Mommy Poppins - Things to Do with Kids - Anywhere

St. Lucia With Kids: Stay at Coconut Bay and Explore the Island’s Best Family Adventures

Meghan Rose — Sat, 03 Jan 2026 13:10:07 +0000

I live in LA, so for tropical vacations, we tend to head to nearby Hawaii. But we took the long flight to the Caribbean this fall, and I have to say, I’m sorry we waited so long. For a fantastic mix of awesome adventures, gorgeous beaches, relaxing cabanas, stunning nature, great food, loads of animals, and a plethora of activities for kids and the whole family, you can’t beat the island of St. Lucia. Yes, the island famous for honeymooners and romance is actually a wonderful family vacation.

We stayed at the all-inclusive Coconut Bay Beach Resort and had maybe the most perfectly balanced tropical family vacation I’ve ever experienced. Think chocolate tasting/making, drive-in volcano, snorkeling with endangered turtles, and the best Kids Club I’ve seen.

Below, I’m sharing the real insider stuff. Not just the list of top things to do, but the details: what you need to pack (and what to not pack!), which days you should plan on adventures and which you should lie by the pool, and even what to eat.

Check out our complete Guide to Caribbean Family Vacations. Now, here are my tips on making a trip to St. Lucia with kids a rousing success:

Best Shared Family Calendar Apps (Tested by a Real Parent)

Ally Noel — Thu, 01 Jan 2026 11:02:52 +0000

If you’ve ever missed a Spirit Day, double‑booked soccer practice, or realized after pickup that early dismissal was today... "Hi! Welcome to the club." This is exactly why I went down the rabbit hole of family calendar apps in the first place.

For Mommy Poppins, I didn’t just research these apps; I actually used them with my own family. On iPhones, Android devices, and laptops. With kids who sometimes check apps… and sometimes make me wonder why I pay for cell phone service

Below are the best shared family calendar apps I’ve personally tested — what actually worked in real life, what felt over hyped, and which families each app is truly best for. For more tried-and-tested parenting hacks, check out our Mommy Poppins Parenting Hacks Guide.

January Holidays for Kids: A Kid-Friendly Celebration for Every Day

Meghan Rose — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 13:16:16 +0000

Welcome to a NEW year! Whether you’re wondering “Is today a holiday?” or just need a quick way to make an ordinary afternoon feel special, this list of January holidays for kids gives families something to look forward to every day of the month. There's Pass Gas Day (what kid won't want to celebrate Fart Day?), Rubber Ducky Day, and of course, a long weekend for Martin Luther King Jr Day, to make it feel like the holiday season isn’t over yet!

Scroll down for all 31 fun holidays in January, plus links to holiday-a-day ideas for every month of the year.

Check this list, and you’ll find the perfect thing to do with your kids each and every day. In January at Mommy Poppins, we also celebrate all things FREE, so check out our national guide to freebies and also your local guide to free things to do near you!

A Guide to Celebrating America’s 250th Anniversary in the US with Kids (2026)

Nicole O'Donnell — Thu, 25 Dec 2025 15:56:00 +0000

The upcoming year will be a big one for America—the country is celebrating America 250, its semiquincentennial (say that five times fast!). In easier-to-pronounce words, it's the US's 250th birthday—250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. And there are so many ways to celebrate the America 250 anniversary 2026.

America's 250th celebration events will take place in all 50 states. Everywhere from big cities to small towns will host festivals, parades, special museum exhibits, some seriously next-level July 4th celebrations, and other amazing America 250 events. That means 2026 is the perfect year to take a family vacation packed with history, learning, and fun!

Read on for our ultimate America 250 travel guide for families, including the best places to celebrate America 250, handy travel tips, and answers to your biggest questions about this major milestone. And if you want to make America 250 part of a larger family vacay, our Family Travel Guide will help you plan the perfect patriotic trip!

The 131 Most-Loved (Best) Kids’ Books: Parent-Tested, Kid-Approved

Ally Noel — Wed, 24 Dec 2025 11:20:03 +0000

There is nothing quite like immersing yourself in the pages of a good book, and you truly can’t start too young! This is a list of the best books for kids that are all picked to instill a lifetime long love of reading. These aren’t classics kids should read. These are books kids will beg to read. (Or have read aloud to them!) We talked to parents who see what their kids are actually devouring. These books are beloved, re-read, dog-eared, and passed to siblings.

They are all books that we see our kids reading over and over. That we read aloud until we got so sick of the books we hid them for a while. There are classics we read as kids ourselves, and new books we discovered with our kids.

Discover your next favorite family bedtime read aloud, your kid’s next favorite book, or a great book to get your reluctant reader reading. Find even more great books in our guide to children's books and literature, including the Best Board Books for Babies and Toddlers You’ll Love to Read Over and Over, for your pre-readers!

Beloved Community Children's Book Reading

Elsa Simcik — Tue, 23 Dec 2025 20:21:30 +0000

Wednesday, January 14, 2026 - 10:00am

https://events.com/r/en_US/registration/2026-beloved-community-childrens-book-re...

Cost:

Free

Youth, Teachers, Students, Schools and Families are invited to a joyful and engaging Youth Book Reading featuring animated storytelling, expressive voices, and interactive puppet moments.

Children will hear It Starts With Me, co-authored by Dr. Bernice A. King and Dr. Kimberly Johnson, and enjoy a Q&A session with the storytellers and Amora the Puppet. This experience encourages curiosity, creativity, and a love for reading.

Two readings: 10am & 12pm

Recommended Age:

All ages

Age:

Virtual 32° 9' 26.766" N, 82° 54' 25.6428" W

Ticketed:

Activity Category:

Academic

Books & Stories

Free

Admission Services

Best Family Travel of 2025: Our Favorite Cities, Beaches, National Parks, Hotels, and More

Jennifer Marino Walters — Sat, 20 Dec 2025 17:00:00 +0000

Here at Mommy Poppins, we love to share the best things to do with kids in the 16 regions we cover across the US. But we also love to travel, go on adventures, and help our readers discover the coolest places throughout the country and the world.

In 2025, our writers and editors visited some incredible destinations—and wrote about them for us! They traveled across the US, into Canada and Mexico, and all the way to Asia. And if you're looking for a truly bucket-list experience, check out our list of the top things to do on a Maldives vacation with kids—you'll be itching to save your money and book that trip ASAP!

Here are our favorite family vacation destinations of 2025, including fun cities, sunny beach vacays, gorgeous national parks, and awesome hotels and resorts. Check out our Family Travel Guide for even more great places to visit with your family. And, join us in 2026 to see where we'll go next!

Asian Language School

info_111059 — Sat, 20 Dec 2025 15:37:37 +0000

Get your child excited about learning a new language with Japanese classes for kids and teens. Designed for ages 6–15, this online program blends expert teaching with an engaging, interactive approach that keeps students motivated. Families can choose small group lessons for a collaborative learning experience or 1‑to‑1 sessions for personalized attention.

Every class is taught by professional language tutors who make learning fun while building real skills in speaking, listening, and cultural understanding. Students gain confidence as they practice conversational Japanese in a supportive environment—all from the comfort and convenience of home. Enroll your child today and see them grow academically and culturally.

Online

How to Celebrate New Year’s Eve With Kids at Home: 22 Parent-Tested Ideas

Jean Kuo Lee — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 13:19:49 +0000

New Year's Eve with kids doesn't have to mean a boring night at home. Keep the night at home but lose the boring with these 15 fantastic family-friendly activities to help celebrate New Year's Eve with kids at home. From balloon pops to ball drops, discover how to ring in the New Year – or Noon Year! – in the most festive and memorable way.

For more New Year's Eve fun with kids with an international flavor, check out our guide to 23 Family-Friendly New Year’s Traditions from around the World. Chair leaping or grape eating, anyone? Also, there are tons of activities and things to do on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day on our local event calendars.

However you celebrate, from all of us at Mommy Poppins: Happy New Year!

Tokyo Family Travel Guide: Best Hotels, Day Trips, and Top Things to Do with Kids in Tokyo, Japan

Yuliya Geikhman — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 17:00:00 +0000

Tokyo, Japan, is an incredible travel destination for families. It's beautiful, very different from the West, has great food and attractions, and is an amazing experience that I recommend everyone try at least once in their life.

But it can also be incredibly overwhelming to plan a trip to Tokyo with kids. Make this guide your one-stop resource for everything you need to know to plan the perfect Tokyo vacation. From top Tokyo family resorts and kid-friendly restaurants in Tokyo to the best things to do in Tokyo with kids, you'll find it all below!

Looking for more places to visit overseas? Our International Family Travel Guide has some great suggestions, from 50 fun things to do in Paris with kids to our guide to visiting Seoul, South Kora.