Sarah G

Sarah Gonser - NYC Writer

Sarah is a Brooklyn-based health, education and parenting journalist. A former business reporter, she finds writing about parenting and kid-related happenings a whole lot more fun and engaging. She loves the flexibility of freelance writing as it leaves plenty of opportunities (between deadlines) to spend quality time with her two sons. With Prospect Park their daily stomping grounds and Manhattan just a few subway stops away, she and her husband feel lucky to be raising their kids in NYC.

Sarah's Latest Gallery Posts on Mommy Poppins:

Swindler Cove

Fort Tryon Park & Fort Washington Park

Crown Heights With Kids

Midtown West Playgrounds

New Williamsburg Play Space: Twinkle

New Drop-In Art Space in Bed-Stuy

Three Brooklyn Museums You've Never Heard Of

Fort Greene Clinton Hill: 35 Things to Do for NYC Families

Offbeat Art in a LIC Bank Building

Hiho Batik

N ew Toy Stores in Park Slope

Long Island City Museums With Kids

Latest posts by Sarah G

Dyker Heights Family-Friendly Restaurants: Where to Eat Near Dyker Lights with Kids

Submitted by Sarah G on Sun, 11/25/2012 - 10:00am

We continue our month-long focus on Dyker Heights with a roundup of family-friendly restaurants in the area. Since the neighborhood has a suburban feel, it's no surprise that all of the businesses, including eateries, are pretty spread out. If you're up for strolling (or driving), you'll find a lot of places to eat near the intersection of 65th Street and the Gowanus Expressway, which is right on the border of two more commercial neighborhoods: Bay Ridge and Sunset Park. However, if you're going to gawk at the area's world-famous Dyker Lights displays, which are located from 11th to 13th Avenues between 83rd and 86th Streets, they're quite a walk away.

So our Dyker Heights restaurant post is divided into two categories: Places to eat near Dyker Lights, and places further afield but still in the lovely, mansion-filled Brooklyn neighborhood.

Space No. 1: Brooklyn Play Space for Children with Special Needs

Submitted by Sarah G on Mon, 07/30/2012 - 10:00am

Although this play space has closed read all about Extreme Kids & Crew's two new special needs play spaces in this post.

As parents of children with special needs know, finding play spots can be tricky. Navigating public places like playgrounds, parks and drop-in play spaces is sometimes challenging and stressful, with families having to deal with insensitive comments while also trying to manage their child's disabilities.

That's why Fort Greene mother of three, Eliza Factor, was inspired to found Extreme Kids & Crew's Space No. 1, a nonprofit center offering classes, events and open play for kids with all kinds of special needs, from mild dyslexia to more extreme issues, like her son, Felix, who has cerebral palsy and autism.

Brooklyn Kids Shoe Stores: Where to Buy Children's Shoes in NYC

Submitted by Sarah G on Sat, 07/07/2012 - 10:00am

[UPDATED: December 1, 2012]

As a busy mom, I do a lot of my shopping online. But when it comes to tricky things like making sure there’s that ideal half-inch of space between the tip of my son’s wiggling toes and the front of his shoes, I skip the websites and seek out the services of patient pros and their Brannock Devices (now you know what those foot measuring thingies are called).

Happily for Brooklyn families like mine, there are many wonderful stores in our borough that carry a wide selection of shoes for children, with staff that know how to coax squirming tots into trying them on. While you might be able to pick up a cheaper pair of sneakers, boots or sandals at a big chain store, you won't get the benefit of expert assistance and advice about which shoes truly fit. Here are some of our favorite children's shoe stores in Brooklyn, including two that just opened this year.

20 NYC Outdoor Dining Options with Kids

Submitted by Sarah G on Mon, 06/18/2012 - 4:00pm

Eating outdoors on a balmy day can be a wonderful family dining experience—unless you're stuck inhaling bus fumes at a tiny sidewalk table so crammed with dishes that you're lucky if a passerby doesn't inadvertently knock over your drink with a swinging handbag.

Luckily there are a bunch of kid-friendly restaurants in New York City with wonderful alfresco dining areas that aren't right by the curb. From lush backyard gardens to rooftop gems with panoramic views to eateries located smack-dab in the middle of parks, here are 20 of our favorite NYC spots for outdoor dining in the summer.

Gay Pride Events for NYC Families: Free Ways to Celebrate Pride Month with Kids

Submitted by Sarah G on Mon, 06/04/2012 - 10:00am

A few decades ago, Gay Pride in New York City was mainly an adult affair, with a big Manhattan march followed by parties until dawn. While those events continue today, a lot has changed about Pride and for the LGBT community as a whole. Many gay couples are now married (legally!) with children and want to celebrate Pride as a family. Plus the festivities aren't limited to Manhattan; now the outer boroughs host notable Pride events, too, with their own vibes and attractions.

Last year, my son and I spent several happy hours eating, shopping and playing our way through the Brooklyn Pride Festival right off Bartel-Pritchard Square. It was mellow and fun, and with Pride Month upon us again, we're looking forward to checking out other kid-friendly Pride celebrations throughout June. While some gatherings are still just for grown-ups, we've found a bunch that are great for the whole family. Bonus: They're all FREE.

Farm-to-table: Hands-on Planting and Harvesting Summer Camps for NYC Kids

Submitted by Sarah G on Thu, 05/03/2012 - 9:00am

[UPDATED: February 23, 2013] If your child loves digging in the dirt and messing around in the kitchen as much as mine does, then camps that offer planting, harvesting and cooking activities are a summer dream come true. Even for kids who are less, shall we say, dirt-inclined, these programs offer a wonderful opportunity to learn about the farm-to-table movement as they harvest fruits and vegetables right here in NYC. Here are five programs where city kids can get a literal taste of farm life.

Dig for Gold and Perfect Your Forward Flip at PS1 This Weekend

Submitted by Sarah G on Wed, 03/28/2012 - 10:00am

Take a beautiful, and very deep, brick room and fill it, wall-to-wall, with a thick layer of soft, colorful yarn and thread waste and what do you get? A most unusual, and thoroughly fun, bouncy space where running, jumping, flipping through the air, turning summersaults, and of course, digging for treasure, are simply irresistible--and not just for kids. My five-year-old son wanted to stay all day. So did my husband.

You may be surprised to find that this fun is not in a play space or a children's museum, but at MoMA PS1, the contemporary art museum in Long Island City. Read on to find out more about this and some other exhibits at MoMA PS1 that will make checking it out in the exhibit's last weekend worth the trip.