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

Midtown Gets Spectacular New NYPL Branch With Rooftop Reading Room

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Mon, 09/20/2021 - 5:03pm

See Patience and Fortitude—in Lego form—at the newly remodeled Stavros Niarchos NYPL branch in Midtown.

You won't find Manhattan's newest, coolest rooftop hang out at a swanky eatery. Instead, this cool view comes at no cost, atop the newest NYPL. A trip to the library has never been so cool as it is with a visit to the newly remodeled Stavros Niarchos Foundation branch. Housed in the old Mid-Manhattan Library Building, and catty-corner from the main NYPL branch's Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, this completely reimagined space houses 400,000 books spread over eight floors. Enviable features include the aforementioned alfresco reading room overlooking Fifth Avenue and spectacular new spaces for children and teens. Add in some inventive programming, and this new library is sure to land on our list of NYC libraries with great play spaces and children's rooms.

Read on to learn more about all the services offered at this NYPL branch.

Register Now for Free After-School Program From NYC Parks

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Mon, 09/13/2021 - 10:01am

Several NYC recreation centers open their doors to kids for after-school enrichment. Photo courtesy of NYC Parks

Registration for the FREE after-school program run by the Parks Department opens on Monday, September 13 for NYC kids ages 6 to 13, and we've got details on what the program offers and how to sign up.

Find more after-school classes and enrichment options in our guide to Classes and Activities in NYC for Kids.

Denver with Kids: 48 Best Things To Do in Denver, CO

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Sat, 09/11/2021 - 2:15pm

The view is always great at Red Rocks Amphitheatre.

Known as the Mile High City, Denver, Colorado, is a charming all-seasons destination for a family vacation. You'll find big-city things to do in Denver, including art museums, the Denver Zoo, and the Denver Aquarium, but its outdoor scene is also unparalleled.

Don't let the weather scare you: Locals will tell you if you don't like the weather, wait five minutes. Another commonly cited fact: Colorado enjoys more than 300 days of sunshine a year. In fact, it's quite easy to get sunburned on its famous ski slopes!

Born and raised in the Denver area, I now enjoy it with my three kids as a tourist on our annual family visits. Here are 48 of the best family-friendly things to do in Denver, including great Denver museums for children, the best restaurants for kids in Denver, and family-friendly Denver hotels. Find more of our favorite destinations in our City Travel Guides, including our guide to visiting he Rocky Mountains and Boulder, CO with kids.

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade to March Again in 2021

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Wed, 09/08/2021 - 10:16am

Confetti, characters, Tom Turkey, and more return to city streets this Thanksgiving with the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Photo courtesy of Macy's

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is returning to the streets of NYC on Thursday, November 25, organizers and city officials announced. Following a made-for-TV spectacle in 2020, the 95th annual parade is planning a return to a more traditional parade route to kick off the 2021 holiday season.

Safety protocols will be finalized in the coming weeks, but expect to see larger-than-life helium balloons, marching bands, giant floats, and A-list celebrity performances, plus Santa Claus himself all parading down NYC's avenues.

Space-Themed Play Space Cosmic CAMP Comes to NYC City Point

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Tue, 09/07/2021 - 5:31pm

See how many black holes you can target with asteroids at Cosmic CAMP, a new intergalactic play space that's only here for a limited time.

Editor's note: This review was written when Cosmic CAMP was at the Flatiron location. It has since moved to City Point so there may be minor differences.

Grab your space suits and get ready to blast off on an all-ages family adventure. CAMP, the innovative toy store/play space is taking families on an interactive journey with Cosmic CAMP an intergalactic-themed family experience, which cultivates a sense of adventure while testing the mental mettle and physical skills of your all-ages "crew."

Read on for a sneak peek at what's in store once you open the magic door and enter the Cosmic Launch Pad.

Free Memberships Await as NYC Rec Centers Reopen

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Tue, 09/07/2021 - 12:45pm

NYC's recreation centers are reopening, bringing free memberships and after-school programs. Photo courtesy of NYC parks

New York City's recreation centers are reopening with big perks for New Yorkers—FREE citywide, one-year memberships will be doled out to all visitors who sign up between Tuesday, September 7 and the end of the year.

The news comes amidst the final week of the season for the FREE public swimming pools housed at city rec centers and marks the first time most of the 36 indoor spaces have reopened since the start of the pandemic in March 2020.

Here's the NYC Public School Calendar for 2021-2022

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Tue, 08/24/2021 - 10:17am

NYC school kids return to the classrooms for the 2021-22 school year on Monday, September 13. Photo by Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography

Looking for the 2022-2023 NYC Public School Calendar? Find it here.

If you've got a child in public school, you live by the public school calendar, and after a year of fits and starts, delays, and COVID-induced quarantines and closures, parents are wondering what the new school year will bring. With less than three weeks before the first day of school, we're republishing the public school calendar. Many local NYC preschools follow the public school schedule, too. The New York City Department of Education's calendar for the 2021-2022 school year is below, and you'll want to bookmark it now for reference—and to help with planning family vacations and school break camp coverage.

One notable change for the upcoming school year: There will be no snow days. Plan on logging your kiddos on for a day of remote learning whenever buildings are closed for snow or other emergencies.

These are all of the dates you can count on your kiddos being out of school during the 2021-2022 school year.

Central Park's Top Playgrounds Ranked for NYC Kids and Visitors

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Tue, 08/17/2021 - 4:17pm

Central Park's Heckscher Playground is one of our favorites in all of NYC.

When out-of-towners ask me how I have managed to stay sane with three kids in Manhattan, my answer is always easy: Central Park. It's been our family playground for more than a decade. My son's first steps were taken there, and every day of elementary school in our house has started with a trek across the urban oasis. Our afternoons just don't feel quite right without a stop at the East 110th Street Playground, where my daughter finally conquered the monkey bars.

Central Park is our family's collective happy place, thanks in large part to its diverse array of playgrounds, which always keep us coming back for more (sanity-saving) playtime. In the spirit of our posts ranking the playgrounds in Prospect Park, Brooklyn Bridge Park, and Riverside Park, we present our top playground picks for Central Park. Find more places to play in our Guide to NYC's Top Playgrounds.

Jody Mercier

Latest posts by Jody

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