Vanessa Leigh

Vanessa Leigh is a busy mom of three (including twins!), a Midwesterner turned East Coaster, and a chocolate enthusiast. She’s a copywriter specializing in Early Childhood and Motherhood, plus the creative force behind her Etsy shop. When she’s not writing or designing, you can find her indulging in dark chocolate peanut butter cookies at Levain Bakery. Connect with Vanessa at www.vanessaleighagency.com or browse her creations at MamaMagicByVanessa.etsy.com. She loves chatting with fellow parents—don’t hesitate to reach out!

Latest posts by Vanessa

Create a Pollinator Garden in Your Home or Apartment: Planting a Butterfly Garden or Bee Garden with Kids

Submitted by Vanessa Leigh on Thu, 05/19/2022 - 11:40am

How does your garden grow? Photo by Filip Urban, Unsplash

Creating your very own pollinator garden is a fun and easy activity that teaches kids the importance of bees and butterflies to every aspect of our ecosystem. Don't have a green thumb, or even a backyard? No problem. We’ve got tons of easy solutions to get started on a simple at-home bee garden or butterfly garden for your backyard or a window box. And planting and caring for a pollinator garden isn't just for adults; it’s a perfect family activity suitable for kids of all ages.

Once you’ve planted a bee garden or butterfly garden, you can watch these creatures up close as they drink nectar and fly from flower to flower. But don’t stop there—get crafty and create some homemade wind chimes out of recycled materials to decorate your new pollinator garden.

Check out more green activities for kids as part of our Earth Kids Guide to Green Activities for the Planet.

Lincoln Center's Summer for the City Brings Free Concerts and Giant Dance Floor to the Campus

Submitted by Vanessa Leigh on Fri, 04/22/2022 - 9:59am

Dance on the larger-than-life disco floor dubbed The Oasis at Lincoln Center starting Saturday, May 14 as part of its Summer for the City festival. Illustration by Ali Kashfi/courtesy of Lincoln Center

Strike up the choirs, dancers, and artists, and let the celebration commence! Lincoln Center is gearing up for a summer of FREE family-friendly programming with its season-long performance festival, Summer for the City.

For three full months—running from Saturday, May 14-Sunday, August 14—Lincoln Center comes alive with more than 300 FREE events at 10 outdoor stages, including The Oasis, which transforms Josie Robertson Plaza into the city's largest outdoor dance floor complete with a 10-foot disco ball.

Read on for more details on this family-friendly performance festival, and find more fun anytime on our list of the best things to do at Lincoln Center with kids.

Where to See Free and Cheap Movies in New York City With Kids

Submitted by Vanessa Leigh on Tue, 04/19/2022 - 12:16pm

A day at the movies doesn't have to cost a whole pay check at these local theaters offering free and cheap flicks. Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko

A trip to the movies is always a good bet for family-friendly fun, but before you go into hock taking the kids to the local theater for a first-run blockbuster, consider this: There are FREE and cheap movies playing in New York City all year long. You just need to know where to find them—and we do.

We've found a handful of local spots where you can find FREE or low-cost movies in New York City, which should provide enough big-screen entertainment to tide you over until the return of the Parks Department's FREE summer movie series.

What Is Pickleball? Pickleball Rules and Why Kids Love It

Submitted by Vanessa Leigh on Thu, 04/14/2022 - 10:05am

Photo courtesy of One Shot Pickleball, Amazon

Perhaps your kids came home from school one day and announced, "I played pickleball in PE today!" Maybe you've seen ads for pickleball clubs in your community. Or you may have simply driven past the park and noticed an unfamiliar game happening on the tennis court. However you were exposed to it, at some point you've likely wondered, what is pickleball?

Pickleball is a craze that's quickly sweeping the nation because it's fun, affordable, and a great way to get some exercise. And because it's easy to learn and play, families and kids can play together and make memories.

Read on to learn all about pickleball and why it's the perfect family sport. For more outdoor fun with your family, check out our guide to top outdoor activities with kids.

Act Fast to Claim a FREE Tree From NYRP

Submitted by Vanessa Leigh on Tue, 04/05/2022 - 10:30am

Spring has sprung in NYC. The daffodils are blooming, and it’s about time to soak in the beauty of the gorgeous cherry blossoms. It's also time to celebrate the return of the New York Restoration Project's (NYRP) popular FREE tree giveaway program. This year, 2,000 native species trees will be distributed to local NYC residents and the best part is, they're all FREE!

After a 2-year pandemic-induced pause, NYRP has reinstated its tree giveaway program and is distributing FREE trees across all five NYC boroughs. Read on for details on these green giveaways and learn how to complete the required registration to get your own arbor. Find more ideas for a greener planet in our new Earth Kids Guide.

Tons of Totally Terrific Tongue Twisters for Kids, Tweens, and Teens

Submitted by Vanessa Leigh on Thu, 03/17/2022 - 12:22pm

Try wrapping your tongue around a few of these tantalizing twisters! Photo courtesy of Saeed Karimi via Unsplash

Don’t you just adore alliteration? How the words just roll right off your tongue? Well, sometimes those words can get a little stuck, or twisted. Tongue Twisters are phrases specifically meant to pose a challenge for those who attempt to speak them. There are funny tongue twisters, while others are pure fun to try and say. A special parental guidance warning for this one: I slit a sheet, a sheet I slit. Upon the slitted sheet I sit. Save that one for the older crowds.

On top of the fun to be had, tongue twisters for kids can greatly help them improve verbal pronunciation, fluency, and vocabulary. Similar to learning nursery rhymes, tongue twisters can actually build a lifelong love of literacy.

Looking for more laughs? Check out our list of jokes for kids and fun family game night ideas. You can even practice your tongue twisters on Alexa, or ask Alexa some silly questions.

40 Top Amusement Parks in the US for a Family Vacation

Submitted by Vanessa Leigh on Sat, 02/26/2022 - 11:20am

Young kids will love the Sesame Street-themed area at Busch Gardens Williamsburg.

If you're looking for thrills and adventure for your next family vacation, consider a trip to one of the best amusement parks in the US. There are so many theme parks across the country to plan a vacation around. Some theme parks are located near gorgeous beaches or fun cities to explore. Others are destinations in and of themselves: With so many rides and attractions, you can spend a weekend or more in the parks and not run out of things to do.

We've scoured the country to find the best amusement parks in the US to visit on your next family vacation. Whether you're a thrill-seeking family eager to check out the highest roller coasters or you're just there for the funnel cake (that's me), we have just the amusement park for you. Our list includes popular theme parks in California, fun Orlando theme parks, and plenty in between.

Ready to book your next family vacation? Check out our handy Family Travel Guide and our guide to Family-Friendly Resorts and Hotels to help you plan your journey.

20 Easy Magic Tricks for Kids

Submitted by Vanessa Leigh on Tue, 02/15/2022 - 10:01am

Abracadabra! These videos teach kids how to do magic at home! Photo by Amina Filkins/Pexels

Abracadabra! Hocus-pocus! Open sesame! With these easy magic tricks, kids can learn to impress their friends with some sleight of hand stunts. If you have a little magician at home, look no further than these easy magic tricks for kids: After watching the video and practicing a bit, coins will disappear, spoons will bend, and glasses will levitate.

Learning how to do magic is not just for fun; like brainy puzzle games, magic tricks keep kids thinking while they play. These easy magic tricks can boost confidence, improve fine motor skills, and spark a child’s interest and engagement in science, games, and much more.

Check out our At-Home Guide of 100s of Activities for Kids for even more ways to learn through play—like these Easy Science Experiments for Kids To Do at Home.

Vanessa Leigh

Latest posts by Vanessa

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