Jody Mercier

Jody Mercier always dreamed of being a mom, and she's raised three wonderful kids in New York City. Since that job only pays in hugs, she’s spent her career as a journalist covering health, fitness, sports, and parenting for Sports Illustrated, espnW, and Mommy Poppins. Follow her family’s adventures on Instagram @momtakesmanhattan or reach her at jody@mommypoppins.com.

Latest posts by Jody

Easter Scavenger Hunts and Other Easter Egg Hunt Ideas

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Mon, 04/10/2023 - 12:00pm

If you're looking for a fun and creative twist on the traditional Easter egg hunt, Easter scavenger hunts are a great option. Rather than simply having kids search for hidden eggs, Easter scavenger hunts allow them to solve clues, read maps, perform funny actions, and do other fun things on their quest to collect those coveted plastic eggs. Plus, an Easter scavenger hunt just might add enough oomph to keep teens engaged as well.

We've also included some creative ideas for traditional Easter egg hunts, as well as some non-candy egg stuffers to delight kids of all ages.

For more Easter fun, check out our Easter Activities Guide for families, which includes everything from Easter crafts and egg-dyeing ideas to awesome Easter movies to get the whole family hoppin'. While you’re at it, go ahead and indulge in some of that Easter candy—you deserve it!

Roller Skating in NYC for Kids and Families

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Sun, 04/09/2023 - 7:27am

The Pier 2 Roller Rink is great for both daring speed seekers and beginners. Photo by Diana Kim

Roller skating provides plenty of old school, all-ages fun. With the city's popular ice skating season in the rearview, trade in your ice skates for quads and hit one of these roller skating rinks in NYC or just beyond city limits.

The return of Flipper's Roller Boogie Palace and pop-ups like Brooklyn's Roller Wave mean NYC families have more choices than ever for unique roller skating rinks to explore.

In addition to retro roller skating fun, many of these roller skating rinks offer extras, including arcade games, bounce houses, and party packages. So lace up your quads and get moving at these roller skating rinks in NYC!

Best Things to Do in Coney Island With Kids: Luna Park, Aquarium, Beach, Mermaids

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Thu, 04/06/2023 - 3:50pm

Visit the rides along the Coney Island boardwalk. Photo by Julienne Schaer for NYCgo

The shores of Coney Island and Brighton Beach open for the season Memorial Day weekend, but the amusement park rides have been spinning since early spring, and the boardwalk and New York Aquarium are always action-packed, making this season the perfect time for a Brooklyn day-cation!

From enjoying the sandy beach and waves, to amusement park thrills, and delicious sweets and treats, here are the best things to do in Coney Island with kids this season.

53 Things To Do on an NYC Staycation with Kids

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Fri, 03/17/2023 - 5:01pm

Treat NYC as your playground and enjoy these staycation ideas across all five boroughs. Photo by Jody Mercier

Visitors never lack for things to do in NYC, but when is the last time you enjoyed a staycation and checked some of the city's must-dos off your list? With spring break on the horizon, you might be planning a visit to one of these family-friendly all-inclusive resorts, but if a big vacation is not in the cards, consider the glory of a staycation and let New York City provide a week's worth of entertainment.

We've pulled together this gold mine of activities for families looking to keep busy during spring break—or anytime—in the Big Apple. From exhibitions and excursions to our favorite zoos, to everyday fun in our beautiful parks and playgrounds, we've found 53 great things to do in NYC during a staycation. Find more top picks for the best NYC has to offer on our list of NYC's top attractions, plus our curated three-day itinerary for exploring our own backyard.

70 Life Skills Your Kid Needs Before College

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Thu, 03/16/2023 - 11:00am

Make sure your kiddo knows their way around a washer! Photo courtesy of Canva

When it comes to life skills, I can’t be the only mom of a college-bound senior wondering whether I’ve done all I can to prepare my kid for life outside my day-to-day care. High school graduation is on the horizon, and my son will fly the coop shortly thereafter. He’s smart, poised, and well-spoken, and I marvel every day that I had any role in shaping this incredible human. I also worry that I haven’t done nearly enough to teach him how to handle the day-to-day life skills that seem almost innate to me.

So, to help him—and me—prepare for his college days, I’ve put together this list of 70 life skills for teens. Checking off even a few of these lessons before my son heads to college will ease my mind, and hopefully his!

Looking for life skills for younger kids? We’ve got a list of 65 life skills for kids of all ages that will get you teaching everyone from toddlers to teens. And, take it from me, you’ll need this list soon, because high school graduation comes quicker than you think!

Best Indoor Play Spaces with Water Play for Toddlers in NYC

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Wed, 03/08/2023 - 9:33am

Twinkle Playspace's water table let’s kids toss objects into its whirlpool.

At these indoor play spaces, few preschoolers can resist the lure of the water table where they can dunk their toys and hands in, fill containers just to spill them out again, and splash around. After all, in a tiny NYC apartment, not many of us have space for such messy playthings, so we rounded up a handful of NYC indoor play spaces that offer water-based sensory stations. No bathing suits or parental cleanup required.

Best of all, these soggy attractions are open year-round, even in summer just in case you can't face another sweltering day on the playground. So, for those who beg to play in water long after the lifeguards go home, there are options beyond the bathtub.

Union Square and Flatiron Guide: Things To Do and Where To Eat with Kids

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Thu, 03/02/2023 - 12:51pm

Climb to the top of the huge, steep, slippery metal dome at Evelyn's Playground during your next visit to Union Square Park. Photo by Carey Wagner

The adjacent Flatiron District and Union Square neighborhoods are two of Manhattan's most unlikely kid-friendly areas. Even though both are filled with office buildings and chain stores, there are lots of amenities for families if you know where to look. Both Union Square and the Flatiron District boast beautiful parks with destination playgrounds, a great selection of family-friendly restaurants, and one-of-a-kind attractions like the interactive Museum of Mathematics, the foodie wonderland that is the Union Square Greenmarket, kid-lit haven Books of Wonder, the sculpture-filled Lego Store, and a very magical Harry Potter New York.

Because the neighborhoods encompass less than a mile together, families can easily explore both Union Square and the Flatiron District in one day, even with a short-attention-span toddler in tow. Of course with so many things to do, see, and experience in this 15-block stretch from 11th to 26th Streets between Fifth and Park Avenues, you'll probably need more than just a day to hit all the recommended stops in this guide to Union Square and the Flatiron District.

Find more local enclaves to explore in our Family-Friendly NYC Neighborhood Guide.

Genius Gems Debuts STEM-Inspired Play Space in Chelsea

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Thu, 02/16/2023 - 4:09pm

Anyone who’s raised kids in the past decade is likely familiar with Magna-Tiles. And if your house is anything like mine, there are never enough no matter how big your collection. Enter Genius Gems, the long-beloved, STEM-inspired play space that’s been a mainstay in Millburn, New Jersey, since 2018 has just debuted its first NYC location, and its collection of 100,000 (yep, you read that right!) magnetic tiles are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to fun things to do at this interactive, educational fun zone.

We spent an evening building, exploring, and designing in Genius Gems’ new Chelsea location and are already plotting a return visit. Read on for our review of Genius Gems and find more STEM-inspired fun in our Guide to Science Experiments and STEM.

Jody Mercier

Latest posts by Jody

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