Drew Kristofik

Drew Kristofik’s career took a twist from editing teen magazines to a seven-year stint at MacNeil/Lehrer, followed by a long run at Nickelodeon/Viacom as Director of Content for Nick Online and Editor-in-Chief of ParentsConnect.com. A founding member of the Webby Award-winning GoCityKids, she’s written for Family Fun, Vanity Fair, and New York. Her middle school novel, The Time Boat, is available on Amazon Kindle. Drew keeps the MommyPoppins New York Events calendar spot-on and can be reached at events@mommypoppins.com.

Latest posts by Drew

Presidents Day Weekend 2025: 18 Things To Do in NYC with Kids

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Fri, 02/14/2025 - 8:24am

NYBG's celebration of all things orchid carries you to the vibrant setting of Mexico for The Orchid Show: Mexican Modernism. Photo courtesy of NYBG

Looking for the best things to do in New York City this weekend? Here are some family-friendly events and activities to add to your list for Presidents Day weekend.

The long Presidents Day weekend kicks off with Valentine's Day and segues right into the activity-packed Midwinter Break, and NYC is up for the challenge. How to keep the kids occupied, you ask?

Head to the New Victory to see Nuttin' but a Word, dial up some flower power at the Orchid Show at NYBG, or explore artsy environments during MoMA's Family Festival, which all open this weekend.

You can also immerse yourself in the STEAM-inspired fun of our annual favorite, Kids Week at the Intrepid Museum. On Sunday, make sure you slither down to Chinatown to witness the spectacular Lunar New Year Parade.

Best Things To Do with Kids in NYC in February 2026, from MP Editors

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Fri, 01/31/2025 - 9:53am

Tales from the Magic Garden brings Czech stop-action animation to the Animation First Film Festival.

Whether sending valentines or planning a Presidents Day weekend getaway—there is plenty to love about February! Don’t miss our favorite kid-friendly events and activities in New York City this month.

Brevity is the soul of wit, and February in NYC manages to cram annual favorites like Governors Island's Ice Sculpture Show, Chinatown's Lunar New Year Firecracker Ceremony, Ringling Brothers' Circus at the Barclays Center, and more into its meager 28-day span.

Plus, don't miss our own Winter Festival and Summer Camps Fair.

If you're staycationing for February break, we have the 4-1-1 on the best things to do over midwinter break in NYC.

My Top 5 Events This Month, At-a-Glance

Top Valentine's Event: Skyscraper Museum's Architecture Valentines
My Favorite Free Event: Mommy Poppins Winter Fest + Camp Fair
Best Bet for Preschoolers: Paper Bag Players at Tribeca PAC
Best for All-Ages: MoMA Family Festival
February's Coolest Event: Ice Sculpture Show on Governors Island

21 Best Lunar New Year Celebrations and Parades in NYC for Families

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Tue, 01/14/2025 - 3:16pm

The Better Chinatown Society hosts its annual Lunar New Year Parade on Sunday, February 16. Photo by Bob Dea

Lunar New Year is one of our favorite winter celebrations in New York City. Although the holiday is often referred to as Chinese New Year, many Asian nations celebrate Lunar New Year. In 2026, the holiday falls on Tuesday, February 17, and city kids can mark this cultural holiday with family-friendly celebrations citywide, from Chinatown's firecracker ceremony to the spectacular New York City Lunar New Year Parade and Festival on Sunday, March 1.

Best Board Games of All Time, By Age

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Wed, 01/01/2025 - 9:58am

Pull out a block, place it on top but don't let the tower fall in the fun and challenging Jenga. Photo by Jody Mercier

Why not go old-school for family night this week and gather around the table to play one of the best board games of all time? Classics are classics for a reason; these board games are so fun they stand the test of time.

Here, we've rounded up the best board games of all time and sorted them by age, so you can start playing while kids are still preschoolers and keep having family game nights up through high school!

Need more options for screen-free family time? We've got the 100 Best Board Games for Family Game Night and tons more family fun in our Games and Activities Guide for Family Fun.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show Soars in NYC

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Tue, 12/10/2024 - 9:59am

Eric Carle's colorful animals come to life on stage,

It’s never easy to successfully adapt a popular book for stage or film (the expectations!), nor to keep a theater full of toddlers and preschoolers engaged and seated for an hour. Yet, the latest stage adaptation of Eric Carle’s beloved The Very Hungry Caterpillar, playing in NYC this winter, does all that and more.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show, now at the Duke through Sunday, January 5, 2025, retells four iconic Carle tales with 75 handcrafted large-scale puppets, three actors who double as puppeteers and narrators and subtle but lyrical music that readies the audience for the animal magic about to appear on stage. It’s earnest, colorful, artsy and will hold your kid in awe for 60+ solid minutes.

Best Christmas Tree Lightings in NYC with Fun Activities for Kids, Plus Menorah Lightings, Too

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Tue, 11/26/2024 - 12:32pm

Celebrate the start of the holiday season at Calypso, Carols, and Cocoa: The Dumbo Holiday Lighting. Photo by Hassan Mokaddam

Good news for the crowd-averse: You don't have to brave the commotion of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting to witness a fabulous Christmas tree lighting in New York City. We've rounded up a collection of local NYC Christmas tree lightings that are much less crowded and every bit as lovely, from Brooklyn and Queens to the Bronx and everywhere in between, including the biggest living tree, a tree made of traffic cones, and a ceremony with fireworks!

This year, Hanukkah begins on Wednesday, December 25, and upcoming menorah lightings include the two biggies, in Brooklyn and Manhattan.

We've got more fun things to do this holiday season in our NYC Kids' Guide to the Christmas and the Holidays, including our list of 12 must-do holiday activities and our favorite holiday lights displays across the five boroughs.

Christmas Tree Farms Near DC

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Tue, 11/19/2024 - 11:13am

Find the perfect tree for your family at Snickers Gap Tree Farm. Photo courtesy of the farm

Want to fill your home with the smell of fresh pine, balsam, fir, or spruce this holiday season? Head to one of several festive Christmas tree farms near DC, where you can cut your own Christmas tree for a truly authentic holiday experience and photo opportunity.

If you're not up to the challenge of chopping down a tree, no worries—many of the Christmas tree farms on our list also offer fresh-cut trees ready to be wrapped up and wrangled into your living room. So, you'll get the experience of visiting a Christmas tree farm without all the extra work.

Most of these Christmas tree farms in Maryland and Northern Virginia open the day after Thanksgiving and close when they run out of trees, so be sure to call or check the website before you go. And if you're looking for more holiday fun, see our Christmas Activities and Holiday Guide for DC Kids, which includes our ultimate list of must-do Christmas events and holiday activities in DC. Here's to making holiday memories with your family!

Big Top Comes to the Big Apple: Big Apple Circus and More High-Flying Shows in NYC

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Mon, 11/11/2024 - 10:38am

The Big Apple Circus has pitched its big top in Damrosch Park for a fun-filled show that's an ode to its hometown. Photo by Jody Mercier

It's easy to run away to the circus in NYC—we have so many big tops passing through town each year that you can snag a seat in the stands in any season. A trip to the circus is an exercise in joy and a great introduction to live performances for little kids. High-flying acrobats and glittering costumes are great attention grabbers!

The beloved Big Apple Circus holds its annual holiday season run, dazzling audiences at Lincoln Center with acrobats, trained poodles, magic, and more. Circus newcomer Flip Circus makes multiple stops for audiences in Forest Park and McCarren Park, while the Grand Shanghai Circus brings a taste of China to St. George on Staten Island. Come spring, Cirque du Soleil's Luzia lights up Randall's Island, and the New Victory Theater has a pair of circus troupes on its docket this season, too.

Read on for all the touring circus acts you can catch in NYC, and book your tickets for your favorite big top now to ensure you don't miss out on the action.

Drew Kristofik

Latest posts by Drew

My Top 5 Events This Month, At-a-Glance

Pages