Jessica Laird

Latest posts by Jessica Laird

CozyKin Makes Finding Childcare Stress Free— Get Our Promo Code

Submitted by Jessica Laird on Thu, 05/16/2019 - 12:00pm

Finding childcare for your infant or toddler can be totally overwhelming. Deciding between enrolling your kiddo in daycare and hiring a nanny is enough to make your head spin, but there's another popular option that could save you some stress: a nanny share.

Not familiar? While a nanny share can mean a couple of different things, I'm talking about one nanny caring for two children at the same time. This smart set-up combines the socialization and curriculum you expect from a daycare environment with the personalized care and flexibility that comes with a nanny—plus, it's convenient and cost-efficient. Now, a service called CozyKin makes finding a nanny share, getting set-up, and managing the share super easy (the service even handles contracts, training, taxes, and sick and vacation time). Read on to learn more about CozyKin nanny shares and, if it's the right childcare option for your family, how you can save. Hint: they're giving Mommy Poppins readers up to $700 off their deposit!

PJ Library Delivers Free Children's Books Every Month

Submitted by Jessica Laird on Thu, 04/18/2019 - 9:00am

Reading to kids and making sure they have access to plenty of good books is one of the best gifts you can give. Luckily, PJ Library helps parents deliver by providing free high-quality literature celebrating Jewish culture, values, and heritage to children ages 6 months to 11 years old.

Free books? So, what's the catch? There isn't one! Made possible through the Harold Grinspoon Foundation in partnership with philanthropists and local Jewish organizations, PJ Library mails more than 600,000 professionally curated books to families around the world every single month. No matter your family's level of Jewish observance or knowledge, PJ Library has a diverse selection of books that will enrich your home with wonderful stories and more quality reading time.

Some of the books introduce Jewish holidays like Passover, the Hebrew alphabet, and Bible stories, while others focus on traditional folk tales and themes like immigration and environmentalism. You'll find picture books like I Dissent, Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark, and chapter books like Zlateh the Goat, a collection of tales by Isaac Bashevis Singer and illustrated by Maurice Sendak. The selection even includes Caldecott-honored books such as Joseph Had a Little Overcoat and It Could Always Be Worse. Family favorites!

LA's Annenberg PetSpace Now Has a Summer Camp for Animal-Lovers

Submitted by Jessica Laird on Thu, 03/28/2019 - 10:00am

Where can animal-obsessed kiddos improve their cat selfie skills, help pups perfect fetch and roll over, and interact with adorable adoptable pets every day? On its mission to strengthen the bond between people and pets, LA's new Annenberg PetSpace is hosting a series of week-long summer camps (for kids ages 9 to 12) that are filled with demonstrations, crafts, educational games, and of course loads of animal encounters.

Top Summer Camps in NYC — STEM, Arts, and More

Submitted by Jessica Laird on Tue, 03/26/2019 - 12:00pm

Launch Math + Science Centers offer exciting and educational one-week STEM summer camps for kids from Kindergarten to 7th grade.

Most parents know the importance of STEM learning in this tech-focused world, but the arts—and balance—are just as meaningful. Once school lets out, summer is the perfect opportunity for kids to mix things up with more arts and active play, either as part of a STEM program or not.

We've gathered some of our favorite partner camps that offer amazing visual arts, film, dance, theater, and cooking programs; super cool STEM curriculums featuring everything from forensics to Minecraft; and some that keep kids on their toes by offering a little bit of this and that. For even more ideas, check out our New York City Camp Guide, or browse our Summer Camp Directory by location, type, and age!

5 Special Summer Day Camps for NJ Kids

Submitted by Jessica Laird on Sun, 03/10/2019 - 10:00am

At Apple Montessori Schools there are daily swim lessons with Red Cross certified instructors.

School may not be in session come June, but there are plenty of summer programs in and around New Jersey with opportunities for kids to keep on learning and growing—all while having fun, of course.

You'll find long-standing family-owned camps that foster relationship building and community. There are unplugged camps that encourage children to explore and embrace nature. There are arts-focused camps that inspire creativity and boost confidence. And there are even STEAM-centric camps that push kids to ask questions and experiment. Most of these programs serve up a ton of quintessential summer camp activities too, so kids really get the best of all worlds. And some offer perks parents can really appreciate, like flexible schedules and transportation.

To help you sort out your kiddo's summer plans, we're sharing a list of some of our much-loved New Jersey camp partners below. For even more options, take a look at our New Jersey Camp Guide or browse the Directory, where you can search by location or camp type.

Ski Free All Spring with the 2019 Ikon Pass - And Save $100 on Kids’ Passes

Submitted by Jessica Laird on Tue, 03/05/2019 - 9:00am

If you hit the slopes at least one week a year, a ski pass can mean serious savings for your family. Ikon Pass is an annual ski pass that gives you access to over 30 skiing and snowboarding destinations across 12 states, 4 Canadian provinces, and 4 continents. And even better, if you buy your pass now, you get this year’s spring skiing for free!

While you might think of skiing as a quintessential winter activity, the higher temps, longer days, and shorter chairlift waits make spring break the perfect time for a family ski trip. Whether you're a bunch of black diamond die-hards or some of your gang's still all about the bunny hill, an Ikon Pass will definitely help you make the most of spring on the slopes—and since the pass for the 19/20 season literally just went on sale, you can use it for the rest of this season, as well as all of next year.

5 Fun-Filled Los Angeles Day Camps and Summer Programs for All Ages

Submitted by Jessica Laird on Sun, 03/03/2019 - 5:00pm

Stratford School infuses its STEAM curriculum into an innovative and enriching summer camp experience for preschoolers to 8th graders.

When it comes to summertime, the stakes are kinda high, right? With eight to ten school-free weeks to fill, kids expect nothing short of serious fun, and we want to deliver. Fortunately, Los Angeles summer day camps and programs do not not disappoint—and we're sharing a few of our top picks!

These five camps offer everything from camp classics, like archery and horseback riding, to out-of-the-box activities like aerial arts and go-karts; from hands-on STEAM-centric projects to swim classes for water lovers. There's even a camp where each day is pretty much a new choose-your-own adventure. This summer is bound to be a blast. And if you don't see a summer camp below that speaks to your kiddo's idea of fun, there are loads more to choose from in our LA Camp Guide and Camp Directory.

8 Summer Day Camps Long Island Kids Will Love

Submitted by Jessica Laird on Sun, 03/03/2019 - 3:00pm

Pierce Day Camp has a pool for every age. Each summer, campers graduate to a deeper pool with more features - like the Double Chute Water Slide at the age 6 pool.

Lucky for Long Island families, the area is practically a summer camp mecca. You don't need to go very far to find sprawling green campuses, on-site water parks, air-conditioned state-of-the-art athletic facilities, and Ninja Warrior-style obstacle courses. There are fun and enriching programs for kids of all ages, and plenty of flexible schedule options—like partial weeks and extended care—to keep busy parents happy, too.

With so many options, the search isn't easy. So, if you're seeking out a day camp for your LI kiddo this summer, take a look at some of these top picks from our camp partners below. You can also head to our Long Island Camp Guide or browse our Directory for even more options.

Latest posts by Jessica Laird

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