Yards, and tickets are now on sale.

Situated on the 100th floor of 30 Hudson Yards, Edge's observation deck sits at 1,131 feet above street level—that's higher than both the Empire State Building's main observation deck and the Top of the Rock. Read on for details on how to visit.

Trick-or-Treat, Pick Pumpkins, and See Jack O'Lanterns on Governors Island This Year

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Mon, 10/07/2019 - 4:01pm

One of NYC's only pumpkin patches (with a great view) returns to Governors Island.

Tis the season for fall festivals and Halloween fun in New York City, and what better place to celebrate the changing seasons than beautiful Governors Island? Its season runs through Halloween, and its October calendar is scarily packed with plenty of fun.

For the third consecutive year, the Friends of Governors Island and Trustees for Governors Island have teamed up to put on a classic, daytime, small-town Halloween at Pumpkin Point. If you prefer your Halloween fun to fall in the post-dusk hours, exciting news: The Night of 1,000 Jack O'Lanterns returns for its second run in three years. For all the details about Halloween events on Governors Island this year, read on.

10 Things to Love About Northern Central Park

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Fri, 09/20/2019 - 11:11am

Kids can frolic around the Conservatory Garden Fountain.

My family has long thought of Central Park as our backyard. And while we've romped across most of its 843 acres, and enjoy an occasional visit to the zoo or our favorite playground on the southern end, we're just as happy to leave that portion of the park to the tourists.

Instead, you'll find us exploring above 100th Street, in the northern reaches of the park, which are just wooded enough to make you forget the urban jungle for a bit. A recently-announced $150 million dollar renovation project will update the aging pool and skating rink at Central Park's Harlem Meer, while creating new trails and restoring the landscape—but there's no reason to wait until that project's estimated 2024 completion date to enjoy this beautiful parkland.

From a babbling stream, to renovated playgrounds, rolling meadows, perfectly manicured gardens, and the wild of the North Woods, here are 10 things to love about Central Park's northern edge.

Visiting the 9/11 Memorial & Museum: Tips for Going to Ground Zero With Kids

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Fri, 09/06/2019 - 10:00am

The 9/11 Memorial & Museum offers age-appropriate programs to help children learn more about the events of 9/11 and how people responded in the days and months after.

Visiting Ground Zero with your kids is a deeply personal decision. Even if your family hasn't already talked about the terrible events of September 11, 2001, many children will learn about the attack on the city at school, from friends, or via the annual coverage of the anniversary. Whether you're breaking the news yourself, or your kids bring questions to you, a visit to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum might help provide some context and meaning.

You're probably aware that this isn't your typical kid-centric museum, and children may only be able to handle a small part of the exhibit without feeling emotional. So, whether your kid is a native New Yorker or you're just visiting, here are our parent-tested tips for your visit to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.

Jody Mercier

Latest posts by Jody

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