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

Van Cortlandt Park With Kids: 14 Fun All-Season Activities in the Bronx Oasis

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Mon, 12/07/2020 - 5:20pm

Take inspiration for your visit to Van Cortlandt Park from the Tortoise and the Hare statue: slow and steady. There's so much to see in the park, you'll never do it all in one day.

Sometimes you just need a break from crowded subways and sidewalks. New Yorkers in search of outdoor adventure and wide-open spaces can find plenty of both in the Bronx at Van Cortlandt Park. At 1,146 acres, the sprawling green space is about as outside of the city as you can get without crossing the border to Westchester, and it offers tons of all-season fun.

An infusion of recent improvements provides plenty of reasons to visit this marquee green space, which belongs in the conversation with Central Park, Prospect Park, and Flushing Meadows Corona Park as one of the city's top outdoor destinations.

Here are 14 of our favorite things to do with kids in Van Cortlandt Park.

NYC Schools Set Phased Reopening for Some Students

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Sun, 11/29/2020 - 12:45pm

NYC's public schools are set to begin a phased reopening on Monday, December 7, for early childhood, elementary, and special education students.

On Sunday, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a phased reopening for New York City's public schools, which have been shuttered since Thursday, November 19. School buildings reopen Monday, December 7, for elementary and early childhood students; District 75 students are eligible to return to school buildings on Thursday, December 10.

In an abrupt shift, de Blasio and Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza announced they would be moving away from the hybrid model; students who have opted for blended learning will be moved to full, five-day, in-person schedules as soon as schools can accommodate them with adequate space and staffing. There is still no timeline for middle and high school students to return to school buildings.

Six Flags Debuts Holiday Lights Drive-Thru for Christmas Season

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Mon, 11/23/2020 - 2:24pm

Six Flags Holiday in the Park Drive-Thru features more than a million dazzling lights, festive holiday themes, and a seasonal soundtrack.

It's no secret Christmas light drive-thrus are the it attraction of the 2020 holiday season. In fact, just after we published this massive list of 20 must-see holiday drive-thrus in the tri-state area, we caught wind of another destination-worthy drive-thru. Fresh off the success of its summer drive-thru safari, Six Flags Great Adventure debuts a Holiday in the Park Drive-Thru on Monday, November 30.

The theme park is already a holiday destination for its weekends-only Holiday in the Park experience, but this new holiday lights drive-thru means you can visit Monday through Thursday nights to experience some holiday magic and over-the-top festive displays. Read on for the details on this new attraction, including how to score the required reservations, and find plenty more holiday happenings in our Holiday Guide or our Event Calendar.

NYC Schools Shutdown: Find Free Child Care, Meals, and More Support

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Thu, 11/19/2020 - 3:46pm

New York City is offering FREE child care through its Learning Bridges Program for families struggling with child care. Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

The New York City Public School system's latest shutdown wasn't exactly a surprise to city parents, but that doesn't mean we can't all use a little support to get through this period, however long it lasts. From FREE child care to paid programs and info on FREE meals and DOE-issued devices, here's where New York City parents can turn for help right now.

Be sure to bookmark our Homeschool and Online School Guide for parent-tested tips, tricks, helpful hacks, and more to break up the monotony of remote learning.

New York City Schools Close Due to Coronavirus Uptick

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Wed, 11/18/2020 - 2:45pm

New York City Public Schools will close temporarily beginning Thursday, November 19.

In the midst of the rising COVID cases, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza have announced New York City Public Schools will close temporarily beginning Thursday, November 19.

"We do need to close our schools for the coming days," Mayor de Blasio said at a late-afternoon press conference. "No one is happy about this decision because so much good work has been put into opening the schools to begin with and making them so safe. We set a very clear standard, and we need to stick to that standard. I want to emphasize to parents and educators, to staff and to kids, that we intend to come back. We intend to come back as quickly as possible."

The school closure is the latest development in a roller-coaster back-to-school season for New York City families, marred by delayed starts and changes to opt-in rules for blended learning.

New York Ninja Academy in Midtown Lets Kids Live Out Ninja Warrior Dreams

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Thu, 11/05/2020 - 3:10pm

New York Ninja Academy challenges kids with Ninja Warrior-style obstacles.

Fans of the uber-popular American Ninja Warrior television show have a brand new place to play and train. New York Ninja Academy recently opened in Midtown West, bringing with it a state-of-the-art gym offering classes for kids and adults and giving visitors a chance to experience the challenging obstacles the ninja warrior movement has made famous.

Hiding behind a roll-up garage door on unassuming West 55th Street, this unexpected addition to the kid scene aims to challenge kids physically and mentally, building skills far beyond physical strength. Read on for our review of this new action-packed ninja gym and find more spots to entertain active kids in our Guide to Sports Centers, Gyms, and Fun Zones.

NYC DOE Changes Opt-in Rules for Blended Learning

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Tue, 10/27/2020 - 4:47pm

The NYC DOE is offering public school families only one chance to opt into in-person learning.

In a fall marred by more schedule changes than consistency, the New York City Department of Education announced another major change Monday: Parents who had previously opted for remote-only instruction now have just one single two-week period to opt-in to blended learning for the remainder of the school year. The opt-in period runs from Monday, November 2 through Sunday, November 15. Parents had previously been promised quarterly opt-in periods throughout the school year.

The change caught many by surprise and sparked ire from parents concerned about making such a choice at a time when coronavirus clusters have been in the news.

New York State Releases Halloween Safety Guidelines for 2020

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Sun, 10/25/2020 - 2:00pm

When it comes to Halloween safety during the pandemic, sticking with your family and staying close to home is the best bet.

With Halloween less than a week away, New Yorkers are already making plans to celebrate, and now Governor Andrew Cuomo has released guidelines for safe Halloween celebrations.

True to his statements from earlier in the fall, trick-or-treating will not be banned, but it's not the safest Halloween activity during the pandemic. New York State's guidelines emphasize that "the best way to celebrate Halloween this year is to have fun with the people who live in your household," in many ways mirroring the rules put forth by the CDC in September.

Read on for the full details on the New York state Halloween guidelines, and bookmark this list of safe, socially distant trick-or-treating alternatives as you plan your holiday happenings.

Jody Mercier

Latest posts by Jody

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