Meghan Rose

Before becoming a parent, Meghan Rose worked at pioneering internet companies like AOL, eToys.com, and eBay. After having twins, she shifted her focus to literacy, co-authoring Home is Where the Books Are (Choice Literacy, 2013) and launching LitforKids.com. Now based in Los Angeles, Meghan is all about finding fun things to do with kids. Please send her ALL your ideas and suggestions for national parenting and travel articles, or drop a note just say hi: meghan@mommypoppins.com

Latest posts by Meghan

St. Lucia With Kids: Stay at Coconut Bay and Explore the Island’s Best Family Adventures

Submitted by Meghan Rose on Sat, 01/03/2026 - 8:10am

Beach, volcano, chocolate, water sports, hiking, horseback, amazing food, incredible people... why St. Lucia should be your next family vacation. Photo courtesy of Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa

I live in LA, so for tropical vacations, we tend to head to nearby Hawaii. But we took the long flight to the Caribbean this fall, and I have to say, I’m sorry we waited so long. For a fantastic mix of awesome adventures, gorgeous beaches, relaxing cabanas, stunning nature, great food, loads of animals, and a plethora of activities for kids and the whole family, you can’t beat the island of St. Lucia. Yes, the island famous for honeymooners and romance is actually a wonderful family vacation.

We stayed at the all-inclusive Coconut Bay Beach Resort and had maybe the most perfectly balanced tropical family vacation I’ve ever experienced. Think chocolate tasting/making, drive-in volcano, snorkeling with endangered turtles, and the best Kids Club I’ve seen.

Below, I’m sharing the real insider stuff. Not just the list of top things to do, but the details: what you need to pack (and what to not pack!), which days you should plan on adventures and which you should lie by the pool, and even what to eat.

Check out our complete Guide to Caribbean Family Vacations. Now, here are my tips on making a trip to St. Lucia with kids a rousing success:

January Holidays for Kids: A Kid-Friendly Celebration for Every Day

Submitted by Meghan Rose on Wed, 12/31/2025 - 8:16am

Can you believe National Pass Gas Day is a real holiday? It will be your kid's favorite. Photo by Canva

Welcome to a NEW year! Whether you’re wondering “Is today a holiday?” or just need a quick way to make an ordinary afternoon feel special, this list of January holidays for kids gives families something to look forward to every day of the month. There's Pass Gas Day (what kid won't want to celebrate Fart Day?), Rubber Ducky Day, and of course, a long weekend for Martin Luther King Jr Day, to make it feel like the holiday season isn’t over yet!

Scroll down for all 31 fun holidays in January, plus links to holiday-a-day ideas for every month of the year.

Check this list, and you’ll find the perfect thing to do with your kids each and every day. In January at Mommy Poppins, we also celebrate all things FREE, so check out our national guide to freebies and also your local guide to free things to do near you!

Best Snow Tubing Near Chicago for Families in 2025

Submitted by Meghan Rose on Fri, 12/19/2025 - 8:04am

Enjoy a kid-friendly tube fest at Sunburst Ski Hill. Photo courtesy of Sunburst Ski Hill

Hit these slopes near Chicago for family-friendly snow tubing this winter season.

Chicago's Winter Bucketlist: 33 Things to Do this Winter in Chicago with Kids

Submitted by Meghan Rose on Fri, 12/05/2025 - 11:40am

Snow tubing is a favorite winter activity in Chicago. Photo courtesy of Canva

Don't let the cold stop you: We've got indoor, outdoor, and at-home picks for winter fun.

Disneyland Just Announced a HUGE Bluey Surprise—and Your Kids Will Lose Their Minds

Submitted by Meghan Rose on Thu, 12/04/2025 - 4:14pm

Artist concept of the Bluey show coming to Disneyland. Photo courtesy of Disney and Ludo Studios

Bluey-loving families, get ready—because Bluey, Bandit, Bingo and crew are coming to Disneyland Resort! The park has just announced an all-new, fully immersive Bluey celebration, will bring everyone’s favorite heelers to life at the Fantasyland Theatre beginning March 22, 2026.

Kids can finally meet Bluey and Bingo in person, dance along, and step into their playful world for the very first time at Disneyland. If your family has watched every episode on repeat, this is your call to start booking your 2026 vacation (or Bluey fan's birthday celebration?) right now.

But wait, there's more...

Slime Day, Llama Day, and More Holidays & Activities for December 2025

Submitted by Meghan Rose on Thu, 11/27/2025 - 6:08am

Get gooey for Slime Day! Make your own at home, or get that goop out of your house at a local slime museum. Photo by Kylie Williams

With Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year’s Eve, December is the holiday-est month of the year. But wait, there’s more! Here are celebratory, and sometimes surprising, things to do with kids each and every day in December!

In addition to the major holidays, you can also celebrate Slime Day, Walt Disney Day, Llama Day, and more — all this month. Plus, we’ve sprinkled in plenty of ways to celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah leading up to the actual day!

Check this list, and you’ll find the perfect thing to do with your kids each and every day. For more ideas for Christmas activities, check out our Christmas Activities Guide for Families.

10 Best Christmas Cookies to Bake with Kids (Easy, Fun, and Festive Recipes for Families)

Submitted by Meghan Rose on Sun, 11/02/2025 - 11:46am

We’ve tested out dozens of Christmas cookie recipes over the years, and these are the very best.

While my family will happily bake and eat cookies any day of the year, we really ramp it up for our Christmas cookie baking. We host an annual Christmas cookie party every year, and it’s a tradition they look forward to almost as much as presents. Because they love to be part of the cookie baking process, we have amassed a ton of Christmas cookie recipes. They range from super easy Christmas cookies the kids could help make and decorate when they were tiny, up to more sophisticated Christmas cookie recipes their teen tastebuds love.

We’ve tested out dozens of Christmas cookie recipes over the years, and these are our top ten: including our favorite never-fail, best ever Christmas sugar cookie recipe.

We’ve got more kid-friendly holiday treats, like these yummy Hot Chocolate Bombs, in our Guide to Easy Recipes for Kids, plus loads more Christmas fun for the whole family in our Ultimate Guide to Holiday and Christmas Activities.

Thanksgiving, Pumpkin Destruction Day, and More Holidays & Activities for November 2025

Submitted by Meghan Rose on Thu, 10/30/2025 - 12:09pm

Watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. Photo courtesy of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

November means Thanksgiving! But that’s just one day, there are 30 more days to fill with fall activities, indoor play, turkey-basting November fun.

In addition to Thanksgiving, you can also celebrate Pumpkin Destruction Day, Love Your Freckles Day, Evolution Day, Pickles Day, and more – all this month. Oh, and don’t worry, we’ve also rounded up all the Thanksgiving fun with days set aside for Thanksgiving movies, fall leaf crafts, and kid-friendly pumpkin recipes.

Check this list, and you’ll find the perfect thing to do with your kids each and every day. For more ideas for Thanksgiving activities, check out our Thanksgiving Activities Guide for Families.

Meghan Rose

Latest posts by Meghan

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