There are plenty of reasons to stick around New York this 4th of July weekend: kids’ cruises, all the city swimming pools are open, lots of craft activities and more.  If you think your child can stay up for the fireworks, you’ll have to station yourselves somewhere other than Brooklyn to watch them. Macy’s fireworks are being launched from the Hudson River again. They relocated them from the East River last year and are setting them off from there again at 9:15 pm. About.com lists  plenty of good viewing points outside of Brooklyn here. And, don’t forget you can always watch them at home on the tele (NBC) and fall asleep.

My Picks from Time Out New York Kids

• Head to Governors Island to make some rocket ships, or try moon walking with the Children’s Museum of the Arts
• The River to River Festival’s Free 4th of July Concert: this totally family-friendly concert in Battery Park features Dan Zanes and friends and a parade of 76 trombones, jugglers and stilt walkers!
• A Fourth of July Kids’ Cruise along the Hudson River Park
• The International African Arts Festival in Fort Greene, Brooklyn
• Storytime at Greenlight Bookstore: Faces of America in Fort Greene, Brooklyn
• Independence Day at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan

My Picks from Go City Kids

• New York Hall of Science: Rocket Mini-Golf (love this),  Science Playground (one of my favorite playgrounds of all time- but can be super hot in the summer) and the temporary exhibit on Climate Change
• The Tigers- Tracking a Legend Show at South Street Seaport
• Figment 2010 Mini-Golf Course on Governors Island. While you’re there, take a bike ride in a surrey or have a lovely picnic in the shade.

My Picks from Mommy Poppins

• The Brooklyn Museum opens its doors for free on Saturday, July 3rd from 5-11 pm.
• The Children’s Museum of  Manhattan has free admission from 5-8 pm on Friday night.

My Picks from The Culture Mom

• Declare Independence at the Lefferts Historic House in Prospect Park where kids can do some activities- including signing a doc with an authentic quill pen.
• Eagle as Icon at Prospect Park Audobon House
• Freedom Strut march at the Lefferts Historic House to celebrate the end of slavery in NY State.

My pick from Brooklyn Based (and one of the most unique events to do this weekend!)

“A few years ago, we experienced an amazing event on the Brooklyn Waterfront–a live opera performed aboard the deck of a retired oil tanker called the Mary A. Whalen (that’s her, above). Only recently did we realize that an organization called PortSide New York is responsible for the programming and restoration of this maritime relic, which is docked in Red Hook this summer at Pier 11 in Atlantic Basin, where the cruise ships drop their anchors.

PortSide has many fabulous things in store for kids and adults–tours, movies and concerts on the deck (there’s room for 150 seats!), yoga, and more. But it costs a lot of money to provide insurance for public events in Atlantic Basin ($13,000), and more money is needed for the programming that will allow the Mary A. Whalen to become a public fixture on the water—much like the Frying Pan on the Hudson, or Red Hook’s own Waterfront Museum.

So, we’ve planned a fabulous BBQ on Saturday July 3, from 6-8:30 pm that will benefit PortSide. Unless you’ve booked a trip on the QM2, this is a rare chance to hang out on the working waterfront with the Mary Whalen and take the ultimate cruise…to nowhere!

Tickets, which include all food and drink, are now $35 for adults and $10 for kids (infants and toddlers will be admitted for free). A small price for a fun cause.”

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