Ally Noel
Ally Noel has lived in Connecticut for over two decades. Before becoming a parent, she worked as an Educational Technology Specialist, helping schools and teachers integrate technology into learning. Now, she’s all about discovering the best family-friendly adventures, activities, and hidden gems. Share your tips, questions, or just say hi at ally@mommypoppins.com, and follow along for family fun at @mommypoppinsct.
Latest posts by Ally
If you're looking for a nearby escape in the Nutmeg State, look no further. Colonial vibes and New England charm ooze out of the town of Essex, which is nestled on the banks of the Connecticut River. This quaint Connecticut town is home to one of the oldest continuously running inns in the country, a packed calendar of annual events, and tons of lovely shops and restaurants.
Time and time again, Essex has earned a spot as one of the Best Small Towns in America. Whether you grab a burger at The Gris, a cone of Essex Mud, or spend the day coasting down a historic railroad, this small New England town is anything but sleepy. Read on for the top 10 things to do in Essex, Connecticut with kids. For more cute towns and the best kid-friendly Connecticut activities, don't miss the Top Attractions in Connecticut for Families.
It’s April Fools season, and you know what that means! April Fools Day is a time when parents get to turn the tables on their kids by bringing a little mischief—and a lot of laughter and fun—into their homes. If pranking your kids is not your style, you can also just wait for them to prank you. Either way, we promise you’ll get a giggle or two out of these hilarious April Fools memes.
When your finished with these April Fools Day memes, check out our lists of super easy April Fools Day pranks to play on your kids and hilarious jokes for kids to keep your family laughing all month long.
Greenlight cards are the buzz these days in parenting circles, and once you know a little bit about these debit cards for kids, it's easy to see why. Like most parents, I never have cash on me and am constantly handing my daughter little slips of paper as IOUs. As families figure out how to navigate an increasingly cashless world, it is still important to teach our children a sense of financial responsibility. There are several options out there that provide a safe banking experience for kids, including Greenlight debit card for kids and Chase debit card for kids; all of them offer a variety of family-friendly safety features like real-time spending alerts and financially-incentivized chore charts.
Read on to determine which debit card for kids is the right one for your family.
YMCA summer camps in Connecticut have provided generations of families with a traditional day camp experience. Nationally, YMCA Camps have become the place to go for kids to unwind, make new friends, and learn new skills, all while spending time in nature. Luckily for Connecticut parents, there are likely some YMCA summer camps near you, but these options offer a little something extra. Pick from day camps, overnight camps, and specialty YMCA camps in Fairfield County, Hartford County, New Haven County, and beyond that will have your children counting down the days until school lets out.
For more summer camps in Connecticut, including picks for preschool summer camps in Fairfield County and the best summer sleepover camps around Connecticut, be sure to bookmark our Connecticut Summer Camp Guide and our Camp Directory where you can search for summer camps by type, age, and town.
Keeping tweens and teens entertained in the summer may feel like a daunting task. Planning a rotation of activities for the seemingly endless weeks of summer vacation can be extremely stressful. Thankfully, there's a wide range of summer camps for tweens and teens in Connecticut. These sports summer camps, nature summer camps, and everything in between are all geared towards kids aged 10 and up and their specific social-emotional needs. Read on for the best tween and teen summer camps in Fairfield County, Hartford County, and Eastern Connecticut.
For more summer camps in Connecticut, including picks for preschool summer camps in Fairfield County and the best summer sleepover camps around Connecticut, be sure to bookmark our Connecticut Summer Camp Guide and our Camp Directory where you can search for summer camps by type, age, and town.
Right about now, any parent out there can use a good laugh, right? Modern-day parenting is hard. I mean, really, really hard. All the meal planning, cooking, clothing, coordinating—I could go on, but you get the picture. Thankfully, there's no shortage of funny parenting memes to get us through the day.
We've all seen memes—those little squares of joy that stop us when we're scrolling through social media and make us think, "That's funny because it's true!" A good parenting meme allows us to feel seen; to realize that maybe we aren’t the only ones taking a ride on the struggle bus.
Hopefully, these 25 funny parenting memes will give you a little something to chuckle about and prove that laughter truly is the best medicine. If you need even more grown-up giggles, check out our list of funny school memes and our roundup of the best mom jokes and #momlife memes.
Connecticut may be small, but the Nutmeg State sure knows how to pack in a ton of fun. From historic villages to sandy beaches to amusement parks, there are plenty of exciting tourist attractions in Connecticut to make a family visit well worth the trip any time of year.
It’s not easy narrowing down the list of things to do in Connecticut with kids, but we’ve made our picks for the 25 best kid-friendly activities in CT for residents and visitors alike. As locals, these are the places that we frequent with our children, and the first stops we make with family and friends whenever they're staying with us from out of town. So leave your FOMO at the door and start checking these spots off your CT bucket list.
Black History Month is a time to reflect on the contributions of African American culture to our society and show support for the Black community. One of the most impactful ways to show support is by patronizing Black-owned restaurants and Black-owned shops in Connecticut. With that in mind, we’re shining a light on institutions dedicated to preserving Black history, as well as local Black-owned businesses in Connecticut that cater to kids and families.
From bookstores and party entertainment to coffee and sweet treats, here are some Black-owned establishments to discover in the Nutmeg State if you haven’t done so already. For more family-friendly activities and events to celebrate Black History month browse our event calendar and the Best Things To Do in Connecticut in February with Kids. Check out 30+ Children's Books to Celebrate Black History Month for great reads that represent and affirm kids of color. If you'd like more stories like this sent straight to your inbox, sign up for newsletters.
Pages
