Roberta Brown

Editor-in-Chief

Years spent at Nickelodeon prepared Roberta to launch Mommy Poppins' Los Angeles branch in 2011, eventually becoming Mommy Poppins Editor-in-Chief in 2013. Previously she served as LA Editor for GoCityKids, National Editor for ParentsConnect, and Editor for NickMom—all of which works out well for her son, who has grown up serving as Chief Guinea Pig for all things fun in LA and beyond.

Latest posts by Roberta

When Can Disneyland Open? Avengers, Annual Passes, and More News for 2021

Submitted by Roberta B on Sat, 01/23/2021 - 8:11pm

But, when can we go back? Photo by Matt Stroshane/Disney

Of the many tough things about 2020, one of the big ones for Southern California families was the loss of Disneyland. Last year kicked off with a major price hike that left SoCal residents scrambling to enjoy a few last weeks of locals only deals, before being cut short by the park's abrupt closure for COVID-19. The ten months since then have marked the longest some people have ever gone without visiting the Mouse House, and there is still no end in sight.

So what can we expect of Disney in 2021? Will we get to see the inside of Disneyland, and if so will it wipe out the college fund? Is it true that annual passes have been canceled? And will last summer's canceled Avengers Campus opening ever see the light of day? With so many unknowns in the year ahead, we thought hunting down a few of these answers might make the wait more bearable.

Holiday Road Christmas Lights Drive-thru: Christmas Cheer without Leaving Your Car

Submitted by Roberta B on Thu, 12/10/2020 - 1:00pm

If Christmas lights are your jam, you may have wondered about the oodles of drive-thru holiday light displays that have sprung up around LA this season as antidotes to the pandemic blues. With so many holiday traditions canceled for Christmas 2020, it's pretty exciting to find new ones. But are these commercial drive-thrus worth the price of admission? In the case of Holiday Road at King Gillette Ranch, I'm going to go out on a Christmas tree limb to say yes! If you're able to spend some of the cash you're saving by missing out on Disneyland and holiday travel, then Holiday Road could be a delightful and festive evening excursion for the whole family.

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!

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

Book a private family movie night at AMC.

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

The jack o'lantern tunnel is a highlight of Hauntoween.

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

California and Los Angeles DoH say playgrounds can reopen, but when?

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.

Things To Do in LA this Weekend with Kids: Knott's Fall-o-Ween, Haunted Hayride, American Girl, & Fireworks

Submitted by Roberta B on Wed, 09/23/2020 - 6:00pm

Check your calendars, folks, because apparently it's Halloween season in these here parts. As of now, Angelenos can pick their pumpkins, eat sweet 'n' spooky treats, and have the bejeebies scared out of them.

Little by little our favorite venues are finding ways to come back to us (hello LA Zoo and Sea Life Aquarium!). New favorites are popping up, taking advantage of our twin loves of cars and movies. In the coming days you can see Goosebumps, Men in Black, The Incredibles, and Grease just to name a few.

Of course, many of our favorite events are too social to accomplish much distancing, but this week we can wiggle waggle walk our way through virtual editions of the Marine Mammal Care Center's Sealpalooza, LA Library's annual Los Angeles Libros Festival, the Aquarium of the Pacific's Baja Splash Cultural Festival, and the Hollywood Bowl's Fireworks Finale. (Not to mention the Monterey Jazz Festival, Farm Aid and Bonnaroo!)

And our Back-to-School Fair is still going; catch the last few free demo classes this week, including Atlantic Acting and Coucou French.

Keep on reading to find some of our top picks for September.

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!