Roberta Brown

Editor-in-Chief

Years spent at Nickelodeon prepared Roberta to launch Mommy Poppins' Los Angeles branch in 2011. Previously she served as LA Editor for GoCityKids, National Editor for ParentsConnect, and Editor for NickMom—all of which worked out well for her son, who grew up serving as Chief Guinea Pig for all things fun in LA and beyond.

Latest posts by Roberta

Say Boo at the Zoo: 5 LA and OC Zoos with Cool Halloween Week Events

Submitted by Roberta B on Mon, 09/09/2019 - 11:57am

Let the record show that there is more than one way to smash a pumpkin, and handing it to a hippo is definitely one of them. A gorilla does the job pretty well, too, as does a tiger, or—well, just about any other animal at the zoo. This discovery by our nation's zookeepers has led to a peculiar Halloween tradition—that we highly recommend!

Each year Southern California's zoos (and Griffith Park is only one of the options, as you'll see below) plan Halloween events, usually treating resident critters to their favorite delicacies stuffed inside pumpkins. For some, the delicacy may actually be the pumpkin itself (chomp chomp), while the more carnivorously inclined seem to view the pumpkins more as wrapping paper (smash smash). Either way, zoo animals smashing pumpkins ups the ante on traditional pumpkin patches. Check out all the beastly fun at Southland zoos this season.

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

Submitted by Roberta B on Fri, 08/30/2019 - 11:08pm

September is bitter-sweet. The relief of having back all those hours in the day is tinged with the loss of long, balmy summer evenings without homework or lunches to prepare. And who among us is ready to hear the word "Halloween"? No, better to look to the September weekends as an opportunity to pretend that summer is still with us. Luckily the weather and the SoCal fun generally cooperate! Read on for the best of September in LA, Ventura, and OC. We'll keep adding to our calendar daily and sending our weekly newsletter in time for each weekend, but here's your chance to plan ahead for these September favorites.

The New Jurassic World Ride at Universal: Is It As Good As Jurassic Park?

Submitted by Roberta B on Mon, 08/12/2019 - 2:15am

Photo courtesy of Universal Studios Hollywood

A year without the Jurassic Park ride was like... a year without being splashed by dinosaurs. This summer's relaunch of the favorite Universal Studios ride was eagerly anticipated, though truth be told some of us who were big fans of the old ride were also just a little bit wary. Would Jurassic World: The Ride live up to its Jurassic predecessor? Or would it become just another virtual reality replacement of a classic analog adventure? It's a relief to be able to report that Jurassic World remains one of the best reasons to visit Universal Studios—and that Universal really did find ways to make our favorite ride even better.

Iceland with Kids: 10 Things You Will Want To Do on a Family Trip

Submitted by Roberta B on Sat, 08/10/2019 - 1:00pm

Geysers are a common sight in Iceland but the Strokkur Geyser is particularly impressive.

Iceland has become the place everyone talks about. It's dramatic. It's beautiful. It's rugged, unspoiled, totally different, and the perfect stop between North America and Europe. In fact, it's where the two continents actually meet (cue photo op)! But without amusement parks, warm weather, or any kind of branded entertainment, will it hold your kids' attention? The answer is heck yeah. There are endless fun things to do in Iceland with kids, especially somewhat exotic outdoor adventures.

Tell the kids you're bringing them to the Land of the Midnight Sun, and check out as many as you can of the 10 extra-special Icelandic attractions below.

40 Ways To Keep Summer Going in Los Angeles after School Begins

Submitted by Roberta B on Sun, 08/04/2019 - 11:11pm

Photo courtesy of the Annenberg Beach House

Whether you're relieved by the quiet or disturbed by the abrupt ending, most LA families are using those three little words (back to school) a whole lot earlier these days. Of course, dropping our kids off at school doesn't change the weather; there might be no child left behind at the beach, but it's still summer until close to Halloween. So if your family is not yet ready for summer to end, pick a few items off our End of Summer Bucket List and go have some fun while the sun still shines!

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

Submitted by Roberta B on Sun, 07/28/2019 - 10:51pm

This month's GoList looks at a summer half over and sees it as half full! There's still time to catch some of the best of LA's summertime fun, including free summer concerts, free summer movies, camping, beaches galore, or just taking one more rollercoaster ride in the sunshine. Read on for the best of August in LA, Ventura, and OC. We'll keep adding to our calendar daily and sending our weekly newsletter in time for each weekend, but here's your chance to plan ahead for these August favorites.

SeaWorld San Diego's New Orca Encounter: How Different Is It?

Submitted by Roberta B on Fri, 07/19/2019 - 10:49am

Changes are afoot (or is it afin?) at SeaWorld, with much talk about a whole new chapter in the park's sea mammal program. We headed down to San Diego recently to see the new Orca Encounter for ourselves—to find out how big the changes are and whether they are improving life for the marine residents of SeaWorld.

Universal Studios Hollywood: 10 Insider Tips for the Park and Wizarding World

Submitted by Roberta B on Sun, 06/30/2019 - 2:14pm

Universal Studios Hollywood brings the magic of the movies—plus the magic of Harry Potter—to life. But you may feel like you need a little magic of your own to navigate the park without collapsing from exhaustion. There’s a lot to see and do, especially when visiting the park with kids. Of all the LA-area theme parks, Universal Studios is the one where the rides and activities are easier to separate into what is appropriate for which age group. This makes a game plan easy when visiting with a gaggle of kids who are all the same age, but trickier for family visits with kids of multiple ages. But we’ve got you covered.

Also, Universal is a big park, as your calf muscles will no doubt remind you the day after your visit. While parks like Knott's or SeaWorld can be approached with a devil-may-care, keep-your-stinkin'-map sort of spontaneity, Universal's Jurassic size is better served by a plan. Consider including these ten tips when you form yours.

Roberta Brown

Latest posts by Roberta

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