Not sure what to do over Winter Break? We have some great ideas that will keep you and your kids occupied to beat the cabin fever. We have found options from gaming to dance to growing seeds to building rockets. If we do get snow, you can always try any one of the hills that we recommend for sledding. With all the options out there, you will feel like the ultimate camp director and your children may be begging you not to go back to school!
The New York Transit Museum Special Programs During February School Break
To make your Winter Break extra fun the Transit Museum has extended hours and is offering 2 special activities each day. From Tuesday, February 21 through Friday, February 24, the Transit Museum will be open to the public one extra hour, closing at 5 pm instead of its usual weekday closing time of 4 pm. In addition, from Tuesday through Friday the Museum will offer two daily programs for kids of all ages, at 11am and 2:30 pm. At 11am, the youngest transit fans are invited aboard one of the Museum’s vintage subway cars for Subway Storytelling, where they will enjoy selections from four or five of our favorite transit books. At 2:30 pm, the Create a City program gives kids the chance to artistically build their own model city, both above and below ground, using the fun materials in the Education Center. Both programs are free with paid museum admission of $5/child and $7/adult. Weekend hours remain the same, from 11am until 5 pm. The Museum is closed on Mondays.
Details: Tuesday, February 21 through Friday, February 24, New York Transit Museum Corner of Boerum Place & Schermerhorn Street, Brooklyn Pricing: $7/adult and $5/child
February Break Discovery Week at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Travel the world’s deserts and rain forests with your family inside the BBG conservatories during February break! Children will use their senses to explore the indoor desert, rainforest, and warm temperate pavilions, go on plant hunts, and investigate incredible living plants at hands-on touch stations. Each participant will make an explorer’s journal to take home, recording the sights, scents, and textures they discover. Join a story circle to learn about the plants and cultures in these habitats around the world. Each child will get to plant a seedling of their own in a mini terrarium to take home with them.
Details: Monday, February 20-Friday, February 24 11am – 1pm, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 900 Washington Avenue, Prospect Lefferts Garden.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum Holiday Week
The BCM has extended their hours for the Mid-Winter Break to 9:30 am- 5 pm so you can enjoy all the activities they have planned from those celebrating Black History Month to those teaching about being environmentally conscious. Fun workshops include stamping fun, enacting a play about Harriet Tubman, jamming on African instruments and creating a spacecraft.
Details: Monday, February 20-Friday, February 24 9:30 am – 5pm, Brooklyn Children’s Museum 145 Brooklyn Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11213.
The Gym Park’s mini-camp
The Gym Park’s holiday camp only runs from Monday through Friday. You can choose from Full Day, Half Day or Extended Day: Times: 9:00-3:00, 9:00-12:00, 12:00-3:00 pm, or 9:00-5:30pm. Costs are $85., $50 & $120 respectively. Ages: 3-12
Details: The Gym Park 81 Oak Street Greenpoint, NY 11222
Barking Cat Studio Arts & Crafts for Everyone
Drop in for a monster week of arts and crafts with this Boerum Hill studio from February 20th – February 25th.
Little Hands Toddler Classes (18-42 mos) are making super-cute Lil’ Monster Pals. Monday – Friday 9:30 & 11am. 45-minute class.
Creative Cats Pre-K Only Classes (3 1/2+ – 5 yrs) are making Monster Pillows. Monday & Thursday 12:30pm. 60-minute class.
Creative Cats Classes (3 1/2+ – 6 yrs) Monday & Tuesday 4pm & Wednesday 4:45pm 60-minute class.
Art Explorers (7-12 yrs) are making Mad Monster Critter Pillows. Thursday 4pm. 90-minute class.
Details: Sign up online here: or call 718-855-8050 to reserve your seat!
The Brooklyn Strategist’s Holiday Camp
This unique, community-based, interactive board and card-game center, café and social club offers a winter break program that is free choice of their entire game library in the morning, an hour lunch break (including park time is weather permits) and either tournament style play or creative game design and mechanics in the afternoons. All activities are stratified by age groups and supervised by our staff (including game instruction and strategic approach). Costs reduce depending on number of sessions and membership. Full day is $99.00 and half day is $50.00. You can register for full day, half day and for the full week! It’s almost sold out on Tuesday.
Details: The Brooklyn Strategist 333 Court Street Brooklyn, NY 11231 Call (646) 470-3556
Mini Max President’s Week Crafts- free!
If you just need some mini-breaks during the week, Mini Max’s President’s Week Crafts are just right.
Each day the crafts take place from 11am-12pm.
Monday: Abe Lincoln Finger Puppets
Tuesday: Future President Pin
Wednesday: George Washington’s Cherry Tree
Thursday: Honest Abe’s Stove Top Hat
Friday: Crepe Paper American Flag
Every Day President’s Week (M-F) – Grab some crayons and color in the Presidents dressed as Superheroes!
Recommended Ages: 3+ (we will have someone assisting but the junior senators in the crowd may need some parental help)
Details: Mini Max Toys and Cuts 152 Atlantic Ave – Brooklyn, NY 11201 718.222.TOYS
Young Players Theater Creative Arts Splash
Children will spend their days engaged in arts-based games and activities. Programs will be supervised and led by professional and experienced teaching artists. For Pre-K-8th Grade. 9 am-3 pm. Sign up for individual days or an entire week. $75/day. Classes take place in Park Slope. Check their site for all locations.
Details: RSVP to kristen@yptheater.org 718-238-8383
Chelsea Piers
The Field House offers Half-Day Camp, Multi-Sport and Gymnastics Camp, Urban Adventure Camp, and Junior Golf Camp during school breaks. Camps run for ages 3-16 years, so there is something for every age. Multi-Sport Camp for ages 3-12 years offer young athletes the opportunity to learn a variety of sports: soccer, basketball, baseball, rock climbing and gymnastics. Urban Adventure Camp offers teens ages 12-16 years the activities of rock climbing, basketball, soccer, sand volleyball, ice skating, yoga, dance and indoor cycling. They offer early drop off at 8 am and after-care until 5:30 pm. Otherwise the hours are from 8:45 am-3:30 pm.
Details: Click here for Holiday Camp information. 23rd St. & the Hudson River New York, NY 10011 212-336-6100
Bija Kids Yoga mini-camp
We did our summer camps here and my kids loved them- my oldest at 5 years cried when he couldn’t go one week. Try out a yoga camp for your 3-8 year old in either half, full and extended day at Bija Kids. Activities include yoga session, eco-friendly art or craft project, playtime, imaginative play, outdoor time (weather permitting), music sessions. Morning and afternoon snacks will be provided of organic fruit and whole grains
and a daily hot lunch (we can accommodate all dietary restrictions) will be provided by Red
Rabbit
Details: view details at Bija Kids. 900 Fulton Street between Waverly and Washington Aves in Clinton Hill.
Art Shack mid-winter art camp
The Art Shack‘s February Break Camp where kids get kids get to do a combo of sculpture, 2-D projects, ceramics and printmaking. They will be visiting local artists’ studios as well. They provide snack and hot cocoa, and play outside if/when weather permits. M-F 8:30- 3:00, Aftercamp will be available until 4 pm: Ages 5-9: $525 for the week
Details: Register here. The Art Shack is located at 131 Clifton Place, between Franklin and Classon, in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn. The nearest subways are the G train (classon stop) and the C to Franklin. For details visit their site.
President’s Week Arts Program at BAX
This performing arts program offers a President’s Week Arts Program that explores theater, musical theater, dance, singing, tumbling. They might do theater games, storytelling, dance sessions, tumbling, yoga musical, make board games and more! Limited to 30 children. Camp goes from 9:00am-3:00pm for children in grades K-5th. Register by the day, or for the entire week.
Details: Brochure is here. 421 5th Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11215 718-832-0018 (Drop-off 8:30-9:00 & late pick-up option 3:00- 5:00). For more info, visit their site.
Aviator Sports and Events (INDOORS)
Aviator Sports is a mammoth event space. It has twin NHL regulation (200’ x 85’) sheets of ice, an enormous gym, basketball courts, fitness rooms, climbing walls, video games, restaurant, euro bungie, fields and games. For their holiday camps, they use the whole facility for a wide variety of activities: read- gymnastics, basketball, and other sports. The camp is for ages 3-15 and runs from 9:00am-4:00pm (early and late dismissal available) . $88 per day or $500 for the whole week
Details: Click here to download their holiday break camp brochure. http://www.aviatorsports.com/holiday-break-camps/ 3159 Flatbush Ave , just south of Belt Parkway (Exit 11S, Brooklyn, NY 11234
General info: 718-758-7500
Juguemos a Cantar Holiday Camp
Juguemos a Cantar is a can enjoy play, reading, music and arts and crafts in a structured Spanish immersion environment.
Details: Ages: 2 – 10 years
Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum Kids Week
The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum will host its annual “Kids Week” from Saturday, February 18 – Sunday, February 26. During “Kids Week,” children will have the opportunity to participate in dozens of fun, educational and interactive activities while they are on vacation during Presidents’ Week.
Saturday, February 18: Circus Weekend. Guest performances by Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus at 1 PM and 3 PM.
Sunday, February 19: Circus Weekend. Guest performances by Ringling Brothers and Barnun & Bailey Circus at 1 PM and 3:00 PM.
Monday, February 20: Space & Aviation Day. Appearance by NASA Astronaut Mario Runco at 1:00 PM. Kids can witness special flight demonstrations with live hawks, owls, ravens and more at 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM from the Talons! Birds of Prey Experience. Guests can also get potato-ized! Animation artists from Little Airplane Productions, the producers of the hit Disney Junior TV show and Facebook phenomenon Small Potatoes, will be on hand throughout the day to turn your family into Small Potatoes characters, suitable for framing! Appearances from the 501st Legion and Empire City Garrison STAR WARS characters throughout the day. Aviation themed tours in the Hanger decks with Museum tour guides will also be available all day.
Tuesday, February 21: Guest performances by Broadway shows Anything Goes, Godspell, Rock of Ages, Priscilla Queen of the Desert and Sister Act starting at 12:00 PM. Performance by Off-Broadway’s Million Dollar Quartet at 2:00 PM. Interactive displays and activities throughout the day.
Wednesday, February 22: Puppet Day. Guest performances by Puppetry Arts Theatre from 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM; arts and crafts, face painting and puppet-making activities throughout the day. Appearance by Sesame Street Live! characters at 12:30 PM and 1:00 PM
Thursday, February 23: Sports and Recreation Day. United States Coast Guard Helicopter landing on Flight Deck at 1:00 PM. Patrick McEnroe will lead tennis demos with children and guests at 1:30 PM. Special appearances and activities from the NY Rangers, Knicks and Liberty street teams from 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM. United States Tennis Association activities, interactive games at the Coca Cola Sports Zone and demonstrations from the United States Marine Corps US Army throughout the day.
Friday, February 24: Birthday Party Day. Guest performances by the Bari Koral Family Band at 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM, and the Gazillion Bubbles Show at 1:00 PM and Voca People at 3:00 PM. Special “kids talk” tours will be given in the Intrepid Kitchen and a Coca Cola Bear Bounce will be available throughout the day. Balloon artists will make special creations for kids from 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
Saturday, February 25: Safari Weekend. Snakes and Scales live animal appearances at 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM. Jenkinson’s Aquarium presentations with a live penguin at 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM. The Central Park Zoo Theater Company will perform at 1:00 PM and 2:30 PM. Interactive displays with the United States Coast Guard, Bronx Zoo and New York Aquarium throughout the day.
Sunday, February 27: Safari Weekend. Snakes and Scales live animal demonstrations at 12:00 PM and 3:30 PM. Performances by Central Park Theater Company at 1:00 PM and 2:30 PM. Interactive displays with the United States Coast Guard, Bronx Zoo and New York Aquarium throughout the day.
In addition the special events and appearances, staff of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum Education Department will lead interactive, education demonstrations throughout each day.
Details: Dates and times are subject to change. For the most updated information, please visit www.intrepidmuseum.org. Pier 86 (46th Street and 12th Avenue), Manhattan
Imagine Digital Winter Camp at Film Biz Recycling
Your child can immerse themselves in a week-long journey into film making, where they will experience every aspect of the craft. This new camp will run from February 20th – February 24th, and is ideal for ages 7-10. Your child will participate in: – conceptualizing and writing the story – creating the sets, props and costumes – casting and acting – editing the final project. Best of all, each child will receive a DVD of their final work! All morning snacks will be provided by Imagine This! Children must register for the entire week. Space is limited to 12 students, to ensure full participation for each child.
Details: Film Biz Recycling Address: Google Map 540 President St, Brooklyn, NY, 11215, United States
Ride on Jane’s Carousel
This is a great time to ride a horse- in the indoors. Hop on Jane’s Carousel for a spin during their Winter Hours of Operation: 11am – 6pm, Thursdays-Sundays. Children age 3 and younger and those under 42” tall may ride free if accompanied by a paying adult.
Details: Tickets: $2. More information: www.janescarousel.com