A Child Grows Events

Posted by Karen on 6/17/09 • Categorized as Events, Nutrition

Here is the lineup for the next month:

June 18th- Father Goose- Join Father Goose as he takes you on a musical journey with his energetic blend of reggae, rap, folktales, funk and calypso, which promises to have the entire family dancing, featuring song chart-topping songs from his album “It’s a Bam-Bam Diddly” and old favorites from Dan Zanes and Friends albums.
June 23- Erin Lee & Marci- Celebrate the summer with Erin Lee & Marci as they sing songs about loose teeth, terrible haircuts and other assorted joys (and challenges) or childhood.
June 25- Opus Ditty and the Hoedown Gang- Come Out! Come Out! Come Out! …and hear Opus and the Gang’s own special blend of funky folk rock, for the whole family. There’ll be fishing, dancing, pirates, robot drummers, and who knows, maybe even a campfire sing-a-long!
June 30- The Jimmies- Winner of a 2009 Oppenheim “Best Toy” and Parents Choice Award, #1 on the XMSirius Kids Charts and playing all over the country at places like Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits. The Jimmies unique brand of Kindie Rock is cool enough for older kids, silly enough for younger kids and just right for parents.Where: Opus Ditty and the Hoedown Gang 10:30am

PROSPECT HEIGHTS: PREGNANCY WORKSHOP

Thursday June 18, 6:30pm
Come join the 3 respected midwives/childbirth educators of BklynBirth for a free discussion about pregnancy, including: nutrition, remedies for common discomforts of pregnancy, finding a provider and choosing a birth setting (home, birth center, hospital). www.BklynBirth.com Bump at 464 Bergen Street

UNION SQUARE: BABY LOVES DISCO FREE

Thursday June 18: 12- 1 pm
(Thanks to www.gocitykids.com for this listing)
Union Square Parternership’s Summer in the Square series kicks off with Baby Loves Disco. Bring a blanket or lawn chair, pack a picnic, and head to the South Plaza. http://www.unionsquarenyc.org. 14th Street and Broadway New York, NY10003

GOVERNORS ISLAND: FREE BIKE FRIDAYS

Ongoing Fridays until October 9: 10 am – 5 pm
(thanks to www.gocitykids.com for this listing)
Governors Island invites children and adults to borrow a bike for free, for up to one hour, every Friday through October 9. More than 200 bikes are available for the program, sponsored by Bike and Roll. The ferry ride and admission to Governors Island are also free. All ages. 212.440.2202 http://www.govisland.com

PROSPECT-LEFFERTS: ADVENTURES EXHIBIT

Through September 6
A new cool-sounding exhibit at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum opened last weekend. Run! Jump! Fly! Adventures in Action™ is a new exhibit that lets kids try out activities they’ve never before encountered. Do you have a kid that wants to jump, spin, fly? They can try: snowboarding, surfing with balance boards, martial arts sessions, climbing a canyon using 4 different trails, and at the Flycycle Gallery, your child can climb on a special bike outfitted with wings and propellers and lastly, do some yoga or dance! The exhibit is bilingual, with information presented in English and Spanish, and the activities are accessible to children with varying physical abilities and developmental needs. For full information visit the exhibition information page. For time and visitor information visit www.brooklynkids.org.

UPPER WEST SIDE: EXTREME MAMMALS

Ongoing Daily until January 3, 2010
With their new exhibit, Extreme Mammals, the American Museum of Natural History explores the world of extinct and living mammals. Featuring spectacular fossils and other specimens , reconstructions, and live animals, the exhibition examines the ancestry and evolution of numerous species, ranging from huge to tiny, from speedy to sloth-like, and displays animals with oversized claws, fangs, snouts, and horns. Through the use of dynamic media displays, animated computer interactives, hands-on activities, touchable fossils, casts, taxidermy specimens, and a colony of live sugar gliders—extreme marsupials from Australia—the exhibition will highlight distinctive mammalian qualities and illuminate the shared ancestry that unites these diverse creatures. To register for programs call 212-769-5200 or visit www.amnh.org. Online visitors can explore Extreme Mammals at www.amnh.org/extrememammals. The Museum is open daily, 10:00 a.m.–5:45 p.m.

BATTERY PARK CITY: SWEDISH MIDSUMMER FESTIVAL

Friday, June 19, 5-8 pm
Wagner Park is the site of a traditional Swedish celebration of the solstice. Decorate the maypole and learn folk dances. Make midsummer wreaths and enjoy a procession, fiddle music, children’s games and Swedish delicacies. Traditional music by Daniel Dahlin and fiddlers from the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis. Folk dancing with Barnklubben Elsa Rix and
Swedish Folkdancers of New York. Swedish Family Dance: 6:30-8 pm For more information visit www.bpcparks.org or www.nycmidsummer.com

PROSPECT LEFFERTS: OLD MCDONALD IN THE CITY

Saturday June 20th: performances at 1pm and 2pm
Old McDonald had his farm—but what if your kids live in the City? Join Clare and Jeremy for a rollicking, sing-a-long time featuring songs with local meaning, like Bridges and Tunnels, Five Boroughs, Subways All Ways, Taxi, and more. Ages 2-10 years old. The sing along will be at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum. For more info on Jeremy and Clare, visit www.songsinthekeyofnewyork.com. For details on getting to the Brooklyn Children’s Museum visit their site.

NOSTALGIA RIDE: WEST FARMS-EAST TREMONT STATION/BRONX ZOO

Saturday, June 20- 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Ride the Transit Museum’s vintage fleet. Board at Grand Central, travel south to Brooklyn Bridge then north to East Tremont. Here, enjoy a tour with Arts for Transit artist Naomi Campbell of “Animal Tracks,” and the 10th anniversary celebration of the Congo Gorilla Forest at the Bronx Zoo for the remainder of the day. If you can’t drag your kids off the vintage trains, they will take you for a spin in upper Manhattan! $30, Museum members $25, Children (5 – 17) $10. Admission to the Zoo and Congo Gorilla Forest: Adults $13, Children $10, payable by June 5. More info here.

BATTERY PARK CITY: TEARDROP PARK

Ongoing
I thought they I might just drop you all a reminder to visit Teardrop Park this summer. It is an awesome park in Battery Park that has an “Ice Wall”, art by Ann Hamilton (Oh, I love her art!), Michael Mercil, slide, sand boxes, water play, a reading area with rock seats, places to “rock hop,” naturalistic plantings, and just nice areas to chill. It is located between Warren Street and Murray Street, east of River Terrace. They have special events at Teardrop too that I list on my Google Calendar on my home page. For more information visit www.bpcparks.org. (Try also stopping by the Irish Hunger Memorial below).

BATTERY PARK CITY: IRISH HUNGER MEMORIAL

Ongoing
Teardrop Park reminded me to write about the Irish Hunger Memorial. I love walking up this beautiful grassy mound with unique plantings, only to discover that I am on top of a rock museum. It is a cool place and a great way to introduce your kids to rural living, those less fortunate and how people farm. The Memorial represents a rural Irish landscape with an abandoned stone cottage, stone walls, fallow potato fields and the flora on the north Connacht wetlands. It is both a metaphor for the Great Irish Famine and a reminder that hunger today is often the result of lack of access to land. The 96′ x 170′ Memorial, designed by artist Brian Tolle, contains stones from each of Ireland’s 32 counties, and is elevated on a limestone plinth. Along the base are bands of texts separated by layers of imported Kilkenny limestone. The text, which combines the history of the Great Famine with contemporary reports on world hunger, is cast as shadow onto illuminated frosted glass panels. For more detailed information, please visit the Battery Park City Authority. Vesey Street and North End Avenue, near WFC 4.

CENTRAL PARK: LEARN HOW TO DANCE BALLET

Saturday, June 20- Tuesday, June 23rd: 11am- 1 pm
(thanks to www.gocitykids.com for this listing)
Teaching artists from American Ballet Theatre share the beauty of waterfowl through the magic of dance in one of the world’s most beloved ballets, Swan Lake. Bring a blanket and a picnic to the Great Hill. Rain Date: Saturday, June 27. 212.860.1370 http://www.centralparknyc.org. For all ages and free.

CONEY ISLAND: MERMAID PARADE

Saturday, June 20: 2 pm (rain or shine)
I know this is such a famous event, and I have yet (sigh) never been to it- and looks like I won”t this year either. (birthday party). So, here is to hoping some of you can go and tell us what you think! This parade is the largest art parade in the nation. I hear it is like Mardi Gras (which Coney Island used to have in the early 1900’s). The Mermaid Parade celebrates the sand, the sea and the beginning of summer, and Coney Island. Parade marchers dress as Mermaids, Neptunes, sea creatures and more. There are also antique cars, marching bands, drill teams. The Uptown String Band from the Philadelphia Mummer Parade will be there. For the new parade route, check out the mermaid parade site. The new routes is much longer. Afterwards is the Mermaids BAll at Dreamland Roller Rink. Can you say Xanadu?! If you want, you can also stop by to see Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey.

CONEY ISLAND: RINGLING BROTHER BOOM A RING

June 18- September 7th: various times

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® is putting on The Coney Island BOOM A RING, a seaside circus that will be playing on the boardwalk in Coney Island from June 18 to Sept. 7 — get a performance schedule: http://bit.ly/p8LZN. Ticket prices start at $10 for upper bleachers and go up to $65 for ringside. The tent is air-conditioned, not just for you but for the performers and their assistants: white tigers, Asian elephants and acrobats from around the world. The show features a crossbow demonstration, a globe of steel in which whizzing motorcyclists orbit at speeds of 65 miles an hour and a gravity-defying performance on the whirling Wheel of Steel. Get tickets to the event here http://www.Ringling.com/ConeyIsland. Blog Expert Amanda Wiss is going to the opening on June 18th and will do a review for us here. I will put it up as soon as she sends it it (hey, Amanda, press Pronto please!)

PROSPECT-LEFFERTS: AUDRA ROX PERFORMS FOR SCHOOL BENEFIT

Saturday, June 20th: 2 pm
The Brooklyn Brownstone School (a new public school in Bedford-Stuyvesant) is featuring Audra Rox for their fundraiser. Audra always creates a good, lively show. With summer coming, I am sure there will be extra energy! She performs at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum. Kids are 12 years are $10 and adults are $20. Tickets available at Brownstone Books (718-953-7328 or at the concert itself. For details about the museum, go to http://www.brooklynkids.org

UPPER WEST SIDE: SUNDAYS UNDER THE WHALE

Sunday, June 21: 11 am and 2 pm
Dan Zanes will do a “Wet and Wild Singalong” in the Ocean Life exhibit under the whale. Doesn’t that sound wonderfully trippy? Sing along to songs that celebrate the wonders of the ocean—from familiar traditional shanties like Sloop John B, to long-lost folk songs like The Mermaid, to songs filled with Caribbean flavor like Nah Eat No Fish. Zanes and his band celebrate homemade family music that can be sung anywhere by everyone. With special guests Bomba Yo. Tickets will be available onsite on a first-come, first served basis at 10 am on the day of the event; limit 4 per family. Click here for more information on Milstein Science Series: Sundays Under The Whale.

PARK SLOPE: DRUMPER CIRCLE

Sunday, June 21st: various times
The Brooklyn Lyceum is hosting a new monthly drummer circle for children ages 4-11. Percussionist Don Slovin will lead three drum circles one weekend day each month. Next up is Father’s Day! Great time to beat those drums! There times and ages are as follows:
10:30 AM – 4-5 years of age
11:30 AM – 6-8 years of age
12:30 AM – 9-11 years of age
Cost: $5 per person or $15 per famly. For more information visit their web site. The Brooklyn Lyceum, located in Park Slope, Brooklyn on 4th Avenue at President Street, right next to the Union Street subway stop for the R train.

WILLIAMSBURG; FLYING SQUIRREL’S BIRTHDAY

Sunday, June 21st: 1 pm
Lovely second-hand and boutique store, Flying Squirrel is celebrating it’s 5th year birthday so they are celebrating with Peanut Butter and Shelley performing from 2 pm, bubbles, balloons, sprinklers and food on the grill. Oh, and yes, a sale on new and second-hand items. Flying Squirrel: 96 n. 6th (btwn. Berry and Wythe)

LONG ISLAND CITY: SOLSTICE CELEBRATION

Sunday, June 21st: 5 pm- sunset
(thanks to www.gocitykids.com for this listing)
Celebrate the solstice with live music, face painting, a special solstice ritual performed by Urban Shaman Mama Donna, and a drum circle. Kids can participate in creative artmaking workshops throughout the event, presented by Socrates Sculpture Park, Materials for the Arts, Noguchi Museum, Free Style Arts Association, and Queens Museum of Art. Bring a picnic and enjoy the view as the sun sets over the Manhattan skyline. 718.956.1819 http://www.socratessculpturepark.org All Ages Socrates Sculpture Park is at Broadway at Vernon Boulevard Long Island City, NY11106

PARK SLOPE: HOW TO RAISE A GOOD SLEEPER

Monday, June 22, 1-3 PM
If you are interested in instilling healthy sleep habits for your baby at an early age, this is Baby Bites Brooklyn seminar is for you. Dr. Janet Kennedy of NYC Sleep Doctor will teach you the fundamentals of raising a good sleeper from birth and answer your questions about this all-important issue. If you want to read my review of Dr. Kennedy, please visit my resource page. The luncheon is at Villa Rustica, 357 3rd St. (just off Fifth Ave.), Park Slope . The cost is $35 in advance, $40 day of luncheon. RSVP to chana@babybitesbrooklyn.com. Please note that this luncheon is open to both moms and dads of babies 0-9 months of age (or parents of babies who are still ok with sitting in a restaurant for two hours). For more information visit Baby Bites Brooklyn.

PARK SLOPE: REAL MOMS TELL ALL ABOUT PREPPING FOR BABY

Tuesday, June 23rd: 7-8:30 pm
Expecting? There is so much to know and prepare for- but don’t panic- myself and 2 other moms (plus doula) will help you through it. We will cover:

• your delivery/birth options (what to really expect)
• baby doulas, nurses, postpartum doulas (what they do, how much they cost, how to find one)
• best brooklyn resources for new parents (lactation consultants, pediatricians, daycares etc.)
• products products products (what to buy, what not to buy, what each product is for, where to get them)
• childcare options (the lowdown on nannies & daycare)
• breastfeeding tips (including advice on buying bottles, pacis, pumps, nursing bras, etc.)

One mom will take home a mico cosi infant carseat, valued at $170. The first 5 moms to sign up will take home a miracle blanket. EVERY mom in attendance will take home a comprehensive resource list, authored by me. The list contains valuable information on Brooklyn resources for new parents. The workshop will be at Birth Day Presence, 291 8th St. (between 5th & 6th Ave), Park Slope. The cost is $25/single, $40/couple (prepayment required). Please note that while dinner will not be served, light snacks and refreshments will be provided.RSVP to chana@babybitesbrooklyn.com. For more information on the speakers and content, go to Baby Bites Brooklyn.

PARK SLOPE: SUNDAY MOVIES FOR KIDS

All summer: Sundays @ 3PM
Kids Flicks is starting at the Brooklyn Lyceum. It’s a great way to wile away a Sunday afternoon. Hunker down with other families and experience some of the true classics with an audience. Here is the full list. The cost is $5 per person or $15 per family. For full information go to their site.
July 12th – The Muppet Movie
July 19th – The Cat In The Hat (Dr. Seuss)
July 26th – Shrek
August 2nd – The Land Before Time
August 16th -Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas
August 23rd – The Secret of Nimh
August 30th – The Wizard of Oz

WILLIAMSBURG: ARTISTS’ MARKET

Saturdays from 10am-6pm
Artists & Fleas, the 6-year old Williamsburg, Brooklyn-based artist and designer market will be setting up shop and showing their wares on opening weekend at the Market in McCarren. The Artists & Fleas Market in McCarren will be operated in partnership with the Open Space Alliance of North Brooklyn (OSA), a non-profit NYC Parks Dept affiliate. Artists & Fleas Market in McCarren will be open on Saturdays from 10am-6pm beginning May 2nd and will be located at the northern end of McCarren Park, adjacent to the McCarren Field House.Visitors to McCarren Park will also be able to enjoy a new weekend café set up outside the McCarren Field House complete with a menu of organic, locally sourced food and drinks as well as a variety of entertainment and weekend activities. Opening day will present The Hungry March Band, The Dead River Company and a live performance piece as part of Movement Research’s Spring Festival. The performance will start at 1pm and will run approximately 90 minutes. All events are free and open to the public.

FORT GREENE: FLEA MARKET

Saturdays, 10am to 5pm—rain or shine
As of June 14th, Brownstoner will have THREE Brooklyn Fleas: Fort Greene, DUMBO and Under the Brooklyn Bridge. From April to December, Brooklyn Flea takes place every Saturday from 10am to 5pm—rain or shine—at Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, on Lafayette Ave. between Clermont and Vanderbilt Ave. We go to this every weekend and love it. This year, Blue Marble Ice Cream will be there every weekend along with all the other delicious food vendors. The Flea Market has great vendors- from local artists to vintage jewelry and clothing. We love bringing the children, checking out some used books, new art for walls and the fabrics. This is a must for everyone. For full information, visit the Brooklyn Flea website

GOVERNORS ISLAND: MINI GOLF COURSE

Every Friday, Saturday, Sunday until early October
Last summer, FIGMENT worked with the Governors Island Preservation and Education Corporation and Black Rock Arts Foundation to create a fully functional 9-hole mini golf course on Governors Island. The course was a huge success, in constant use throughout the entire season. This year, FIGMENT will expand the course to 18 holes. The designs are meant to be fun – not frustrating – for players of all ages. The course will be free and open to the public on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays while the island is open, from the end of May to early October. Free ferry service runs from The Battery Maritime Building located adjacent to the Staten Island Ferry in Lower Manhattan, as well as from Fulton Ferry Landing in Brooklyn. Please note – the ferry schedule is different each day, so make sure you check Friday, Saturday and Sunday. You can view the complete schedule on the Governors Island website. Complementing the golf course, 17 FIGMENT artists and groups are creating a season-long outdoor sculpture garden with fantastical pieces of all shapes, sizes and materials. In the spirit of FIGMENT, these works will be participatory and interactive, inviting the viewer to think, act and respond. The sculpture garden, located near the miniature golf course, will be free and open to the public on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays while the island is open, from the FIGMENT event (June 12-14) to October 11.

UPPER EAST SIDE: SOFT SCULPTURES EXHIBIT

Through September 6th
You have probably seen one of Oldenburg’s sculptures either in person or in a magazine, but they never cease to make me laugh in whatever form I see them. He and his partner, Coosje van Bruggen, have a great exhibit going on at the Whitney Museum. You can see their Giant BLT (Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato Sandwich) (1963), French Fries and Ketchup (1963), and Soft Toilet (1966). A highlight of the exhibition is Oldenburg’s Ice Bag – Scale C (1971), which has undergone extensive conservation work in preparation for this exhibition. A full room has been dedicated to a series of sculptures of musical instruments too which includes both hard and soft instruments of differing scales that range in date from 1992 to 2006. Among the objects included are variations on a viola, saxophone, clarinets, French horns, sheet music, and a metronome. Whitney Museum of American Art 945 Madison Avenue at 75th Street New York, NY 10021 General Information: (212) 570-3600 Hours Wednesday–Thursday: 11 am–6 pm Friday: 1–9 pm (6–9 pm pay-what-you-wish admission) Saturday–Sunday: 11 am–6 pm Monday & Tuesday: Closed Adults: $15 Senior citizens (62 and over): $10 Students with valid ID: $10 Members, NYC public school students with valid student ID, and children under 12: Free

CLINTON HILL: BIG BAG SALE

Sunday, June 28: 12- 3 pm
Still Hip is having their annual bag sale. If you haven’t been before: know two things: wear comfortable shoes and bring something to drink! Last year the line was long and the there were lots of bodies! The store’s play area will be set up with bins and tables filled with clothing in every size, as well as toys and gear. You can browse the items and then purchase bags for $15 each to fill with whatever you want from the bag sale area. We are also offering the option of purchasing a reusable Chico bag for $3 more ($18). Or go big and get a large bag for $25.
Still Hip
www.stillhipbrooklyn.com
moms@stillhipbrooklyn.com
283 Grand Ave (btw. Lafayette and Greene)
Brooklyn, NY (Clinton Hill)
718-398-0008