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

Pixar Putt Brings Fun Mini-Golf Course to Battery Park for Limited Run

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Mon, 08/16/2021 - 4:31pm

Test your mini-golf skills on the Pixar Putt course, which has popped up in Battery Park for a limited late-summer run.

Pixar fans take note: You can now interact with some of your favorite movie scenes thanks to Pixar Putt, an immersive, interactive, pop-up mini-golf experience that's taken over Pier A in Battery Park for a limited time.

I recently played the 18-hole course with my trio of kids, and we've got a sneak peek at the fun that awaits. Whether you want to walk in the shoes of The Good Dinosaur, sail away with Up, or whack a golf ball a little too hard at a creepy Benson doll bust, Pixar Putt is a fun addition to the city's mini-golf scene, but act fast: Your favorite characters are only in town until Halloween.

A New Van Gogh Immersive Art Installation Opens in DC

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Sun, 08/15/2021 - 10:00am

Seeing The Starry Night in total immersion is one of the highlights of Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience.

Vincent Van Gogh is certainly having a moment. A slew of immersive, larger-than-life art exhibits dedicated to the Dutch master have opened in cities all over the world. DC can now add itself to that list with the opening of Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience on August 6 at northeast DC's Rhode Island Center. And in a city teeming with museums, it offers something quite unique.

Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience is a 20,000-square-foot light and sound installation featuring two-story projections of the artist’s most compelling works so you can experience them in 360 degrees. It includes three galleries tracing the artist's development and life story. Giant fact-filled placards hang in the first two exhibition spaces before you ever encounter the finale: total immersion.

Autism-Friendly Big Umbrella Fest Returns to Lincoln Center Next Month

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Wed, 08/11/2021 - 12:42pm

How close you get to the action is up to you during Squonk's Big Hands for Big Umbrella performance at Lincoln Center's Big Umbrella Outdoors Fest next month. Photo by Emily O'Donnell/courtesy of Lincoln Center

Lincoln Center's Big Umbrella Festival—the first performing arts fest with programming specifically geared toward autistic audiences—is set for a September return taking over Josie Robertson Plaza and the sprawling outdoor Restart Stages venues for three days of performances beginning Friday, September 17.

NYC Playgrounds With Shade: Play It Cool at These Shady Parks in NYC

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Tue, 07/27/2021 - 10:15am

Many cool playgrounds in Central Park are shaded by tall trees. Photo courtesy of Central Park Conservancy

Need to find a playground near you with shade for a hot summer day in NYC? These shady playgrounds in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens offer a break from the sun but no shortage of fun.

While kids can always cool off in NYC's many sprinklers, there's no reason for us parents to get stuck baking in the heat. A few NYC playgrounds are known to offer exceptional amounts of shade—Hippo Playground in Riverside Park and Discovery Playground in Fort Washington Park come to mind—but we asked our readers if they knew of any super-shady playgrounds in New York City, and they came through with several great suggestions.

12 Unforgettable Experience Gifts for Kids in and Around NYC

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Mon, 07/12/2021 - 3:33pm

Your summer of awesome is here—Legoland New York is now open and a season pass is a perfect present! Photo courtesy of Legoland

It's no secret that little kids mean lots of gear, clothes, and toys—and the stuff only multiplies as your children and family grow. So, rather than going for broke buying all the latest toys and tech, consider gifting your kids an unforgettable only-in-New-York experience for their next milestone birthday.

Whether you've got tough-to-impress teens or preschoolers with more toys than they know what to do with, we've got a dozen ideas for experience gifts for kids in and around NYC.

Best Water Parks for Toddlers Near NYC

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Sun, 07/11/2021 - 10:21am

Camelbeach is a perfect place to keep cool with a toddler on a hot sunny day.

When temperatures soar, there are always New York's FREE neighborhood pools or sprinklers for a quick cool down with the kids, but on sweltering summer days, nothing beats the heat like a trip to a water park near NYC.

Families with toddlers in tow aren't looking for big slides or big waves, though, so we've rounded up our top water parks for the preschool set. Prepare to find toddler-sized attractions, along with perks such as nursing stations and FREE mini life jackets—and don't worry, there's plenty of big-kid fun to go around, too. So read on for details on 14 parks within two hours of New York City catering to the littlest water explorers.

Check out our NYC Beaches, Pools, and Water Fun Guide for more family-friendly ideas on how to cool down in the city and beyond.

See the Mega Splash Pad in Flushing Meadows Corona Park

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Thu, 07/08/2021 - 4:38pm

The kid-friendly splash pad at the Fountain of the Fairs is made even sweeter when the ice cream truck cruises by.

Summer's latest heatwave means it's the perfect time to plan a visit to the Fountain of the Fairs, the mega sprayground at the foot of The Unisphere in the kid-friendly Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Unveiled on a gray October day last fall, the fountain is now fully functional and a dreamy destination on a hot afternoon.

Skaters Rejoice: Wollman Rink Set to Reopen This Winter Under New Management

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Wed, 07/07/2021 - 9:38am

The winter skating season is on at Wollman Rink after Parks Department officials announced they've secured a new operating partner.

If you're struggling through the latest heatwave, we've got some cool news: Central Park's iconic Wollman Rink has a new operator for the 2021-22 winter season, which means New Yorkers will be able to twirl, glide, and play hockey on the rink, which ranks as one of our favorite outdoor ice skating spots annually.

Read on for details on the proposed deal, which promises to pour all profits back into the rink, preserving this NYC treasure for years to come.

Jody Mercier

Latest posts by Jody

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