Hi everyone
There is so much to do this week in NYC!
Get outside and enjoy the Summer Reading Storytime at Brooklyn Bridge Park, Big City Fishing at Hudson River Park Pier 25, SummerStage Kids: Soul Street Dance at Maria Hernandez Park, Drop-In Chess at Rockefeller Park, Movies in the Parks: Annie (2014) at Ocean Hill Playground, “The collectivity project” for Kids on the High Line, CityParks PuppetMobile: Tales of Brier Rabbit at Sunset Park, Splash Pad at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside in Prospect Park and Jeppe Hein: Please Touch the Art at Brooklyn Bridge Park.
Also happening this week is FunikiJam Music World Tour at the Pacific Brooklyn Public Library, Celebrate Bastille Day at the Children’s Museum of the Arts, Jodi’s Jamboree Song & Storytime for Babies at the Carroll Gardens Brooklyn Public Library, Princess Phooey at TADA! Youth Theater, Free Hours at Brooklyn Children’s Museum and Theatreworks USA Presents: Skippyjon Jones Snow What (& the 7 Chihuahuas) at Lucille Lortel Theatre.
Be sure to check the calendar for all the Brooklyn & NYC events happening this week! Also remember to like us on Facebook for last minute news and event reminders.
Stay cool & have a great week!
~ Deirdre (mom to O & C)
Monday July 13th
Jodi’s Jamboree Song & Storytime for Babies at the Brooklyn Public Library (Carroll Gardens)
Monday July 13th 1030-11a. Free. Join us for songs, books, stories, fingerplays and rhymes! Specificlly tailored for babies from birth to 18 months years old. Tickets are required and will be distributed prior to the event, first come first served.
Celebrate Bastille Day at the Children’s Museum of the Arts (SOHO)
Monday July 13th 12n-5p. Free with museum admission. Celebrate Bastille Day a day early at CMA! Bastille Day is a day for patriotism, pride and fun. The day is celebrated with feast, parades and fireworks! Learn about French culture and French artists throughout the museum! Visit the Fine Arts Studio to create miniature models of French landmarks out of recycled materials. Create you own version of the Bastille, Eiffel tower, the Arc de Triomphe, and more! Then sew your own French-inspired apron in the Fine Arts Studio! Stop by the Clay Bar to create a clay painting inspired by French Impressionist painters like Claude Monet, Camille Pisarro, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and more. Finally, wear your newly created apron and make your own macaroon with Le District from 2-4 PM. Also, enjoy a special performance from the kids of Bleu Blanc Rouge French Summer Camp at 1 PM!
Big City Fishing at Hudson River Park Pier 25 (Tribeca)
Mondays 5-730p until August 24th. Free. Fishing in New York City? You bet! Each summer, Hudson River Park offers Big City Fishing, a free program, to those as young as five who are eager to learn both how to fish and about the Hudson River environment. We provide the rods, reels, bait and instruction. Beyond teaching fishing, the program also provides participants with a first-hand opportunity to learn about river ecology and the many fish species that can be found in the river. Participants can drop in a line and relax, or engage with environmental educators on such topics such as water quality, fish biology and more. A fun and educational experience, Big City Fishing offers city-dwellers a unique option for outdoor family recreation. See website for additional fishing locations and times.
For more Monday events please click here!
Tuesday July 14th
Summer Reading Storytime at Brooklyn Bridge Park
Tuesdays 1030a-1130a until August 18th. Free. Location: Granite Terrace near Pier 3. Come and join The Brooklyn Public Library for a rollicking good time listening to stories, singing songs, and enjoying the breeze from the water! Our Brooklyn Heights children’s librarian will read stories from the library’s summer reading list, plus a whole lot more! The only thing more fun than a good storytime is one with a view of the Brooklyn Bridge!
SummerStage Kids: Soul Street Dance at Maria Hernandez Park (Bushwick)
Tuesday July 14th 1030a-1130a. Free. Houston based Soul Street Dance is one of the most dynamic premier street dance companies in existence. Their technical and artistic skills, stage presence, and wit allow them to push the performance envelope to an amazing standard of excellence. Although they are called a “Dance Company,” their talents far outstrip any one category. In addition to dance, Soul Street performers are actors, athletes (with uncanny strength), and lately, songwriters and musicians too.
Private Picassos: Adult Watercolor Workshops at Berg’n Beer Hall (Crown Heights)
Tuesday 7-9p. $50/participant including 2 free drinks. Private Picassos, the Tri-State area’s premiere mobile art studio, will offer weekly Watercolor & Wine Adult Paint Nights at venues throughout NYC. Students will be introduced to the basics of watercolor painting through a short demonstration, followed by ample time for students to explore the materials on their own. Interesting images and objects will be provided as inspiration, with each student working towards completing a final painting. Weekly themes (including Plants & Foliage, Still Life and Landscape) will be announced every Tuesday via social media.
For more fun Tuesday events click here!
Wednesday July 15th
CityParks PuppetMobile: Tales of Brier Rabbit at Sunset Park
Wednesday July 15th 1030-1130a. Free. Location: The performance will take place in the playground area at 44th St. & 6th Ave. The CityParks PuppetMobile’s original production, Tales of Brier Rabbit, follows the adventures of notorious trickster Brier Rabbit, who is once again up to no good. Deceiving and stealing from his fellow animal friends, Brier Rabbit thinks he’s much too clever to ever get caught. However, in this modern adaptation of the American folk tale, Brier Rabbit’s pals are on to his tricks, and set out to teach him a lesson he won’t soon forget!
Special Program: Ms. Nina & the Jumping Jack at the Brooklyn Public Library (Bushwick)
Wednesday July 15th 11a-12n. Free. A special program for ages 3-5. Join Ms. Nina for sing-along, move-along and read-along fun!
Ms. Nina’s passions are providing children and their families the space and opportunity to enjoy music and movement together, and fostering a love of books and reading in children through music.
Drop-In Chess at Rockefeller Park (Battery Park City)
Wednesdays 330-5p now until September 30th. Free. Drop in to play the popular strategy game and get pointers and advice from an expert under the trees in Nelson A. Rockefeller Park. An experienced and enthusiastic chess instructor leads lessons for young people ages 5-15. Players of all abilities are welcome. Chess novices can learn the game from scratch, using exercises like pawn races to learn how each piece moves and interacts with the others on the board. More advanced players can be paired off with an opponent of equal skill level, while the instructor supervises the game and helps players see all of their options in each situation. A giant chess set will be brought out to illustrate chess puzzles and to play large games in teams. Participating children will learn to play cooperatively with players of all levels. Drop In Chess takes place at the picnic tables in Rockefeller Park, located just South of Warren Street.
For more fun Wednesday events click here!
Thursday July 16th
FunikiJam Music World Tour at the Pacific Brooklyn Public Library (Park Slope, Boerum Hill)
Thursday July 16th 330-415p. Free. Join Captain Jam and Funikijam on their Magical World Tour. This fun and musical show encourages children’s participation with award winning exploration.
Free Hours at Brooklyn Children’s Museum (Crown Heights)
Thursdays 3-6p until August 27th. Free. Come join us for our FREE hours Thursdays this summer brought to you by Popular Community Bank and Astoria Savings Bank.
Movies in the Parks: Annie (2014) at Ocean Hill Playground
Thursday July 16th 830-10p. Free. Join NYC Parks for free, family-friendly movies in our city’s parks! In this contemporary version of Annie, the orphan (Quvenzhané Wallis) has a hard-knock life with her calculating foster mother, Miss Hannigan (Cameron Diaz). However, all that changes when hard-nosed billionaire and mayoral candidate Will Stacks (Jamie Foxx) takes her in. Stacks believes that he’s Annie’s guardian angel. But, Annie’s confidence and sunny outlook could save Will instead. You should come before 8:30 p.m. to get your spot. Please bring your own picnic blanket or chair, as there is a limited supply of chairs reserved for seniors or people with disabilities. Food is OK, but no alcohol. Reservations are not taken, so space is available on a first come first served basis. All are welcome!
For more fun Thursday events click here!
Ongoing
Kids’ Discovery Stations at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden (Crown Heights)
Tuesday-Friday 1015a-1230p until August 28th. This docent-led, drop-in program is for families with children of all ages as well as camp groups. Free with Garden admission. Get your hands dirty at kids’ discovery stations throughout the Garden. Investigate a mystery plant, hold a water plant and learn how it floats, or go on a pollinator hunt in the meadow! All programs are outdoors and canceled in inclement weather; for updates, call 718-623-7200, ext. 7801.
Princess Phooey at Tada! Youth Theater (Chelsea, Midtown West)
Tuesdays-Saturdays at various times until August 1st. See website for showtimes. Tickets: $20-$25 for adults, $10-$15 for children. An original musical performed by kids. Before Elsa and Anna and Sofia the 1st there was Princess Ermangarde! Join us for this musical fairy tale like no other with a rebellious princess, and a gaggle of kooky chambermaids and stable boys- and of course a handsome prince! Book & Lyrics by Lisa Diana Shapiro & Music by Eric Rockwell.
$1 Movies at NYC Regal Theaters (various locations)
Tuesdays & Wednesdays 10a until August 26th. Family fun movies playing on Tuesdays & Wednesdays for the summertime. Admission to these movies during the Summer Movie Express is only $1. Tickets must be purchased at the theater and all movies start at 10:00 am. A portion of the proceeds goes to the Will Rogers Institute. Search for a theater in your area to see where the Summer Movie Express is playing. NYC locations: Regal Atlas Park Stadium 8 in Glendale NY, UA Kaufman Astoria Cinemas 14 & RPX in Astoria NY, UA Sheepshead Bay Stadium 14 IMAX & RPX in Brooklyn and UA Staten Island Stadium 16 & RPX in Staten Island. Tuesday July 14th & Wednesday July 15th: Paddington & Turbo
Theatreworks USA Presents: Skippyjon Jones Snow What (& the 7 Chihuahuas) at Lucille Lortel Theatre (West Village)
Monday-Fridays until August 7th 1030a & 1p but be sure to check the calendar for the exact dates/times and weekend dates/times.. See website for full schedule. Free. For ages 3-9y. This summer Theatreworks will present Skippyjon Jones Snow What (& the 7 Chihuahuas). Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the bravest Chihuahua of them all? Skippyjon Jones the Siamese cat who thinks he’s a Mexican Chihuahua of course! While his sisters listen to Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Skippy heads off for the REAL adventure awaiting him in his closet. There, as his alter ego Skippito Friskito, and with the help of his friends the Seven Chimichangos, Skippyjon must rescue the beautiful princess Nieve Qué (Snow What), battle the evil dragon and defeat the Bruja. A brand new musical based on the book by Judy Schachner, Skippyjon Jones Snow What is a twist on the classic fairytale Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Geared for children in K-3rd Grade, this musical adaptation was written by Kevin Del Aguila with music by Eli Bolin. Since this is a free performance please read the details on how to get tickets and the rules here on the website.
“The collectivity project” for Kids on the High Line
Tuesdays & Thursdays now through September 4-6p. Free. Location: West 30th Street. Build, play, and dream about cities using LEGOs and your imagination. Led by a High Line Educator, these special programs just for families are part of Olafur Eliason’s The collectivity project.
Splash Pad at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside in Prospect Park
Mon-Sat: 10a-7p & Sun: 10a-6p. Free. Open Memorial Day through Labor Day, weather permitting. The Splash Pad, officially known as the Matilda Raffa Cuomo Water Playground, is the LeFrak Center’s free water play area for kids 12 and under. Open from Memorial Day to Labor Day, the water feature welcomed over 30,000 visitors last summer. Featuring 47 water spray jets and covering 16,000 square feet, Splash Pad is largest water play area in Prospect Park. In addition, the LeFrak Center offers roller skating, the Bluestone Café, and surrounding landscapes for picnicking and relaxation.
Art in the Park in Madison Square Park (Flatiron)
Mondays & Wednesdays 10a-2p until September 30th. No sessions on the last Monday of each month (7/27, 8/31 & 8/28). Free. The Mad. Sq. Park Teaching Artist can be found in the Moira Ann Smith Playground each Monday and Wednesday from June 1 – September 30 with free hands-on creative arts activities at 10am and 2pm. Children are encouraged to participate in free flowing art-based activities. Adult supervision is required.
Summer Art in the Park in Riverside Park (UWS)
Monday-Friday now until August 28th 10a-12n. Free. Location: Hippo Playground. For all ages. No registration required. This popular summertime favorite will return to Hippo Playground this summer. Please join us each weekday for this enriching art program. The class will take place at the picnic tables in the playground. In the event of rain, the program will be held in the park house.
Jeppe Hein: Please Touch the Art at Brooklyn Bridge Park
Open daily 6a-1a until April 17, 2016. Free. Visitors entering the park at Pier 1 will encounter Hein’s iconic water sculpture, Appearing Rooms installed on the Bridge View Lawn. Vertical jets of water will gradually appear forming seven-foot-tall “walls”, which moments later will disappear, enabling visitors to move to different “rooms”, all without touching a drop of water. Systematically, these “walls” appear and disappear through a timed cycle, enticing visitors to step onto the gridded platform and move from space to space within the sculpture. The cycle of changing walls may also be observed from outside the piece as a dynamic and perceptually engaging work of art. The second major component of the exhibition is a newly conceived, large-scale Mirror Labyrinth to be installed at the Pier 3 Greenway Terrace. The third body of work, Modified Social Benches, will be on view throughout the park,surprising visitors with each chance encounter. See website fore the full descriptions of the art.
Jack and the Beanstalk at Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre (Central Park)
Monday-Friday 1030a & 12n and also 230p on Wednesdays in July & August. See website for weekend showtimes. Tickets are $7/children and $10/adults. Based on the classic English fairytale, this fresh retelling of the Swedish Cottage original production takes Jack on an enchanting adventure up a magical beanstalk. In this starry new world, Jack encounters the notorious Giant, Milford, whose thieving ways have brought misfortune upon Jack and his mother. Determined to make life better for his family, Jack, with help from friends old and new, risks his life to take back what the Giant stole.
To see all the events click here for the calendar!