Drew Kristofik

Drew Kristofik’s career took a twist from editing teen magazines to a seven-year stint at MacNeil/Lehrer, followed by a long run at Nickelodeon/Viacom as Director of Content for Nick Online and Editor-in-Chief of ParentsConnect.com. A founding member of the Webby Award-winning GoCityKids, she’s written for Family Fun, Vanity Fair, and New York. Her middle school novel, The Time Boat, is available on Amazon Kindle. Drew keeps the MommyPoppins New York Events calendar spot-on and can be reached at events@mommypoppins.com.

Latest posts by Drew

MLK Weekend 2026 in New York City: Best Things To Do with Kids

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Fri, 01/17/2025 - 11:53am

Pay homage to the life and legacy of Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. with a celebration at the Brooklyn Children's Museum. Photo by Winston Williams

Looking for the best things to do in New York City this weekend? Here are some family-friendly events and activities to add to your list for this long MLK weekend.

The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend in New York City offers plenty of opportunities to honor the man and his mission. Kids can check out the FREE BAM-hosted tribute to the Civil Rights leader, head to the Brooklyn Children's Museum for two days of service, storytelling and song, salute the Freedom Quilters of Gee's Bend at Wave Hill, or join a peace parade at CMOM.

22 Best Lunar New Year Celebrations and Parades in NYC for Families

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Tue, 01/14/2025 - 3:16pm

The Better Chinatown Society hosts its annual Lunar New Year Parade on Sunday, February 16. Photo by Bob Dea

Lunar New Year is one of our favorite winter celebrations in New York City. Although the holiday is often referred to as Chinese New Year, many Asian nations celebrate Lunar New Year. In 2025, the holiday falls on Wednesday, January 29, and city kids can mark this cultural holiday with family-friendly celebrations citywide, from Chinatown's firecracker ceremony to a Lunar New Year celebration at the Queens Botanical Garden and the spectacular New York City Lunar New Year Parade and Festival on Sunday, February 16.

Free Kids Week Programming in NYC Parks

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Wed, 01/01/2025 - 11:12am

Urban Park Rangers teach kids how to safely explore the natural world. Photo courtesy of NYC Parks

If you need to stave off cabin fever during Christmas break, the New York City Parks Department has just the thing to get you out of the house. The Urban Park Rangers are hosting a slew of FREE “Kids Week” programs. Immerse your kids in the natural world.

Best Board Games of All Time, By Age

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Wed, 01/01/2025 - 9:58am

Pull out a block, place it on top but don't let the tower fall in the fun and challenging Jenga. Photo by Jody Mercier

Why not go old-school for family night this week and gather around the table to play one of the best board games of all time? Classics are classics for a reason; these board games are so fun they stand the test of time.

Here, we've rounded up the best board games of all time and sorted them by age, so you can start playing while kids are still preschoolers and keep having family game nights up through high school!

Need more options for screen-free family time? We've got the 100 Best Board Games for Family Game Night and tons more family fun in our Games and Activities Guide for Family Fun.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show Soars in NYC

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Tue, 12/10/2024 - 9:59am

Eric Carle's colorful animals come to life on stage,

It’s never easy to successfully adapt a popular book for stage or film (the expectations!), nor to keep a theater full of toddlers and preschoolers engaged and seated for an hour. Yet, the latest stage adaptation of Eric Carle’s beloved The Very Hungry Caterpillar, playing in NYC this winter, does all that and more.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show, now at the Duke through Sunday, January 5, 2025, retells four iconic Carle tales with 75 handcrafted large-scale puppets, three actors who double as puppeteers and narrators and subtle but lyrical music that readies the audience for the animal magic about to appear on stage. It’s earnest, colorful, artsy and will hold your kid in awe for 60+ solid minutes.

Best Christmas Tree Lightings in NYC with Fun Activities for Kids, Plus Menorah Lightings, Too

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Tue, 11/26/2024 - 12:32pm

Celebrate the start of the holiday season at Calypso, Carols, and Cocoa: The Dumbo Holiday Lighting. Photo by Hassan Mokaddam

Good news for the crowd-averse: You don't have to brave the commotion of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting to witness a fabulous Christmas tree lighting in New York City. We've rounded up a collection of local NYC Christmas tree lightings that are much less crowded and every bit as lovely, from Brooklyn and Queens to the Bronx and everywhere in between, including the biggest living tree, a tree made of traffic cones, and a ceremony with fireworks!

This year, Hanukkah begins on Wednesday, December 25, and upcoming menorah lightings include the two biggies, in Brooklyn and Manhattan.

We've got more fun things to do this holiday season in our NYC Kids' Guide to the Christmas and the Holidays, including our list of 12 must-do holiday activities and our favorite holiday lights displays across the five boroughs.

Christmas Tree Farms Near DC

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Tue, 11/19/2024 - 11:13am

Find the perfect tree for your family at Snickers Gap Tree Farm. Photo courtesy of the farm

Want to fill your home with the smell of fresh pine, balsam, fir, or spruce this holiday season? Head to one of several festive Christmas tree farms near DC, where you can cut your own Christmas tree for a truly authentic holiday experience and photo opportunity.

If you're not up to the challenge of chopping down a tree, no worries—many of the Christmas tree farms on our list also offer fresh-cut trees ready to be wrapped up and wrangled into your living room. So, you'll get the experience of visiting a Christmas tree farm without all the extra work.

Most of these Christmas tree farms in Maryland and Northern Virginia open the day after Thanksgiving and close when they run out of trees, so be sure to call or check the website before you go. And if you're looking for more holiday fun, see our Christmas Activities and Holiday Guide for DC Kids, which includes our ultimate list of must-do Christmas events and holiday activities in DC. Here's to making holiday memories with your family!

Big Top Comes to the Big Apple: Big Apple Circus and More High-Flying Shows in NYC

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Mon, 11/11/2024 - 10:38am

The Big Apple Circus has pitched its big top in Damrosch Park for a fun-filled show that's an ode to its hometown. Photo by Jody Mercier

It's easy to run away to the circus in NYC—we have so many big tops passing through town each year that you can snag a seat in the stands in any season. A trip to the circus is an exercise in joy and a great introduction to live performances for little kids. High-flying acrobats and glittering costumes are great attention grabbers!

The beloved Big Apple Circus holds its annual holiday season run, dazzling audiences at Lincoln Center with acrobats, trained poodles, magic, and more. Circus newcomer Flip Circus makes multiple stops for audiences in Forest Park and McCarren Park, while the Grand Shanghai Circus brings a taste of China to St. George on Staten Island. Come spring, Cirque du Soleil's Luzia lights up Randall's Island, and the New Victory Theater has a pair of circus troupes on its docket this season, too.

Read on for all the touring circus acts you can catch in NYC, and book your tickets for your favorite big top now to ensure you don't miss out on the action.

Drew Kristofik

Latest posts by Drew

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