Susan Miele

Latest posts by Susan

Weekday Picks for Westchester Kids: Paranormal Investigation, FAFSA 101 and More, January 12-16

Submitted by Susan Miele on Sun, 01/11/2015 - 5:00pm

This is our second installment of the new Mommy Poppins roundup of weekday events for kids in Westchester--and wait till you see what’s in store! The winter chill has finally arrived, so this week we’re highlighting indoor activities to keep your kids both busy and warm. While our Events Calendar is full of additional activities of interest, below are some of our top picks—one for every day, Monday through Friday. Click through for event details.

Whether your interest lies in crafting, college financial aid, healthy snacking or even paranormal investigation, we’ve got the activity for your family. What’s more, all our weekday top picks this week are FREE! So read on to learn more about Huma Beads and Popcorn Party, FAFSA 101, Paranormal/Ghost Investigation and more.

If you haven't already, be sure to sign up for our FREE newsletters to stay up-to-date on the latest news, events and activities throughout Westchester and Lower Hudson Valley.

Mostly Free & Fun Things to Do This Weekend with Westchester Kids: Forest Magic, Camp Fair, How to Pay for College and More, Jan. 10-11

Submitted by Susan Miele on Wed, 01/07/2015 - 5:00pm

As our focus shifts from the festive holiday season to the cold winter ahead, it may be hard to muster up the motivation to head out of the house. While the temperatures may dip, the little ones will still grow restless. Luckily, there are plenty of enriching and fun activities throughout Westchester and the Hudson Valley, including a wide variety of events this coming weekend!

It may be January, but that doesn’t mean that outdoor nature programs have come to an end. There’s Birding Hike, Winter Walk and Forest Magic to name a few. Bundle up!

If the arts are what you’re after, you can collaborate with artists at Live Art Fest, enjoy a FREE performance at Shakespeare in the Church, kick up your heels at Danceworks or Walk to the Beat Workshop Series: Square Dancing or get crafty at Model Magic Winter Wonderland.

Also happening this weekend are a couple of informative programs for parents: Financial Aid: How to Pay for College and Summer Camp and Teen Program Fair.

That's not all! Consult our Event Calendar and January GoList for lots more. Also sign up for our FREE weekly newsletter to get top picks delivered straight to your inbox--both our weekend roundup and our newly launched weekday highlights.

Introducing Weekday Picks for Westchester Kids: Poetry Slam, Teen DIY, & Passport Fridays January 5-9

Submitted by Susan Miele on Sun, 01/04/2015 - 8:00pm

Happy New Year! With a new year comes a new feature for Mommy Poppins Westchester--a weekly roundup of top weekday events, brought to you in a Monday morning newsletter. Similar to our weekend roundups, we'll highlight fun things to do with kids all week long. This means that subscribers will hear from us twice a week in 2015: once with weekday highlights, and once with weekend fun. If you haven't already, be sure to sign up for our FREE newsletters to stay up-to-date on the latest news, events and activities throughout Westchester and Lower Hudson Valley.

Below, we’ve singled out our favorite event for each weekday, Monday through Friday, for the coming week. There are a lot of great roll-up-your-sleeves events and a particular hotbed of activity for tweens or teens--like Teen DIY and Poetry SLAM and Open Mic. Four of the five are FREE! Click through for event details, but don’t stop there--be sure to peruse our Events Calendar for even more events happening around town.

Mostly Free & Fun Things to Do this Weekend with Westchester Kids: New Year's Day, Downton Abbey, Three Kings Day and More, Dec. 31-Jan. 4

Submitted by Susan Miele on Wed, 12/31/2014 - 10:00am

Before we head back to school and work, let’s enjoy a last hurrah this weekend! We’ve rounded up our top picks happening in Westchester from New Year’s Day through Sunday so you can squeeze in as much fun as possible before the holiday hullabaloo ends.

This mild winter we’re having means there’s still time to enjoy outdoor activities, like the First Day Hike and Bonfire or Howl in the New Year with Pack Chat for Kids. You can also ring in 2015 with Happy New Year.

If entertainment is more your speed, there’s StoryPlay InterACTIVE Children's Theater, Alamo Kids Camp and the alluring Bash the Trash Concert.

Want to get hands-on? Support a good cause at Empty Bowls Clay Workshop, churn butter at Butter and Bread, volunteer at Winter Trails Work Day, make a mini-sled at Home Depot Kids' Workshops or join the Community Backgammon Open House.

For those who crave one more holiday event, join in the multinational Three Kings Day Celebration or the Holiday Friday Star Show.

Finally, if you’re psyched about the return of “Downton Abbey” to the airwaves, you’ll likely enjoy Downton Abbey Mother-Daughter Tea Party.

Read on for our top weekend picks, and click through to the event listing to view full details. Also check out our New Year's Day guide and our Event Calendar to keep you busy. Sign up for our FREE weekly newsletter to get top picks delivered straight to your inbox.

Mostly Free & Fun Things to Do this Weekend with Westchester Kids: Live Shows, Last-Chance Holiday Events, Kwanzaa and More, Dec. 25-28

Submitted by Susan Miele on Wed, 12/24/2014 - 10:00am

Seasonal fun abounds all weekend long in Westchester and due the short holiday week, we've decided to run our weekend roundup a day early. You'll find lots of fun things to do with kids around town--we've even listed a few events happening on Christmas Day! For this coming weekend, we'll highlight the wrap-up of a few seasonal events in Westchester and the Hudson Valley. Additionally, in light of all the high expenses incurred around the holidays (not to mention the exhaustion!), we’ve selectively zeroed in on activities that are FREE, inexpensive and/or restful.

If you haven’t yet squeezed in enough holiday events, get your last licks with Frosty Fest, Holiday Spirit Festival, or Mr. Dickens Tells a Christmas Carol, all of which end this weekend. Continuing this weekend (as well as Christmas Eve and Christmas Day) is It's a Wonderful Life.

If you’re looking for FREE, celebrate the start of Kwanzaa with The Black Candle or enjoy Family Holiday Program, Lionheart Puppet Company, Spring Valley Puppet Theater, The Polar Express or Alamo Kids Camp, to name a few.

For other forms of low-key, low-cost entertainment, your kids might enjoy a comical performance by The Paper Bag Players, cheering at the Slam Dunk Tournament or getting artsy at School’s Out/Art’s In.

Read on for our top weekend picks, and click through to the event listing to view full details. Looking for more options? You can count on our Event Calendar to keep you busy, and check out our roundup of holiday mini-camps. Sign up for our FREE weekly newsletter to get top picks delivered straight to your inbox.

Kid-Friendly Winter Productions: The Best Live Performances for Westchester Families

Submitted by Susan Miele on Sun, 12/21/2014 - 12:00pm

After the hustle and bustle of the holiday season winds down, we may soon find ourselves with a surprising amount of free time on our hands. The winter is a perfect time to head indoors for a live performance, so to help guide you in your scheduling, we’ve rounded up some promising, kid-friendly productions in Westchester and the Hudson Valley. Plan ahead to get the performances and seats you want!

Read on and click through to the event listings for full details. For more fun winter events, be sure to check our events calendar or sign up for our free newsletter which will keep you up to date on all of the fun, educational and exciting happenings around Westchester and beyond.

Mostly Free & Fun Things to Do this Weekend with Westchester Kids: Frozen Craft Workshop, Chanukah Village, Holiday Performances & More, Dec. 20-21

Submitted by Susan Miele on Thu, 12/18/2014 - 10:00am

The holidays are closing in, and Westchester families are scrambling to soak up all the fun! This weekend, the festivities are ratcheted up, so put on your jingle bells, light those lights and don’t miss these highlights!

Adding to the various iterations this month of the Tchaikovsky classic, this weekend there’s The Westchester Ballet Company Presents The Nutcracker and The Colonial Nutcracker. Additional holiday entertainment options are a screening of It's a Wonderful Life and Family Concert - Songs of the Season.

Whether or not you celebrate Chanukah you might be enticed by either Car Menorah Parade & Menorah Lighting Ceremony or Chanukah Village. Kids can get crafty at "Frozen" Craft Workshop or at A Gift for the Birds Family Weekend. Also in the nature theme is Celebrating Winter Trees and Winter Animals.

Read on for just a few of the many happenings we’ve culled from our Event Calendar, and also view our roundup of FREE holiday craft workshops for holiday fun without breaking the bank!

Mostly Free & Fun Things to Do this Weekend with Westchester Kids: Frosty Fest, Christmas and Chanukah Fun & More, Dec. 13-14

Submitted by Susan Miele on Thu, 12/11/2014 - 10:00am

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas and Chanukah as evidenced by the abundance of holiday happenings taking place in Westchester and the Hudson Valley! This weekend check out Frosty Fest, Holiday Spirit Festival, and SPARKLE: Nights of 10,000 Lights.

Make Holiday Decorations from Nature—perhaps some nice Winter Wildflower Arrangements--or for nature, as you Decorate a Tree for Wildlife. Enjoy the Hanukkah Celebration at RJCC, shop till you drop at the Chanukah Fun House and Gift Shop or take in the sounds of the season at Holiday Music and the Holiday of Christmas.

For a breather from the holidays, there’s the annual Toy and Train Show, Candy Bingo, a live performance of Curious George and NBA FIT Dribble, Dish & Swish.

Read on for just a few of the many happenings we’ve culled from our Event Calendar, then check out our December GOList for our top picks for the rest of the month. If you haven’t handed in your wish list yet, check out the best places to visit Santa in Westchester, and don’t miss our roundup of Chanukah events too!