Roberta B

Roberta

Years spent at Nickelodeon prepared Roberta to launch Mommy Poppins' Los Angeles branch. She served as LA Editor for GoCityKids, National Editor for ParentsConnect, and Editor for NickMom. After two years as Mommy Poppins' LA Editor, Roberta became Editor-in-Chief at Mommy Poppins - which works out well for her son, who enjoys his role as Chief Guinea Pig for all things fun in LA and beyond.

Latest posts by Roberta

What’s Open in Coronavirus Shutdown: Parks, Beaches, Hikes You Can Do While Social Distancing

Submitted by Roberta B on Fri, 03/20/2020 - 3:44pm

School is closed (along with everything else!), but this sure doesn't feel like spring break. Last night the governor, the mayor, and a series of LA County officials all issued statements in rapid succession saying to stay home. Any dream we may have had of escaping this COVID-19 madness ended abruptly.

But what exactly does a Stay-at-Home order mean?

Here's what it doesn't mean: It's not an order to stare at screens blaring scary news stories until you feel drained of all hope. It also doesn't mean your kids can't go outside! Sunshine and fresh air are healthy for body and mind—especially young ones—and there are several approved ways to enjoy that during this crisis. In fact, Mayor Garcetti's order specifically makes exceptions to the Stay-at-Home order for "walking, hiking, running, cycling, using scooters, roller skates, skateboards, or travel in a vehicle with household members to go to a place to walk, hike, run, or ride a bike."

We heard the man. Our kids need to run! So we've got a list for you of places you can stretch your limbs and feel normal for a spell—all while keeping six feet away from other folks.

Disneyland, Disney World, California Adventure, Disney Cruises, Universal Studios Close for COVID-19 Crisis

Submitted by Roberta B on Fri, 03/13/2020 - 10:00am

OK, folks, this just got serious. I know we've all been glued to our screens tracking the inconceivable developments of this pandemic situation, watching major events cancel in real time, wondering if our kids are going to be attending school from the sofa next week, canceling trips to Europe, etc... But look out because COVID-19, aka the Coronavirus, just shut down Disneyland.

March GoList: Best Things To Do with LA and OC Kids This Month

Submitted by Roberta B on Fri, 02/28/2020 - 3:21pm

Our picks for March are in! It's a busy month, with St. Patrick's Day, Purim, the arrival of spring, and migrating whales and swallows; no wonder there's an hour to switch off at the end of the month. Even the wonderful Butterfly Pavilion at the Natural History Museum returns mid-March. Now is your chance to plan ahead for these annual favorites picked from the many activities on our March daily events calendar, and snag tickets in advance.

Click through to the full listings, and you can automatically add them to your personal calendar. And if you don't already receive our newsletters with ideas for weekend events, camps, and more, you might want to subscribe--before spring break sneaks up on you!

Disneyland Prices Go Up, But SoCal Residents Can Still Get Their Deal—For Now

Submitted by Roberta B on Wed, 02/12/2020 - 2:00am

Everyone's talking about the new prices at Disneyland. It's understandable; the new 2020 Disneyland ticket prices released today reflect an increase of 3% to 13%, depending on the ticket or pass type. Annual passholders are bound to do some hard thinking about whether the Mouse House remains an affordable annual expense. More than a few people probably woke up this morning and kicked themselves that they didn't buy tickets yesterday. But here's the good news: if you're a SoCal resident, you can still get a great Disneyland deal at yesterday's price—if you act fast.

February GoList: Best Things To Do with LA Kids

Submitted by Roberta B on Fri, 01/31/2020 - 6:06am

February is a time to appreciate where we live perhaps more than any other—not simply because of the opportunity to celebrate the valentines, presidents, parades, and whales below, but also because we live in a place where we can ski in the snow one minute and be sand sledding at the beach barely an hour later. Our hearts go out to our friends and family shivering in other states, of course; they really should come to visit. We'll use our weekend event roundups, our 100 Things List, and this February GoList to show them a good time, while they escape that winter thing they're all suffering from.

All of the cooler-than-cool activities below are on our daily events calendar, but a little extra notice helps to make sure your kids don't miss out. Click through to the full listings so that you can automatically add them to your calendar. Happy February!

Where To Go Whale Watching in LA: Whale Cruises, Festivals, and Viewpoints

Submitted by Roberta B on Thu, 01/23/2020 - 6:50pm

Winter is prime whale watching season in Southern California, and there are several ways to spy on the giant mammals as they pass through on their 6,000-mile quest for Mexican romance. Each year, between December and April, roughly 20,000 Pacific gray whales migrate past our beaches, and March brings particularly high traffic because that's when the underwater procession starts to turn around. Pregnant, south-bound she-whales still trying to make it to Baja before the contractions start are blasted past by upwardly mobile young he-whales, finished with romance and headed for an appointment in the Arctic Circle. All that toing and froing is the inspiration for many a whale cruise and festival. With a little luck and clear skies, even a hike or sand sledding can turn into a whale watching activity.

Best Indoor Play Spaces in LA: Playgrounds for Cold, Rainy Days

Submitted by Roberta B on Tue, 01/21/2020 - 12:07pm

It never rains in LA—except when it does, and you need an indoor playground stat. And have you ever tried planning a birthday party outdoors in January? Sure, you might have one of those gorgeous days Manhattan moms covet, or you might end up wishing you'd booked a play space. Rainy days, birthdays, hot days, cold days—they all add up to needing to know where the indoor playgrounds are in LA and Orange County.

Lunar New Year at Disneyland or Universal Studios: Chinese New Year the Theme Park Way

Submitted by Roberta B on Mon, 01/20/2020 - 1:38am

Chinese New Year in Disneyland? Well, it is the Year of Mouse, after all. And while most angelenos know about DTLA's famous Chinese New Year Festival and its accompanying 120+ year-old Golden Dragon Parade, not everyone realizes that there are also ways to celebrate the season at our favorite theme parks. So if you like your lion dance with a side of roller coaster, you've got options.

Roberta B

Roberta

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