Raven Snook

Raven is a writer, editor, performer and mom, who was born and bred in NYC, just like her husband, her mother and now, her daughter. As a writer, she's contributed articles to New York Magazine, Time Out New York, The Village Voice, the New York Post, TV Guide, Better Homes and Gardens, iVillage, AOL TV and Moviefone, Parents.com, and worked as an in-house editor for ParentsConnect.com and TimeOutKids.com. As a performer, she's appeared on many downtown stages (sometimes even for pay!), a couple of obscure films and TV shows, and The Maury Povich Show as a female drag queen. She's also the founder of Hot Mama Burlesque, the world's only all-moms burlesque show. After being the NYC editor from March 2011-March 2015, she is now happy to just be a blogger as she pursues additional writing opportunities.

Latest posts by Raven Snook

This Week: Affordable February Break Camps, DIY Winter Olympics Party, Best February Kids' Events in the Tri-State Area

Submitted by Raven Snook on Thu, 02/06/2014 - 4:00pm

This post contains no references to snow, sleet, slush or ice. That's our promise to you on yet another freezing winter's day! Instead, we'll warm you up (figuratively speaking) by linking to the hottest family events this February in NYC, Westchester, New Jersey, Long Island, Connecticut and beyond.

The February midwinter break is coming up quick for NYC public school students, so we rounded up 10 inexpensive camps in case you're in need of child care. Got the week off? Our NYC Day Trip Guide features lots of wonderful local getaways for families and our Winter Guide is chock-full of seasonal activities, from ice-skating, sledding, skiing and snow tubing (sorry—we broke our promise and mentioned snow), plus cool kids' culture like the best theater shows and museum exhibits.

Another great thing to do over midwinter recess? Try some of our fun and easy WeeWork projects. In fact, it just might win you tickets to Baby Loves Disco. Every week from now through April 11, we're giving away a family four-pack to this family dance party. All you need to do is share a photo of a completed WeeWork project on social media. Get all the details on our giveaway page.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

This Week: Best February Events for NYC Kids, Snow Tubing Near NYC, Cool Winter Film Festivals & Concerts

Submitted by Raven Snook on Thu, 01/30/2014 - 12:00pm

February kicks off with a bang, literally, with the firecracker-filled Lunar New Year Parade in Chinatown, one of our picks for the best things to do with kids in NYC this month. Even though it's the shortest month, we still found plenty of awesome fun for families in February, including cool events for the upcoming midwinter break and the annual BAMkids Film Festival.

For the first time ever, Super Bowl Sunday and Groundhog Day will coincide, and I admit, my family is way more interested in whether Staten Island Chuck sees his shadow than who wins the big game. Regardless of the rodent's weather prediction, we suspect that winter isn't going to end anytime soon. The upside: We see more sledding, skiing and snow tubing in our future.

If you need a fantasy escape from the polar vortex, check out our post about Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas on our Travel site. Just clicking through all the sunny photos should give you a blast of warmth, and perhaps inspire your next vacation. Looking for fun closer to home? Enter to win four tickets to family dance party Baby Loves Disco—there's even a special Valentine's Day edition coming up.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

Best NYC Kids' Concerts for Winter 2014: 12 Live Rockin' Music Shows

Submitted by Raven Snook on Tue, 01/28/2014 - 1:00pm

So far this month, we've told you about the best museum exhibits for kids, family theater shows and children's film festivals happening this winter. Now we wrap up our winter culture coverage with a list of the top 12 kids' concerts this season.

It's quite an eclectic roundup for music fans of all ages, even grown-ups. Preschoolers can get their sillies out grooving to interactive kindie rock groups like the Dirty Sock Funtime Band, and David Weinstone and the Music for Aardvarks Band. Older kids can learn about jazz great Dave Brubek and enjoy the offbeat Songs for Unusual Creatures. Meanwhile parents can take a nostalgia trip courtesy of a Rockapella reunion (of Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego fame), and Macaulay "Home Alone" Culkin's pizza-themed Velvet Underground cover band (no, I didn't make that up—I only wish I were that creative). Here are a dozen cool concerts to catch with kids this winter.

This Week: Best Winter Theater for NYC Kids, Winter Travel Deals, Super Bowl Fun for Families, A Full Week of WeeWork Posts

Submitted by Raven Snook on Thu, 01/23/2014 - 4:00pm

It seems like all anyone can talk about this week is the blizzard and the cold, but after all, it is the dead of winter in NYC. And not everything about it is bad. The freezing season brings snow days (though not this week for New York City public schools, which sparked much controversy not to mention a brief tantrum from my eight-year-old). Plus sledding, skiing, great winter travel deals, and crazy hats and headgear, like the horse head in the pic. (I couldn't help but sing the Mister Ed theme when I saw that kid... I don't think he or my daughter had any idea what I was doing.)

There are also plenty of great indoor activities to check out this season. This week we rounded up the best family theater shows opening this winter, profiled a Queens restaurant with a playroom and published our first full week of WeeWork activity posts so you can enjoy family fun without having to leave your home—a nice option when it's in the single digits!

We also have a great giveaway going this week: Enter to win a family four-pack to Sesame Street Live Elmo Makes Music at the Theater at Madison Square Garden. Even if you don't snag the prize, we've got an exclusive discount code so you can save 25% on tickets to select performances. All the info you need is right here.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

Winter Deals: Save Big on Music Lessons, Summer Camp, Art & Language Classes, Shows & Parties

Submitted by Raven Snook on Mon, 01/20/2014 - 10:00am

Winter is in full swing (or should we say freeze) but you can't hibernate all season, especially if you have stir crazy kids at home. Our latest edition of awesome NYC deals for kids includes a wide range of fun activities, from language, art and music classes, to cool family outings like family ballet and rock concerts, to discounts on birthday parties and summer camp. Don't wait to take advantage of these great bargains. Deals this good will be gone long before the ice thaws.

This Week: Introducing WeeWork Kids Crafts Series, Tech & Science Guide for NYC Kids, Best MLK Weekend Events for NYC Families

Submitted by Raven Snook on Thu, 01/16/2014 - 4:00pm

It's ironic in an Alanis Morissette sort of way that the week we launch our Tech & Science Guide for Kids I end up losing my Internet access. Thank goodness for kind neighbors willing to share their WiFi connections with a blogger in need. (One of the upsides of living in such close quarters in NYC!) In this brand-new geeky guide, you'll find all kinds of high-tech fun for kids, including family-friendly NYC makerspaces, Minecraft clubs, cool apps, science museums and more.

Our other big debut this week is our brand-new series of WeeWork Posts. Beginning next week, we'll be sharing simple crafts, recipes, indoor games and other fun activities that you and your kids can do at home for FREE. Check out this great make-your-own indoor snowballs project for a taste of what's in store. Great for those dreary winter days when it's too cold to play outside.

And what are you doing on Saturday? Hopefully joining Mommy Poppins at a special New Victory Theater matinee of the kiddie cabaret Still Awake Still. We're cohosting exclusive pre- and post-show activities, and even offering a 20% discount on tickets to our readers.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

This Week: Indoor Play Spaces for NYC Kids, Best Winter Exhibits for Families, Kids' Night on Broadway & More Theater Deals

Submitted by Raven Snook on Thu, 01/09/2014 - 4:00pm

Before this week I thought the polar vortex was something Captain Picard battled on Star Trek. But now we know it just means winter can be really cold. The weather certainly impacted our posts this week: At first we were all about sledding and other snowy activities, but soon we were sharing fun places to play indoors as the temperatures dropped into the single digits. (Yeah, I know, let's not relive that.)

We really don't have it all that bad in NYC—just imagine if we lived in Montreal, Canada. Of course there are plenty of wonderful things to do in Montreal with kids, even in winter as our Travel site proved this week. All of our other Mommy Poppins sites were focused on winter fun, too, both indoors and out. Here in NYC, we updated our lists of drop-in indoor play spaces in Manhattan and Queens. Connecticut added a roundup of great family ski resorts to its Winter Fun Guide. And New Jersey has a slew of seasonal sports posts in its Winter Activity Guide.

And a quick plug for one last fun indoor activity for next Saturday, January 18: Join Mommy Poppins at a special performance of the cabaret-style kids' show Still Awake Still! at the New Victory Theater. There will be interactive pre- and post-show activities, plus Mommy Poppins readers can save 20% on tickets.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

ASTC Passport Program: Get Free Admission to Museums & Science Centers Across the Country & Beyond

Submitted by Raven Snook on Thu, 01/09/2014 - 9:00am

It's no secret that buying a family membership to one of NYC's kid-friendly museums can be a real money saver, especially if it's your go-to bad weather play spot. (My child has spent many a rainy day romping around the Hall of Gems at the American Museum of Natural History, just like I did when I was her age.) But some museum memberships come with more than just free admission to the one institution—they also get you access to other culture spots at no additional cost.

While recently researching our post on ways to save on the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, we were reminded of one of the best bargains like this for families: the Association of Science-Technology Centers' Passport Program, which potentially gets you free admission to hundreds of museums around the world. However, as with any good deal, there's some fine print. We've got the scoop on the rules and restrictions for the ASTC Passport Program to help you decide whether it's worth it for your family. All you need to do is a little math.

Latest posts by Raven Snook

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