Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope you are all able to give all your loved ones extra squeezes today!
If you haven’t already made your plans, here are some of my favorite date night restaurants for inspiration! And if you really get it together and make reservations you can call Urban Sitter for childcare. I’ve recently discovered them and they are a great service!
Convivium Osteria (Park Slope)
River Cafe (Dumbo)
Miranda (Williamsburg)
Caffe e Vino (Ft. Greene)
The Good Fork (Red Hook)
Bar Tabac (Cobble Hill)
Tanoreen (Bay Ridge)
And if you’re looking for some fun things to do to your kids today, here are some great ideas all over Brooklyn and in Manhattan too!
Ice Skating at Citi Pond at Bryant Park (Mid Town)
now until Sun March 3rd 2013. Sunday – Thursday: 8am – 10pm Friday – Saturday: 8am – Midnight. skating: free. rental skates: $14. locker use: fee. lock rental: $9. bag check: medium bag $7 & large bag $10. skate sharpening: $20. The 170′ x 100′ rink features free admission ice skating, in addition to high quality rental skates, skating shows, special events, and activities.
The Playspace @ Kings Bay Y (Windsor Terrace)
M-F 9a-1p for birth to 6 years old. Join tots and children from the community for an open space designed just for them! Our space provides children with the ability to socialize with others through various types of activities, and props. Enjoy an indoor playground, rockers, blocks, play panel for theater, rock climbing wall, bouncy castle, musical instruments and easel boards for drawing. Price: $50 for monthly memberships, $7 per day; 10 passes for $65
ST VALENTINE’S DAY @ Juguemos (North / South Slope)
Songs, Music, Dance, Play, & Art all day long (depending on location) South Slope (463 6th Ave) 9-12 and 330-5p. North Slope (47 Sterling Place) 9-12p. Fee: $10 p/child (fee valid all day long and can be used in both locations). More info: info@juguemos.org
Jitterbugs Jam with Sarah at Play Kids (Prospect Lefferts Gardens)
Thursdays 930a Drop-in Jitterbugs Jam with Sarah 9:30am $10/child, $3/sibling (cash only) 6m-5y. Come sing and dance along to your favorite Jitterbugs tunes! We’ll bring shakers and other surprises, you bring your dancin’ shoes!
Drum Along with Ivan at Two Moon Art House & Cafe(Park Slope)
Drum Along with Ivan Thursdays @ 10 am at Two Moon Art House & Cafe, 315 Fourth Avenue between 2nd and 3rd Streets in Park Slope. $5/family
Singalong with Lloyd @ Dean Street (Prospect Heights)
Singalong with Lloyd (From The Deedle Deedle Dees!)weekly kid event begins at 10:30am and are just $5/family!
Pippi /NYC-ARTS at Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre (Central Park)
Thursday 1030a & 12n. Tickets $8 adults & $5 children. “Pippi” is a fresh retelling of the classic “Pippi Longstocking” tales by Astrid Lindgren nearly two-dozen hand-made marionettes crafted by the expert puppeteers from the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre.
Transit Tots — New York Transit Museum (Downtown Brooklyn)
Stories, games and surprises for our youngest transportation fans! Free with admission. Ages 2-5, and adult companions. 1015Am
Post Pregnancy Pilates at Caribou Baby (Greenpoint)
Thursdays 10:15-11am. $20 for drop in, $75 for 5 class cards. Pre-crawling babies are welcome! To help you get back to feeling more like yourself, you need a little time for yourself. This class will give you the opportunity to focus on you and healing your body.
Lavender Blues music group at Brooklyn Robot Foundry (Gowanus)
Lavender Blues is a Music Group for babies and toddlers up to 3yr old. Every Thursday morning at 10:30 ($15) We sit in a circle, sing songs, play instruments, have movement with our fingers, arms and feet, as well as march dance and play with a ginormous parachute!!
Dance Around with Nat @ Moxie Spot (Cobble Hill)
Dance around with Nat Thursdays 11a. $2.50/child 2nd Floor Play Fee EVERY Day. $5 max per family. $2.50 waived for every $15 spent in food and beverage
Drop-in sing along at Speedy Romeo (Clinton Hill/Bed Stuy)
New drop-in sing along at Speedy Romeo! Thursdays at 11:30 am. $5 at the door.
Open Play at The Learning Garden (Prospect Heights)
M-F 11-6p. Daily Pass $12. Our popular Open Play program is a time that offers a social learning environment for your children (ages 0-4) to grow and learn through creative play. With our space changing and growing every week, your little explorer will have lots to discover. Materials and activities are provided to engage you and your child while sparking their imagination.
Valentine’s Day at the Children’s Museum of the Arts (SOHO)
Special Valentines Day Art Activities from 12-5p Thursday the 14th at the Children’s Museum of the Arts. Free with admission. Silly Love Songs – Write a song about what you love most! Valentine’s Animation Invent your own meaning of love using stop motion animation. Paper Hearts – Celebrate those you love by creating a giant collaborative paper mache heart! Museum admission is: $11 for adults & children over 12m. Thursdays 4-6p is pay as you wish.
Arfie’s Sing Along and Open Play at ArtsCetera (Cobble Hill/Gowanus)
Creative play for ages 0-5 with a sing along about 30 minutes into the session. $10 per family. Monday-Thursday 1-3pm.
Raga Kids – Indian Music for Kids at Namaskar School of Music (Prospect Heights)
Raga Kids meets Thursdays 130p. (3m–2y). Kids listen to Indian Classical instruments like Sitar and Tabla, learn about Indian music and and sing songs in English Bengali and Hindi. Drop-in – $20 for 1 child, $30 for 2 siblings (please call 718-483-0773 before drop-in)
Breastfeeding Support Group with Freda at LARK (Flatbush/Prospect Park South)
Breastfeeding support group With Freda Rosenfeld, IBCLC. The second and fourth Thursday of the month at 12:30 PM – 2PM. Topics will include: milk supply/ pumping/going back to work, getting more sleep, diet and exercise while nursing, nursing the older baby solids teething etc. Fee $30. Email Freda for more info or to sign up: fredaibclc@aol.com
Preschool Fun Time at BPL Kings Bay Library
Enjoy hearing stories, singing songs, and creating arts and crafts projects. Birth to five years. Thursdays 115p-3p.
Sensory Room Family Hours at Brooklyn Children’s Museum (Crown Heights)
Over, under, swing and rock as you explore our newest space at BCM. Unlock doors on our Sensory Snake or relax and read on our fluff chair mountain This is an inclusive space that engages children of all abilities. This room provides a welcoming environment for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Space is limited; availability on first come, first served basis. For all ages. Tue & Thu 2-5p
Winter Indoor Play @ Pipsqueak Children’s Shoppe (Bed Stuy)
Winter Indoor Play: Tuesday – Thursday, 2 pm- 4 pm lower level open with toys & mats & adult/coffee area. Caretaker must be present $7 per child, stay as long as you like.
Stutengarten Playgroup at Der Schwarze Kolner Biergarten (Fort Greene)
$5 min toward beverages or pretzels (or make it a donation) parents and/or caregivers can bring their babies (infants and toddlers) to Stutengarten Playgroup located at Der Schwarze Kolner Biergarten! We have playmats, toys, ample room to play. Tuesday & Thursday 230-5p
Musical Story Time with Ms. Alayna at Gumbo (Boerum Hill)
Thursdays 4p 0-5y $18 drop-in class. Ms. Alayna, teacher, performer and kid-extraordinaire, invites you into her world of storybooks, songs, movement and more. Call to reserve your spot: (718) 855-7808
Storytime at P.S. Bookshop (DUMBO)
Thursdays 4-5 PM Books reading and guitar accompanied sing along. Aimed mostly for ages 2-5, though younger babies are welcome as well. RSVP is encouraged. $5/per family.
Toddler Yoga with Nora at Play Kids (Prospect Lefferts Gardens)
Thursdays at 4p $12/drop in. 18m-4yrs. Come play, stretch, sing and find your balance in this playful intro to Yoga for toddlers. Reserve your spot today by emailing classes@norastephens.com
Banjo Singalong at Two Moon Art House & Cafe (Park Slope)
Thursdays at 3 PM $5/family. Led by songwriter and performer Spencer Chandler, the weekly banjo singalong is a perfect place to sing some old songs, learn some new ones, and make friends in a warm, welcoming environment. spencerchandler.com
Little Yogis 4-6y drop in at Take Root (Carroll Gardens)
Thursday 430p. $14 per child / drop-in at Take Root our classes will cover both the physical and breathing practice of yoga and simple meditation techniques in a setting comfortable and suitable for children.