Kaylynn Chiarello Ebner

Kaylynn Ebner, a mom of three, has been writing for Mommy Poppins since 2016. She’s passionate about exploring new spots with her family and sharing NJ’s best attractions and hidden gems with the Mommy Poppins community.

Latest posts by Kaylynn Chiarello

Great Children's Theaters in New Jersey: Where to Catch Live Entertainment with Kids

Submitted by Kaylynn Chiarel... on Tue, 05/06/2025 - 6:17am

Netcong's the Growing Stage specializes in family-friendly shows, musicals, and holidays performances. Photo courtesy the Growing Stage

Theater is a fantastic way to spark a child's imagination and creativity, and many NJ theaters have performances just for kids. Some children's theaters in NJ offer great bonuses for kids, like meet-and-greets with the actors, sensory-friendly performances, and even a backdrop of the Jersey Shore.

So if you're ready to step into someone else's shoes for an hour or two, we've got a list of some of the best places to catch kids' performances and family shows in New Jersey. For more culturally-enriching ideas, check out our Guide to Museums and Art for New Jersey Kids, as well as our Guide to the Best Movies and TV Shows for the Whole Family.

Edelman Fossil Park: What to Know About Visiting South Jersey's New Dinosaur Museum

Submitted by Kaylynn Chiarel... on Fri, 04/25/2025 - 11:34am

Edelman Fossil Park has life-size replicas of some of your favorite dinosaurs and sea creatures.

Rowan University's much-anticipated Edelman Fossil Park & Museum is officially open in Mantua, and it is well worth a visit. Perfect for dinosaur lovers of all ages, this spot is filled with cutting-edge exhibits that give visitors a unique glimpse into the Cretaceous period, when these reptilian giants ruled the earth.

With the mission of helping people discover the past and protect the future, museum visitors can see more than 100,000 fossils from 100 different species, plus walk by life-like dinosaur models. On a recent visit, my daughter especially enjoyed the huge dinosaur replicas, and we're looking forward to coming back for a fossil dig.

Read on for the top 11 things to see and do at Edelman Fossil Park & Museum. Have dino-obsessed kids? Check out our story on visiting the theme park Field Station Dinosaurs, or the best ways to celebrate birthdays for dinosaur-obsessed NJ kids.

The Ultimate Collection of Free Printable Coloring Pages for Kids

Submitted by Kaylynn Chiarel... on Thu, 04/10/2025 - 8:42am

Make your world more colorful with printable coloring pages from Crayola. Photo courtesy of Crayola

Coloring pages are a great activity for kids of all ages; providing hours of free and quiet fun!

Coloring pages are not only a quintessential boredom buster for toddlers; they can also be a creativity launch pad for older kids, who can cut out characters from printable coloring pages to make greeting cards, party decorations, collages, paper dolls, bookmarks, notebook covers, and more.

If you’ve exhausted your arts and crafts supply and are looking for some fresh coloring pages, we’ve curated a list of the best resources for downloading free coloring pages at home for every holiday, character, and occasion. For more fun and free printable activities, check out our list of 100 Totally Free Printable Activities for Kids and our roundup of our favorite 1000 Coloring Pages and Printable Activity Sheets for Kids.

Where To Get Kids' Ears Pierced in New Jersey

Submitted by Kaylynn Chiarel... on Sun, 03/09/2025 - 9:30am

Check out our list of trusted stores that do ear piercing for kids.

Looking for the best places in New Jersey to get your child's ears pierced? Read on for our list of NJ's top ear-piercing businesses.

When the time is right to get your child’s ear pierced, there are so many things to think about. You’ll want to find an experienced and patient ear piercing specialist who uses sterile equipment. And, you’ll want to pick an ear piercing place that makes your child as comfortable as possible.

Not to worry—New Jersey has lots of great businesses specializing in ear piercing, so read on for our roundup of the state's best. Be sure to check out our Guide to Stores and Services, which includes our writeup on the Best Baby Stores in New Jersey.

39 Things to Do With New Jersey Preschoolers Before They Turn 5

Submitted by Kaylynn Chiarel... on Sun, 03/02/2025 - 6:12am

Take your preschooler to find the Fairy houses on the South Mountain Fairy Trail in Millburn. Photo by Rose Gordon Sala

Preschoolers grow and develop faster than they will at any other time in their lives, and New Jersey gives us ample opportunities to fill their days with tons of opportunities to learn, laugh, and love life. Check out our mega-list below to advantage of the many play spaces, mommy-and-me classes, playgrounds, and other treasures the Garden State offers toddlers.

Bonus: In lots of cases, your kids will be young enough to score FREE admission.

For more can't-miss NJ offerings, check out 100 Things to Do in New Jersey with Kids Before They Grow Up and our rundown of NJ Attractions Offering free admission.

17 Best Indoor Birthday Party Places for Kids in New Jersey

Submitted by Kaylynn Chiarel... on Fri, 02/07/2025 - 10:36am

A birthday party at East Brunswick's Rock 'N Air includes playtime on trampolines and obstacle courses, plus some celebratory pizza.

If you're looking for indoor birthday party places for kids in New Jersey, we've picked fun-filled options that are bound to be crowd-pleasers. Whether your child loves video games, trampolines, pretend play, or STEM, this list has something for all ages, from toddlers through teens.

And be sure to check out our New Jersey Birthday Party Guide for even more options, including our story on indoor birthday party spots with mega playgrounds.

101 Funny Brain Teasers for Kids (With Answers!)

Submitted by Kaylynn Chiarel... on Thu, 02/06/2025 - 12:00pm

Can you stump your little brainiac with these fun brain teasers for kids?

Brain teasers for kids are a great way to battle boredom, enhance logic and creative thinking, and keep children's (and grown-ups'!) minds sharp. They also make for great dinner conversation and can motivate kids to work together to find the answers. Plus, they are fun, humorous, and oh-so-satisfying to solve!

Here are 101 brain teasers for kids of all ages to tackle as a family. These brain teasers with answers will challenge children to use their language and math skills, reasoning, and more to find the solutions.

After you've tackled these brain teasers for kids, visit our Boredom Busters for Kids Guide for more ways to have fun as a family, from fun facts that will blow kids' minds to awesome art projects.

50 Hilarious Minute to Win It Games For Kids

Submitted by Kaylynn Chiarel... on Tue, 01/28/2025 - 11:56am

Test patience, agility, and speed in a quick spoon race.

Minute to Win It games are perfect for family game nights, kids' birthday parties, holiday gatherings, and any other time you need inexpensive, crowd-pleasing entertainment. They're great for all ages, able to be scaled for groups, and can be prepped on a budget. Many Minute to Win It games are also easy to customize to fit any party theme.

Here are 50 Minute to Win It games that are fun and fast-paced for kids and crowds. Find more fun games, from the 100 best board games for kids and family game night to 25 card games every kid should know, in our Boredom Busters for Kids Guide.