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

Guide to Día de los Muertos or Day of the Dead for NYC Kids

Submitted by Raven Snook on Tue, 10/16/2018 - 2:40pm

Join the Dia de los Muertos parade at El Museo del Barrio.

Halloween isn't the only spooky holiday to celebrate this fall. Day of the Dead—or Día de los Muertos as it's known in Spanish—is observed by many Latino cultures and is especially popular in Mexico.

Day of the Dead officially takes place on November 1 and 2 to coincide with the Catholic holidays of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day. However, NYC events are spread throughout October and early November and most of them are FREE. Revelers honor friends and family members who have died by building altars, or ofrendas, and adorning them with colorful paper flowers, beautifully decorated skeletons, and candles. It's a joyful way to remember the deceased—without freaking kids out. We've rounded up nine Day of the Dead events where NYC kids and families can celebrate the holiday.

You can find more fall activities in our Fall Fun Guide and check out the Halloween Guide for all the other spooky, kid-friendly happenings in NYC this month.

The Best Family Shows of Off-Broadway's New Victory Theater 2018-2019 Season

Submitted by Raven Snook on Fri, 09/21/2018 - 11:00am

Tinga Tinga Tales. Photo by Tinga Rain Productions

For the past 23 years, the award-winning New Victory Theater in the heart of Times Square has been the premier destination to catch entertaining and affordable productions for all ages. But the beloved New Vic is much more than just a place to "go catch a show." Through hands-on workshops, interactive pre- and post-show activities, and performances tailored for children with special needs, the nonprofit organization is raising the bar for what children's theater can be. As a parent who has been taking my daughter to the New Vic for over a decade, I'm pleased to share a preview of its 2018-2019 season, including the best shows for different ages and how to save on tickets.

Best Family Theater in NYC This Fall

Submitted by Raven Snook on Tue, 09/18/2018 - 3:09pm

See Super! The Musical at the FringeJR Festival. Photo courtesy of the Maryland Ensemble Theater

Autumn marks the start of a new theater season, but you don't need to shell out big bucks on Broadway shows to give your kids a memorable live entertainment experience in NYC. In fact, this fall boasts more high-quality theater productions for young audiences than ever—so many in fact, we have a whopping 25 picks, and that's after whittling down the contenders.

Preschoolers will be excited for the return of old friends Pete the Cat and Angelina Ballerina, plus the debut of a new show based on a Laurie Berkner song. Older kids will be inspired by That Inventions Show, the interactive improv piece Show Up, Kids!, and the immersive Gumshoe, which takes place throughout the 125-year-old Henry Street Settlement. There's also funky fare for tweens at Lincoln Center and the New Victory Theater, plus everyone in your family can enjoy the Big Apple Circus. Best of all, many of our picks are $25 or less per ticket.

Best Summer Theater and Shows for NYC Kids 2018

Submitted by Raven Snook on Tue, 07/03/2018 - 2:00pm

Golly Gee Whiz performed by TADA! Youth Theater. Photo courtesy of TADA! Youth Theater

Think the dog days of summer are a cultural wasteland and that all the cool new openings won't start again until fall? That's not the case when it comes to the stage—New York City's family theater scene is hotter than a heat wave.

There are shows for all ages, interests, and budgets throughout the summer season, including a number of FREE options such as no-cost high-quality Shakespeare, and alfresco shows for tots inspired by Peter Pan and Little Red Riding Hood. Plus enjoy eye-popping indoor spectacles for the whole family like MOMIX and Mummenschanz. Best of all, many of our picks cost less than $25 per ticket, and six are 100 percent FREE!

The Best Spring Theater for NYC Kids: 17 Fabulous Shows

Submitted by Raven Snook on Thu, 03/22/2018 - 3:21pm

Up and Away is part of Lincoln Center's Big Umbrella Festival for children on the autism spectrum. Photo by Alexi Buatti-Ramos

The spring is always a great time for family theater, but this season looks particularly exciting. There are page-to-stage adaptations of cool kid lit (The Little Red Fish for toddlers and Seedfolks for tweens); wordless spectacles to captivate all ages (clown show Air Play and underwater spectacle Symphonie Fantastique); and Lincoln Center's Big Umbrella Festival, the first-ever monthlong performance fest for children on the autism spectrum.

While on Broadway it's all Frozen, Harry Potter, and Mean Girls mania, there's no need to shell out big bucks to give your kids a memorable live entertainment experience in NYC. Most of the 17 shows we're spotlighting are just $25—or less—per ticket.

40 Things To Do in the East Village with Kids

Submitted by Raven Snook on Fri, 03/16/2018 - 11:47am

The East Village is the epitome of the luxury bohemian paradox. High-end condos, trendy eateries, chain stores, and shiny new NYU dorms sit kitty-corner from decrepit tenements, old-world restaurants, punk-rock shops, and community gardens blooming with flowers and sculptures. Although it's certainly not the gritty neighborhood of my youth, you can still find traces of the artsy, old-school East Village if you know where to look.

For the purposes of this post, our boundaries are Broadway to the East River between Houston and 14th Streets. Read on for all the top spots and experiences for kids in this eclectic Manhattan neighborhood, from play spots and excellent eats to funky, only-in-the-East Village destinations.

Washington Heights and Inwood with Kids: Top 35 Things to Do

Submitted by Raven Snook on Wed, 02/21/2018 - 11:09am

Two distinct neighborhoods make up the northernmost tip of Manhattan: Washington Heights and Inwood. Although these NYC nabes are constantly lumped together, they are really two unique areas that happen to share a lot of incredible history.

The Heights is a mix of multigenerational Hispanic families and young artists and families attracted to prewar apartment buildings and lovely parks. The area overflows with colorful Latino restaurants, shops, and cultural groups, and boasts multiple riverfront green spaces, notably Fort Washington Park, home to the famed Little Red Lighthouse, and Fort Tryon Park, where you'll find the Metropolitan Museum's medieval art mecca, the Cloisters.

Inwood is a quieter residential area that's quite tight-knit. Many family-friendly businesses are owned and operated by locals, like Indian Road Cafe, Bread and Yoga, and apothecary/soda fountain Dichter Pharmacy, which dates back to the 1940s.

Read on for all the top spots for kids in these Manhattan neighborhoods, from playgrounds to great eats.

This Girl Laughs, Cries – and Grows Up: A Tale of 3 Sisters

Submitted by Raven Snook on Fri, 02/16/2018 - 9:00am

Like all worthwhile adventures, This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing at Atlantic for Kids starts down a familiar path, hits a fork in the road, and then goes off in unanticipated and delightful directions. Although at the outset this seriocomic play interweaves a number of fairy tale tropes—a sudden death, an evil stepmother, an ineffectual father, and three disparate triplets—it ends up being as kooky and unpredictable as an overtired toddler.

It's also long and explores some complicated themes such as abandonment, longing, and how our childhood dreams evolve as we grow. So is This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing right for your child? Read our review for a sense of what to expect from this unpredictable fable, or check out our complete Theater Guide for NYC Kids for many more options.

Latest posts by Raven Snook

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