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
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.
Believe it or not, 2021 wasn’t all pandemic and social distancing. As a testament to the human spirit, there was a ton to celebrate and embrace. From simple pleasures like enjoying nature and a movie night on the couch, to larger adventures such as taking in a Broadway show or heading to an amusement park, 2021 was a bit of an emotional roller coaster (and that might be the understatement of the century). We polled our readers, our staff, and our kids to come up with the things that kept us going this past year.
We've rounded up the best of 2021 for kids and families, including the best movies of 2021, the best books of 2021, and more. Our Best Recipes of 2021 list was too long to include here; be sure to check it out if you haven't yet. Enjoy working your way through this list of favorites, and here's to more "bests" in 2022!
Whoever said getting there was half the fun has clearly never sat in bumper-to-bumper holiday traffic in a minivan filled with bored kids. If you are heading out on a road trip with kids this holiday season, check out this list of tried and true backseat entertainment options, including fun car games, engaging audiobooks, and the best podcasts for kids. From verbal car games to printable games to play in the car (and even a few surprises), this list will surely keep the kids busy while you drive over the river and through the tunnel.
Want to get out of town, but you need some suggestions for where to go? Check out our Guide to Weekend Getaways and Day Trips near you.
Out of the corner of your eye, you see it. The red suit and snowy white beard which signal the arrival of the very symbol of joy and giving during the Christmas holidays: Santa Claus! Today the tradition is alive and well in many, many different kinds of places from train stations, farms, and even on the water! If you're looking to mix it up with a Santa outing that's a little bit different, we have rounded up our 45 favorite Santa activities across the state.
Some events are free and require no preregistration, but many of those that do require advanced tickets are very popular and can sell out early, so you'll want to buy tickets as soon as possible. Check websites for updated mask and COVID-19 requirements. For more holiday and Christmas activities, see our list of The 15 Best Holiday and Christmas Events and Activities and our Holiday Fun Guide for Connecticut Kids.
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