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

Best Christmas Light Displays and Home Holiday Decorations around Los Angeles

Submitted by Roberta B on Sat, 11/14/2020 - 10:25pm

This post is being continuously updated with 2020 info as it comes in.

When the lights start going up, then you know it's Christmas! And whether your holiday of choice is Christmas, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, or Kwanzaa there is a timeless joy in taking a spin around the neighborhood holiday lights. The big flashy light displays that charge admission are tough to find in 2020, but there is a particular magic to finding those over-the-top lawn displays created by someone's (if thankfully not your) next-door neighbor. Even better is a whole street made up of nothing but this kind of neighbor, and a few of those extra special Christmas neighborhoods are rallying to keep the lights on in 2020. Also check out some of LA's professional and drive-thru holiday light displays, new for 2020!

Christmas Trains, Polar Express Rides, and Holiday Railroad Fun around Los Angeles and Orange County

Submitted by Roberta B on Tue, 11/10/2020 - 2:19pm

Holiday trains, like many of our annual traditions, have been hit hard by the restrictions of a pandemic holiday season—but the good news is that there are still a few running! Some of our favorites, most notably the two rides families love in Griffith Park, are on hiatus in 2020, but the train rides below have found ways to make their holiday experience COVID-friendly. Obviously masks are a must, and Santa Claus won't be hugging anyone, but there are seats available (so far!) on the train rides below, from Thanksgiving weekend until just before Christmas. We recommend booking ASAP, especially since fewer seats are being offered, to allow for social distancing.

If you don't manage to book the Polar Express experience, though, you could always play the Polar Express soundtrack while driving your crew through one of LA's Holiday Light Drive-thrus!

Christmas Boat Parades around LA, from Newport Beach to Santa Barbara

Submitted by Roberta B on Fri, 11/06/2020 - 11:54pm

Update 11/20/20: Since publish date, several more boat parades have changed their plans for the 2020 season. We will continue to update this post as information changes.

Los Angeles is all about outdoor activities at Christmastime—and nothing says "This is why I moved to Southern California" quite like a Christmas boat parade. During the weeks leading up to Christmas, boat owners gussy up their crafts and parade them up and down waterways for applauding spectators, who line the harbors and marinas from Dana Point to Oxnard. Driving around looking at holiday lights is great; letting them float by you at one of these dozen sailing holiday parades is even better. The only trick to enjoying one of these in COVID times is to find a non-crowded vantage point to relax and enjoy the floating light show.

Find more ideas for the 2020 holiday season in our Christmas and Hanukkah Guide for LA Families.

Sand Sledding: The Sand Berms at Venice Beach Return for Winter Fun

Submitted by Roberta B on Mon, 11/02/2020 - 1:48pm

Everything else may be different this year, but November is still the time to hit the sand berms!

Elsewhere in the country, sledding may involve getting cold and wet, but that is so... un-Californian. Oh, sure, there are places near LA to go sledding on snow if that's your thing, but we're raising California kids, and that means beach sledding. Every winter a few Los Angeles area beaches get their annual sand berms, intended as protection against winter storms and violent surf. Or so they say. The real purpose is clearly to lay the groundwork for the ultimate SoCal winter sport: sand sledding. We've got the lowdown on when those ~~sledding hills~~ storm berms are going up.

Private Movie Screenings for $99 at Movie Theaters Near You—Family Movie Night Is Back!

Submitted by Roberta B on Thu, 10/22/2020 - 2:04pm

Who misses seeing a movie in a movie theater? Watching new releases on an iPhone got old really fast, and even if you have a great TV for family movie nights, there is something sooo much more special about going to a real live cinema, sitting in those indulgent movie theater seats, leaning back, and watching a new movie on an enormous screen with no interruptions (preferably with a snack you would never eat under any other circumstances). Well, good news: whether or not your state is allowing movie theaters to reopen, there is a way to have that big screen cinema experience again—and without having to sit next to anyone you don't know!

Hauntoween: a Halloween Drive-thru Trick-or-Treating Pumpkin Patch in the Valley

Submitted by Roberta B on Sun, 10/11/2020 - 7:42pm

A pandemic Halloween season needs creative solutions, and Los Angeles has met that challenge head on. We know trick-or-treating this year is iffy at best, parties are taboo, and theme park haunts are all canceled; but Halloween promoters and enthusiasts have hit October running with a variety of drive-thrus, drive-bys, and socially distanced Halloween activities. Most of these COVID-era Halloween experiences are new for 2020, and the highest profile of the bunch is the Hauntoween Drive-thru in Woodland Hills. We made a journey on opening night to give this celebration a test drive, find out how a rolling haunt works, and see if Hauntoween is worth the price of admission.

Playgrounds Re-Opening: Which Los Angeles Parks Are Opening Their Playgrounds and When?

Submitted by Roberta B on Tue, 10/06/2020 - 3:41pm

LA County Health officials have at long last announced that parks and playgrounds around Los Angeles can reopen, after a closure of more than six months for the relentless COVID-19 pandemic. It's not surprising that all over the Southland parents are scrambling for shoes and asking each other "Where? When??" The problem is that, as encouraging as the October 5 announcement sounds, practical answers to "Which playground??" are not so easy to come by. But go ahead and find that other shoe, because some playgrounds have already begun reopening.

Best Private Swimming Classes and Swim Schools for LA Kids

Submitted by Roberta B on Sun, 09/13/2020 - 1:47pm

Time for swimming lessons? Group swim classes at a local YMCA or community pool can vary widely in quality (even within a single facility), so we’re here to tell you where Angelenos who are serious about getting the job done keep their kids afloat—and it doesn't have to cost a mint. Private and semi-private swim lessons don't necessarily require a private pool, and they do get kids on the fast track to independent swimming. Several popular swim instructors and schools make use of public pools or swing deals with private pool owners to make private instruction accessible to everyone. Check out the great options below for getting kids safe in the water.

COVID-19 info: Note that as of the publish date, indoor pool facilities are not open in LA County, so lessons are only available outdoors or over the county line. The swim schools below are able to function within those parameters; swim schools that are closed during the pandemic are not listed.

Find more ideas for classes, tutoring, pod support, and homework help at our online Back-to-School Fair, going on now!

Roberta B

Roberta

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