Roberta Brown

Roberta to launched Mommy Poppins' Los Angeles in 2011. Previously she served as LA Editor for GoCityKids, National Editor for ParentsConnect, and Editor for NickMom—all of which worked out well for her son, who grew up serving as Chief Guinea Pig for all things fun in LA and beyond.

Latest posts by Roberta

March GoList: Best Things To Do with LA and OC Kids This Month

Submitted by Roberta B on Fri, 02/28/2020 - 3:21pm

Our picks for March are in! It's a busy month, with St. Patrick's Day, Purim, the arrival of spring, and migrating whales and swallows; no wonder there's an hour to switch off at the end of the month. Even the wonderful Butterfly Pavilion at the Natural History Museum returns mid-March. Now is your chance to plan ahead for these annual favorites picked from the many activities on our March daily events calendar, and snag tickets in advance.

Click through to the full listings, and you can automatically add them to your personal calendar. And if you don't already receive our newsletters with ideas for weekend events, camps, and more, you might want to subscribe--before spring break sneaks up on you!

Disneyland Prices Go Up, But SoCal Residents Can Still Get Their Deal—For Now

Submitted by Roberta B on Wed, 02/12/2020 - 2:00am

Everyone's talking about the new prices at Disneyland. It's understandable; the new 2020 Disneyland ticket prices released today reflect an increase of 3% to 13%, depending on the ticket or pass type. Annual passholders are bound to do some hard thinking about whether the Mouse House remains an affordable annual expense. More than a few people probably woke up this morning and kicked themselves that they didn't buy tickets yesterday. But here's the good news: if you're a SoCal resident, you can still get a great Disneyland deal at yesterday's price—if you act fast.

Ice Rinks and Figure Skating Classes for Kids in LA and the Valley

Submitted by Roberta B on Wed, 02/05/2020 - 5:28am

When the sun shines in balmy Los Angeles, when the temperatures in the Valley hit triple digits, when the bad weather on the news is all happening somewhere else – it makes a person want to go ice skating, doesn’t it? We may not have frozen ponds and Jack Frost nipping at our noses, but truth be told Southern California has some of the best ice rinks (including outdoor rinks!) and best skating instructors in the nation. It may sound crazy, but think about it – if you’re a famous skater who's spent your life shivering in the trail of a Zamboni, wouldn't you choose the California sunshine? Follow in the skate steps of local Olympic kids Michelle Kwan and Evan Lysacek and chill with some ice skating lessons at the best of LA’s figure skating classes.

February GoList: Best Things To Do with LA Kids

Submitted by Roberta B on Fri, 01/31/2020 - 6:06am

February is a time to appreciate where we live perhaps more than any other—not simply because of the opportunity to celebrate the valentines, presidents, parades, and whales below, but also because we live in a place where we can ski in the snow one minute and be sand sledding at the beach barely an hour later. Our hearts go out to our friends and family shivering in other states, of course; they really should come to visit. We'll use our weekend event roundups, our 100 Things List, and this February GoList to show them a good time, while they escape that winter thing they're all suffering from.

All of the cooler-than-cool activities below are on our daily events calendar, but a little extra notice helps to make sure your kids don't miss out. Click through to the full listings so that you can automatically add them to your calendar. Happy February!

Lunar New Year at Disneyland or Universal Studios: Chinese New Year the Theme Park Way

Submitted by Roberta B on Mon, 01/20/2020 - 1:38am

Chinese New Year in Disneyland? Well, it is the Year of Mouse, after all. And while most angelenos know about DTLA's famous Chinese New Year Festival and its accompanying 120+ year-old Golden Dragon Parade, not everyone realizes that there are also ways to celebrate the season at our favorite theme parks. So if you like your lion dance with a side of roller coaster, you've got options.

January GoList: Best Things To Do with LA and OC Kids This Month

Submitted by Roberta B on Sun, 12/29/2019 - 8:12pm

Phew. Is it over? So much planning goes into December that it's a little hard to believe when it turns up in our rear view mirror; but the calendar page flips, and it's all eyes on 2020! Luckily we don't have to wait too long until the next holiday weekend (complete with its own parade), and of course January is the perfect time to enjoy a day of skiing or sledding. We've got 11 don't-miss events to recommend in January; so recycle that tree and fasten your seatbelts for another year of fabulous ways to enjoy being a family in LA!

Candy Cane Lane Christmas Lights: What, Where, When, and Is It Worth Going?

Submitted by Roberta B on Wed, 12/18/2019 - 1:05pm

Christmas just doesn't feel like Christmas until you've seen some really good holiday lights. And of the many extraordinary home light displays that Los Angeles neighborhoods can boast, Candy Cane Lane is probably the most famous. That fame may come from its catchy name, or it may just be down to sheer longevity: this year Candy Cane Lane celebrates 70 years of lighting up the season and hosting neighbors from every other LA neighborhood in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Opening night is always a big event, followed by two glorious weeks of nightly sparkles. But is it really so much more special than that house on your street that overdoes the icicle lights? I'm prepared to go out on a limb and say yes.

Note that Candy Cane Lane plans to remain dark in 2020 due to COVID safety concerns.

Holiday Top 10: Best Christmas Events of the 2019 Season You Don't Want To Miss

Submitted by Roberta B on Mon, 12/16/2019 - 2:20am

Celebrate Riverside's Festival of Lights with a stop at the spectacularly decorated Mission Inn. Photo courtesy of The Mission Inn

It's a little overwhelming, isn't it? I collect fabulous things to do with kids for a living, and this time of year has me teetering on a precipice between ecstasy and panic attack—because there is just SO MUCH TO DO! There are so many incredible, awe-inspiring, photo-op demanding, once-a-year holiday experiences on my list that my kid is starting to hide from me. There's a limit to how much fun a person can take.

So I'm taking a breath and making a top 10 list. Believe me, there is plenty more to do; our Ultimate Free Holiday List is a great place to start, and our event calendar an obvious place to continue. You'll run out of energy before we run out of suggestions, I assure you. But if you're looking for a Top 10 List before your family has you committed, here's what you came for.

Roberta Brown

Latest posts by Roberta

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