Charlotte Blanton
Charlotte Blanton, a Central Florida native and mom of three, holds a business degree from the University of Florida (Go Gators!). After a career in corporate finance, she pivoted to stay home with her kids and found her passion for writing through Mommy Poppins. She loves exploring local theme parks and discovering fun activities for families in Central Florida.
Latest posts by Charlotte
The Sunshine State has reopened for locals and tourists ready to venture out for some summer fun in the sun. The Florida reopening is well underway, and we've got the scoop on what's open in Florida right now, as well as top attractions opening soon.
Keep in mind that the coronavirus pandemic is an ever-evolving situation. A slew of new mask-wearing orders went into effect in Florida over the past few days as the state's positive cases shot up. Tourist hot spots like Orange County (Orlando), the city of Tampa, and the Florida Keys are mandating face coverings indoors to stop the spread.
The comprehensive list of family-friendly attractions in the Florida reopening includes everything from our favorite Florida beaches to the big-name theme parks, Orlando hotels, water parks, and more. If your summer travel plans take you to a different region, check out our list of family-friendly resorts reopening for summer 2020 travel.
Legos are one of those toys that span ages and gender, offering hours of hands-on, creative building for kids and adults. There are dinosaurs, princesses, and plenty of other fun themed Lego sets. But if your kid keeps passing over the pile of Lego toys you've painfully collected to reach for the video game controller or tablet, we've come up with the ultimate resource of over 100 Lego ideas that are anything but boring. The best part is that you don’t need a huge collection of Lego bricks for most of these activities; just bring your imagination.
And while planning your next vacation, consider a trip to Legoland Florida, which recently reopened, with your little Lego fanatic. Find more indoor activities for kids in our Boredom Busters Guide.
After being closed since mid-March, Central Florida theme parks are getting ready to reopen in the weeks and months ahead, making family summer vacation plans even better. In line with the Plan for Florida's Recovery, all theme parks have outlined their reopening plans for local and state approval. So that guests can better plan their visits, we’ve highlighted the enhanced safety measures and important updates for each park below. Read on for details and be sure to check out what's currently open in Orlando and around Central Florida.
Central Florida local businesses need our support now more than ever. We've shared some of our favorite independent toy shops and bookstores with delivery or curbside pickup around Orlando, as well as restaurants providing brunch takeout options. Now we want to highlight some additional small businesses that are either open under the 25% capacity guidelines or offering delivery or pickup. Consider shopping local when in search of birthday gifts, teacher gifts, and Father's Day gifts. Even if your favorite stores are closed right now, you can still support them by purchasing gift cards to use when they reopen. Remember, when you buy directly from one of these companies rather than a third-party service, you can ensure that more proceeds go directly to the local business itself.
And while you're showing your support for the businesses you love, we hope you'll count Mommy Poppins and our small business partners among them. You can support Mommy Poppins by sharing articles you find useful with friends or on your social media channels, checking out our directory of virtual classes, camps and birthday parties and telling businesses you found them through Mommy Poppins. Also, as part of our effort to keep our local parent writers and this website afloat and support some of our favorite family businesses, we've created Poppins@Home, a platform for small businesses to share free and low-cost online classes and birthday parties with kids all over the country. Please consider trying a few of these fun, affordable, and creative classes—and spreading the word among your friends—as yet another way to support, uplift, and get through these challenging times together!
Parenting during a pandemic is challenging. We are all trying our best to keep our kids entertained and provide creative outlets for them while staying home. If you need new books, puzzles, crafts, or other toys, consider reaching out to a local book or toy store and place an order for curbside pickup or delivery. We've rounded up a list of seven local Central Florida small businesses that are still serving the community. While a couple of these shops have re-opened to in-person shopping, they can all help fulfill your wish list with local delivery or curbside pickup.
For more activities and resources, be sure to check out our Stay-at-Home Guide, which is full of boredom busters, educational science experiments, artsy crafts for kids, and more fun ways to pass the time.
With Mother's Day quickly approaching on Sunday, May 10th, now more than ever is a great time to take stock, appreciate, and celebrate the amazing moms in our lives. Even with coronavirus restrictions in place, moms can still enjoy a family meal without the hassle of cooking thanks to local restaurants offering takeout and delivery options. We’ve rounded up a list of restaurants offering brunch to-go around Central Florida.
When traveling in Central Florida along the I-4 corridor, you might just see a giant T-Rex peering out at the family over the highway. This Jurassic-themed roadside attraction is Dinosaur World Florida. Located in Plant City, Florida, about 20 minutes from Tampa, Dinosaur World features hundreds of life-size dinosaur replicas, interactive exhibits, themed playgrounds for both little and big kids, a museum, and dino-themed shows.
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