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Anna Fader

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.

Latest posts by Anna

Using the Power of the Internets for Good

Submitted by Anna Fader on Mon, 09/08/2008 - 10:10am

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My daughter poses with some of the children eagerly waiting to receive their supplies.

Sometimes you hear about the power of the internet; usually referring to how online mobs can pressure corporations into changing their policies. But here on Mommy Poppins we wielded the power of the internet in our own small way. Through the community of Mommy Poppins readers, friends of Mommy Poppins readers and Mommy Poppins' friends' readers, we were able to fulfill the Back to School dreams (and needs) of the dozens of homeless children temporarily housed at Seneca Houses in the Bronx.

It amazes me at what we were able to accomplish in a short period of time. From the moment I received the first email asking for help, to arriving at Seneca Houses with my car full of school supplies, was less than two weeks. That baffles my mind. Donations came not only from New York, but also from Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, and Massachusetts. In total we raised well over $1000 in pencils, pens, folders, crayons, markers, composition notebooks, back packs, school glue, construction paper, pencil cases, binders, pink erasers, rulers and flash cards.

Read more.

Coney Island's Astroland Closing its Gates Forever After Sunday

Submitted by Anna Fader on Sat, 09/06/2008 - 1:06am

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The Astroland Amusement Park out at Coney Island is closing its doors forever after this Sunday, September 7, so if you want to get one more tilt-a-whirl ride in now's the time to go. The park will be open 10am to 10pm on Saturday and Sunday. The Cyclone roller coaster will not be closing, however, so hurling by the beach will still be an option. [via NewYorkology]

In other amusement park news...

Read more.

Free Fun Friday: A Weekend of Alternative Fun for NYC Kids

Submitted by Anna Fader on Fri, 09/05/2008 - 6:50am

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The school year has started back up and with it comes a whole new wave of fun weekend activities for kids. This weekend is especially packed with cool alternative events especially fun for kids like the River to River Festival's Big Draw, Howl Kidz, The Art Parade and Circus Amok plus some cool street festivals, a county fair in Staten Island and more.

Read more.

Clara Hemphill on NYC Public Middle Schools

Submitted by Anna Fader on Wed, 09/03/2008 - 6:31am

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If there is one human being who has done more for NYC parents trying to find a good public education for their children it is Clara Hemphill, the author of the the Best New York City Public Schools Series and founder of the indispensable website InsideSchools.org. Finding and getting your child into great public schools in New York City is one of the toughest challenges NY parents face. And it's made even tougher because it's so hard to know what the schools are really like when we have so little access to information.
 
Clara Hemphill's books on NYC's Best Public Elementary, Middle and High Schools are the only way any parent can get a straightforward, no-hype, objective, inside peek to all the best public schools. She and her staff personally visit every school and write a detailed description of the school from their expert eagle-eyed point of view. Each book details only the top schools in each borough as well as lots of other practical information parents need. In addition to her books, reviews of all the schools can be found and searched online at Insideschools.org.
 
I used her book on Public Elementary Schools like a bible to find our precious little elementary school and I'm glad to announce that she has just released a brand new and updated edition of New York City's Best Public Middle Schools: A Parents' Guide just in time for all us parents who are starting to freak out about middle schools right about now. I read the whole thing cover to cover and I have to say that after reading this book, I think that many parents will feel significantly assured that there really are many wonderful options for middle schools, even though middle school still has the reputation of being the black hole of NYC public education; that does seem to be changing.
 

I recently had the opportunity to talk to Clara Hemphill and ask her some questions; I'm happy to be able to share her responses with you. Read on to hear her tips for the one thing you should check out on a school tour, the most important way to be involved in your child's education, and some great schools that don't require top test scores to get in.

Read more.

Think Outside the Preschool Box with these Creativity-Based Preschool Alternatives

Submitted by Anna Fader on Tue, 09/02/2008 - 6:34am

Picture 12.pngThis is traditionally the week that competitive preschools open their application process, but more and more parents, tired of vying for the same few spots, are opting out of the preschool rat race and looking to preschool alternatives. At the same time, some dedicated parents are creating their own alternatives by starting co-operative neighborhood preschools.

Preschool is a magical time and a lot of that magic comes from the warm, nurturing, creative environment of the school. Little neighborhood preschools and preschool alternatives, whether started by parents or well established can make the preschool years the most magical ones of all.

Read more.

Riding the Shark Boat Labor Day Weekend

Submitted by Anna Fader on Mon, 09/01/2008 - 7:09am

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10 Year Old Jennifer is THRILLED with her Shark Boat ride.

Shuli, our Shark Boat Giveaway winner, wrote me a nice note saying what a great time her family had on their free Shark Boat ride this Labor Day Weekend. Read about their great day:

Read more.

Tugboat Races This Weekend

Submitted by Anna Fader on Sat, 08/30/2008 - 3:32am

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Photo Credit: Downtown Express

Reading Downtown Express today, I stumbled on an event too good not to mention, so you're getting an extra post today. The 16th Annual New York City Tugboat Race is this Sunday, August 31st. Tugboats are one of those magical, anachronistic, secret microcosms of NYC that we so often forget about, but the more you learn about them, the more interesting they are.

At 9:30 about 15 tugboats will gather off the waters of W. 44th St and parade up t o 72nd St. where there will be a race and then a "pushing contest." Crews will compete in a line toss competition and there will be spectator competitions too. The event ends at 2pm. Check the Working Harbor Website for details on the the event, schedule, best places to view the events or to purchase tickets for a spot on the spectator boat.

Follow up this event with some Tugboat Children's Books like Little Toot which will paint a rich picture of the life of tugboats on the NYC harbor.

Read more.

Best Family Friendly Outdoor Bars in New York

Submitted by Anna Fader on Fri, 08/29/2008 - 7:38am

It's officially the last weekend of summer and Labor Day Weekend traditionally means barbecuing with friends. While I don't have a place to barbecue, I'm still in the mood to hang out outdoors and drink some beers with friends, while my kids play nearby. So I gathered up some of the best places to get that same backyard barbecue feeling at one of NYC's outdoor family friendly bars, where you can hang out outdoors with some friends, some beer and chow while our kids hopefully play contentedly in the child-friendly space available.

Here are the best family-friendly outdoor bars in NYC to share a beer with kids (well, don't share the beer with your kids, but you know what I mean):

Read more.

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