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

Museum of Ice Cream and Its Sprinkle Pool of Treats Hit Los Angeles

Submitted by Roberta B on Thu, 03/30/2017 - 5:27pm

UPDATE: The Museum of Ice Cream is currently closed and looking for a new location in DTLA.

Evidently we all must have screamed, because that Museum of Ice Cream pop-up phenomenon that our NYC friends were taunting us with last summer is arriving for an LA run this spring. Organizers call it a "whimsical urban ice cream playground." The New York Times says it "evokes the Willy Wonka flair." And word on the street is you can wade barefoot through rainbow sprinkles. 'Nuff said? Tickets go on sale April 3 and are likely to sell fast, so read on for the scoop.

A Playground in a Movie Theater? For Real? For SoCal!

Submitted by Roberta B on Wed, 03/15/2017 - 5:46pm

Cinépolis, the Latin American movie theater chain, debuts one of its most family-friendly features in Southern California this weekend—but when we say feature, we're not talking movies. The cinema giant has had big success with its innovative movie theater playgrounds for antsy kids south of the border, and two of its US locations are poised to let local kids give it a try. Thinking of seeing Beauty and the Beast this weekend? Why not see it where little ones can romp if the action feels slow, scary, or otherwise less appealing than a giant slide?

Death Valley in Spring: What's up with the Superbloom?

Submitted by Roberta B on Wed, 03/15/2017 - 3:27am

For the second spring in a row, the word Superbloom is being bandied about with a hashtag. Years of drought followed by the winter we'd all been waiting for have combined to create the biggest wildflower phenomenon in recent memory. SoCal families do not need to venture far to find fabulous wildflower hikes this month. Some pretty impressive waterfall hikes are in easy range as well. But what if you want to venture far? What if you've always been curious about that not-so-hospitable chunk of desert along the California Nevada state line that is Death Valley?

This national park is actually one of my favorites, and I have extolled the joys of visiting Death Valley with kids before. It is an exceptional, dramatic place; other deserts seem lackluster dust bowls by comparison. The vistas and variety would be hard to exaggerate. By all means, go to Death Valley. But if you're going for the Suberbloom, there are a few things you ought to know.

Presidential Activities for Presidents Day in LA

Submitted by Roberta B on Wed, 02/15/2017 - 3:25pm

Unlike other holidays, Presidents Day is not a day replete with family rituals; if your family does have a tradition, it's more likely to be hunting for the snow chains before heading off skiing than anything presidential. If you are staying in town for the three-day weekend, though, why not find an activity that makes sense out of Presidents Day? After all, you're more likely to raise a president yourself if you keep your eye on the ball! Check out these five special Presidents Day activities for LA's little POTUS-in-training; and maybe someday your kiddo will add a third presidential museum to the LA landscape.

American Girl Doll Meets First American Boy Doll—And You Can Be There

Submitted by Roberta B on Wed, 02/15/2017 - 10:30am

There hasn't been this much chatter about a boy doll since Barbie met Ken. This week—tomorrow to be exact—the country's most must-have line of dolls for the girl who has everything introduces its first ever Y chromosome character: Logan Everett.

Escape Room Fun for LA Kids: Great for Parties or Cabin Fever

Submitted by Roberta B on Tue, 02/14/2017 - 5:55am

A new trend in group entertainment has hit LA, and it may be one you haven't wrapped your mind around yet: escape rooms. Certain assumptions would seem obvious from the moniker (you need to escape, right? From a room?), but in fact most of my friends seem to know very little about them. Personally, I was curious. And beyond my personal curiosity, I was even more interested to know whether an escape room might be an adventure to be shared with bigger kids who enjoy a little challenge and mystery. Well, it turns out that yes, yes it is a totally and utterly cool thing to do with kids. So get ready for the thrill of locking your kids in a room, and then watching them try to get out. For an hour.

Mostly Free Valentine's Day Activities: Cards, Crafts, and Things To Do

Submitted by Roberta B on Fri, 02/03/2017 - 7:55pm

Valentine's Day is always on February 14, and yet somehow it seems to sneak up on our family each year in plain view, taking us by slow motion surprise. For weeks we've known that we need to come up with Valentine's Day cards for every kid in the class (and we all know what's happened to class sizes). Putting two and two together to make 27 construction paper hearts, though, always proves harder than we think. To avoid a late-night glue stick session on February 13, or a last minute defeated run to Target for a package of Dora and Diego cards, we have assembled a list of events to get help and inspiration for Valentine's Day card craft projects—before February 14. And the photo above? It speaks for itself.

Groundhog Day: Where To Find Groundhogs (and Their Shadows) with LA Kids

Submitted by Roberta B on Thu, 01/26/2017 - 10:51am

The simple truth is that we Southern Californians are less inclined to seek out rodents to predict the weather than are our Eastern counterparts. The weather doesn't hold the same mystery for us as it does for, say, New Englanders. But that doesn't mean we have to be left out in the cold on Groundhog Day. After all, who can resist the fun of an entire holiday dedicated to ambushing a small, furry animal first thing in the morning and scrutinizing its shadow (or lack thereof)? So while the people of Punxsutawney put on their top hats to attend their highly scientific meteorological gathering, how about we find some ways to show that we care about their weather, too? After all, if the little guy is calling a premature end to ski season, we might want to know.

Roberta Brown

Latest posts by Roberta

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