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
STEM activities are all the rage in education right now, and for good reason. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) – and the Arts for STEAM – are crucial to kids’ learning and our future. But how to get your younger children interested? They might not be ready for coding, but many preschoolers under age 5 can enjoy some basic STEM principles through play.
Below we've got easy instructions to help you and your budding scientist build an apple boat or a toothpick-marshmallow castle, attempt a pom-pom drop, or indulged in baking soda science. Read on for a list of 25 tried-and-true screen-free STEM activities to do with your preschooler.
For more science experiments for kids of all ages, check out our list of 64 easy science experiments for kids, try our colorful Skittles science experiment, or enjoy one of our magical light experiments for toddlers and preschoolers—all of which can be found in our Guide to Science Experiments for Kids. Happy discovering!
Plenty of space, lots of beautiful views and delicious menu options; restaurants with outdoor dining around Connecticut are always a great idea for families! Especially as the temperatures start to rise. From river docks to secret gardens and beachside patios, these eateries are a hit with hungry families looking for good food and outdoor seating.
Some of these awesome Connecticut restaurants with outdoor seating even made our list of places where kids can play while you relax, which is the ultimate combination for happy dining as a family. And if you're looking for a great breakfast out with the kids, look through our list of Best Breakfast Restaurants in Connecticut.
These easy Spirit Week ideas will see you through the days when your kids forget to tell you the day's theme minutes before you run out the door!
Spirit Weeks are great for building community and keeping kids entertained during the weeks leading up to school vacations. But they can be rough on unsuspecting parents. At some point in your kid's school career, you will be forced to buy all the hair accessories at your favorite 24-hour store the night before Crazy Hair Day. It can’t just be me whose kiddo freaked out that her “Anything But a Backpack” wasn’t original enough, can it?
This list of tried and true tips will help you survive even the most last-minute of spirit days. Once they're out the door, take a minute to laugh over these Funny Parenting Memes That Will Make You Feel Seen. And if you had a teacher cool enough to pick easy themes for Spirit Week, you might want to thank them with one of these Teacher Appreciation Gifts They’ll Love.
Birthdays are like national holidays in my house, and we love finding the best fun restaurants to go out and celebrate! Connecticut has plenty of kid-friendly spots that are ready for a party. Here are a few of our favorite go-to spots all around the Nutmeg State. Find more family-friendly eateries in our Guide to Kid-Friendly Restaurants, and make sure to check out this list of Birthday Freebies.
We've got the ultimate summer camp packing list included below, plus 10 great tips for preparing your experienced or first-time camper for summer camp this year.
You’ve done your research and picked out the right summer camp for your kiddo. Whether it's a shorter camp for first-timers or a unique summer camp that fits their latest obsession, now is the time to start preparing your child for a quintessential childhood experience: going to an overnight camp. These tips will help make going away to a new sleepaway camp as easy as a summer’s breeze.
Looking for the best summer camp options in your city? Be sure to bookmark your local Summer Camp Guide and check out our Sleepaway Summer Camp Guide to the Best Overnight Camps in the US.
When you take a child to petting zoos in Connecticut and farms with animals, it's as if the pictures in their little books come popping off the page. A real-live donkey, even a zebra, and all the farm animals whose sounds we teach them so early on are right there! There are lots of nurturing, healthy petting zoos, farms and rescues in Connecticut where families can visit all the furry creatures, big small!
In addition to getting up close and personal with these animals, many of these Connecticut Farms also offer a wide variety of pick-your-own fruits and vegetables. There is plenty of family fun to be had. Read on for our favorite Connecticut petting zoos and farms to visit. And don’t forget to visit your other four-legged friends at these Connecticut Zoos and Gardens.
The top things to do in Norwalk cater to tourists and locals alike, with a family-friendly eclectic mix of urban, coastal, and charming neighborhood experiences. Norwalk highlights include two of Connecticut's most popular attractions: The Maritime Aquarium and Stepping Stones Museum for Children. Norwalk’s proximity to the Long Island Sound provides visitors with access to the coastline at Calf Pasture Beach and Sheffield Island and its dedication to diversity can be tasted and seen through its thriving restaurant and arts scene.
Perhaps most importantly, Norwalk is the place that I have called home for just about a dozen years, and it is the place where I choose to raise my family. We have all grown up in this town. We celebrated the last days of school and birthdays at Mr. Frosty's. We said farewell to Summer at the Oyster Fest, spent way too many early baby mornings at Stepping Stones, and developed a close friendship with the seals at the Maritime. Norwalk is our home, and I am so happy to share it with you.
You can follow along with all my adventures by following along on Instagram.
You weren't always looking for fun indoor places where your kids could hang out. It’s like you blink, and one day you have a teenager. Although there is always time for family time, sometimes teens and tweens need a little bit of freedom, and these spots are sure to do the trick. With a little spending money and a group of friends, these spots are Mommy Poppins-tested and teenager-approved! From Stamford to New Haven, and Hartford to Norwalk, there are a lot of family-friendly options for Connecticut families. But these spots truly go above and beyond to offer a little something extra for teens—even if it's just a good photo op.
Connecticut has so many fun indoor places to enjoy with the family. When it's a special celebration, regardless of the season, these fun indoor birthday party places for kids in Connecticut make a memorable day. And you can stretch those entertainment dollars with free museums in Connecticut to visit with kids.
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