Founder of Mommy Poppins
A fourth-generation Brooklynite, Anna started Mommy Poppins in 2007 to help families find the best things to do with kids in NYC, with a particular emphasis on sharing activities that are free, affordable, and enriching. The site, used by millions of families, has grown to become the ultimate resource for parents in the major US cities, plus travel guides for 100s of destinations.
Anna is a believer in the magic of summer camps, traveling with kids, and that you can raise kids on a budget and still have a rich life full of amazing memories. Anna's first Mommy Poppins book, The Young Traveler's Journal and Activity Book, published in 2025 and co-written with her daughter, Amelia Eigerman, brings that ethos to life, in addition to this website.
Submitted by Anna Fader on
Sure you could get a piece of dazzling jewelry, but where's the fun in that? Mother's Day is all about paying tribute to the magic of Motherhood, so choose a gift that stands up and salutes to all that is precious, magical and beautiful about moms.
Here's our list of Mother's Day Gift Ideas that will warm moms' heart and give her joy for years to come.
Submitted by Anna Fader on
Sweating like pigs: This weekend there were basically two topics of conversation in New York City, the heat and the swine flu. I can't help you much with the heat, but I do think it is important that people are well informed about the swine flu issue. Read more inside to find out the latest details, the most reliable source of information for swine flu news and what you can do to protect your family.
Oh and...more news about the new stay at home dads, a woman giving birth on fifth avenue, the secrets of the American Museum of Natural history, Lemonade Day, the new and old animals at the Bronx Zoo and more.
Submitted by Anna Fader on
The weather is going to be beautiful this weekend and what better reward than to spend a wonderful afternoon in the beautiful Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, especially now that the Cherry Blossoms are in their prime. Of course, visiting the Cherry Blossoms could lead to its own reward if you enter your photographs of your children and the cherry blossoms into our Kids of Hanami Photo Contest.
Let me spell it out for you; the reward would be a Brooklyn Botanic Garden Pass, Mother's Day Luncheon at the Gardens and a generous prize package of beautiful gifts from the BBG store.
Take a look at some of the beautiful entries we've received:
Submitted by Anna Fader on
Being a Star Wars fanatic or a comic book geek is pretty cool in my book. And these cool kid-friendly events celebrate and bring out the geek in all of us. A giant black-lit lightsaber battle? What could be cooler than that? A comic book convention just for kids. Let's go!
There's nothing cooler than these geeky activities:
Submitted by Anna Fader on
Getting into a preschool in NYC is harder than getting into Harvard. That's the premise of a new documentary about the preschool admissions process in NYC. Nursery University follows six families from different walks of life as they navigate, ruminate and, ultimately, dominate the preschool process.
Nursery University starts by drawing you in to the all too familiar drama of NYC preschool admissions, beautifully capturing every piece of "park bench wisdom" that's ever passed the lips of a distraught NYC parent. Beware: this part of the film made me so sick I almost stopped watching it, about to shrug Nursery University off as yet another piece of media hype feeding the fire of parent's anxiety rather than portraying a real and balanced picture of preschool admissions.
It turns out the directors had me just where they wanted me.
Submitted by Anna Fader on
I've decided to homeschool my kids by traveling around the world and letting them learn through exposure to different cultures and experiences. What could be a better education than that? Our first stop on this amazing voyage will be Tibet where we will explore the Himalayas, learn traditional art-forms, get to see first-hand the creation of a Tibetan mandala, learn TIbetan calligraphy, children's games and more. It will be a most enriching experience for my kids and for myself.
Of course, leaving New York is kind of a hassle, and the kids kind of like going to school, so we'll do this homeschooling in New york City and on the weekends. Thanks to The Rubin Museum of Art's Family Day this weekend, we can travel to Tibet to experience the art and culture without having to give up our takeout or DSL.
Rubin Museum of Art Family Day: Celebrate Tibet in New York
Submitted by Anna Fader on
Save some money, save the Earth, save a child, save the food in your fridge, and save some time for fun. Find out about free ice cream and 50 cent iced coffees, earth day fun for kids, a child who needs our help, Baby Loves Salse, a site that tells you when to toss it or not, an argument for NOT hiding veggies in your kids' food, and a totally new cool class for kids. Coming attcha:
Submitted by Anna Fader on
To be on TV: for some people it’s a life long dream. For a kid in New York, it’s a few hours diversion. All you have to do to grab your fifteen seconds of fame in New York is be at the right place at the right time. Sitting in a studio audience might not be kid-friendly, but you can get your mug on the morning shows just by standing outside the studios while they are filming.
Here are some of the right places and right times:
