Hi everyone
Wow what a hot day! I was away this weekend for a quick out of town visit with friends so the weekday list of fun events was organized pre-heat wave but remember there are also indoor events on the calendar!
Fingers crossed that the isn’t too unreasonable all week for outdoor events like SummerStage Kids: Mama Akanke’s Funky Folklore at Maria Hernandez Park, Piper Theatre Summer Youth Performances Wednesday through Friday at the Old Stone House & Washington Park, Storytime at The Battery at the Battery Urban Farm, dance with The Suzi Shelton Band at the Kids Concerts in Madison Square Park, Dirty Dancing at SummerScreen in McCarren Park and don’t forget Jeppe Hein: Please Touch the Art at Brooklyn Bridge Park & the Splash Pad at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside in Prospect Park (perfect for hot days!).
Also happening this week is a Comic Book Illustration Class at the Greenpoint Brooklyn Public Library, a Magic Night Train Party for Families at the NY Transit Museum, $1 Movies at NYC Regal Theaters, Family Movie Date: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day at the Windsor Terrace Brooklyn Public Library and Theatreworks USA Presents: Skippyjon Jones Snow What (& the 7 Chihuahuas) at Lucille Lortel Theatre.
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 fun!
~ Deirdre (mom to O & C)
Monday July 20th
Preschool Play at Wagner Park (Battery Park City)
Mondays until Oct 26th 2014 10am-12noon. Free. Join toddlers, parents and caregivers on the Wagner Park lawn for interactive play with imaginative toys. Led by Parks Programming Play Leaders, caregivers are coached on providing children with imaginative play opportunities. Each day youngsters can play with puppets, toy animals, blocks, wooden vehicles, dress up costumes, and more. Parks Programming Leaders carefully choose different items on different days to provide a variety of experiences. A story is read aloud to the group at the end of the program. All participants help with clean up time after that. Location just north of Historic Battery Park, off Battery Place.
Spellbound Explorers at at Birth Day Presence (Park Slope)
Monday July 20th 11-1145a. All Spellbound Explorer classes are drop-in – you can pay by cash or credit card in person at class. Single classes: $15/one child, $22/siblings 8-class pack: $100/one child, $146/siblings. All children over 4 months must be registered. Explore one story a week through song, story, and play. Children will have a chance to socialize, develop pre-literacy and imaginative skills, and learn new stories. Grown-ups will have a chance to learn stories and songs that they can do at home. Each week is a new story and theme, explored through art-based play. Spellbound Explorers is a mixed-age class. Classes are designed to engage a wide range of ages and developmental stages, but are most enjoyable for ages 9 months through 3 years. We encourage a mix of ages to allow for multiple methods of exploration and problem-solving, and to welcome families with siblings of various ages. The theme this week is colors!
Coney Island Flicks on the Beach
Monday July 20th 8p and Mondays in July & August. Free. A giant 40-foot inflatable screen turns the beach at West 10th Street into an outdoor movie theater! Come on down and see great flicks, representing a mix of modern, classic, and indie movies. Get ready for a great lineup for the fifth annual Coney Island Flicks on the Beach presented by Alliance for Coney Island, Rooftop Films and NYC & Company! July 20th: The Goonies. See the website for future movie titles.
For more fun Monday events please click here!
Tuesday July 21st
Track & Field for Kids in Kaiser Park (Coney Island)
Tuesdays and Thursdays 930a-12n until August 13th. Free. Children 5-7 years old practice from 9:30-10:30 a.m., and children 8-16 years old will practice from 10:30 a.m. to noon. CityParks Track & Field gives New York City kids the chance to learn the basics of the sport, from hurdles and relay races to long jump, shot put and javelin throw. The program is open to boys and girls ages 5-16 and runs each July and August in parks throughout the five boroughs. For more information on how to get your child involved in Track and Field this summer, please register online. Children of all abilities are welcome!
Storytime at The Battery at the Battery Urban Farm
Tuesdays & Thursday 9-10a until August 27th. Free. Storytime at The Battery is a fun way for kids ages 3-8 and their grown-up chaperones to visit and explore The Battery during the summer months.Meet at Battery Urban Farm to read a story and complete a hands-on project, recipe, or game, to delve into a morning all about bees and honey, the wildlife swimming through the Hudson, the Statue of Liberty and understanding cultural diversity through food, and so much more!
SummerStage Kids: Mama Akanke’s Funky Folklore at Maria Hernandez Park (Bushwick)
Tuesday July 21st 1030-1130a. Free. Mama Akanke was a founding member of the Nubian Folklore Company, Sister Griots and Urban Griots. She has performed for audiences around the world for over 30 years as both a storyteller and an actress, both to great acclaim. Well known for her imaginative interpretations of characters, energy, focus on literacy, magnetism and her rapport with her audiences, Mama Akanke believes that every individual has the capacity to reach into their imaginations to understand other cultures and people in the world by actively engaging in their history and traditions. It is her hope that through her stories, songs and dances, the rich culture and beauty of people from the African Diaspora will be celebrated and passed on for generations to come.
For more fun Tuesday events click here!
Wednesday July 22nd
Family Movie Date at Brooklyn Public Library (Windsor Terrace)
Wednesday July 22nd 130-330p. Free. Enjoy weekly kid friendly films. July 22nd : Alexander and the Terrible , Horrible , No Good Very Bad Day ~ July 22nd : Alexander’s day begins with gum stuck in his hair, followed by more calamities. However, he finds little sympathy from his family and begins to wonder if bad things only happen to him, his mom, dad, brother and sister – who all find themselves living through their own terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. Rated PG. 81 minutes.
Piper Theatre Summer Youth Perormance: Flash Gordon at the Old Stone House & Washington Park (Park Slope)
Wednesday July 22nd 7p. Free and outdoors. It is that time of year again. Go see the Piper Youth Performances. Flash Gordon is just one of the many performances. Performances are ongoing July 22nd-July 24th. See the full schedule on the website. Bring your folding chairs and blankets. Children will be asked to sit in front. Soft drinks, beer, wine and snacks available for purchase. No glass containers or dogs please.
SummerScreen in McCarren Park (Williamsburg)
Wednesdays until August 12th. Free. Doors open at 6pm, with food vendors and live music. Films at sundown. Location: At the corner of North 12th St. and Bedford Ave. July 22nd Dirty Dancing Rated: PG-13
For more fun Wednesday events click here!
Thursday July 23rd
Kids Concerts in Madison Square Park (Flatiron)
Thursday July 23rd at 1030a (lawn opens at 10a). Free. Mad. Sq. Kids Concert Series is a free interactive concert on the Farragut Lawn! Children can learn simple skills and the appreciation of music from an eclectic mix of today’s top children’s performing artists. Concerts are rain or shine. Rain location for concerts is held on the southern gravel. Adult supervision is required. July 23rd: The Suzi Shelton Band
Comic Book Illustration Class at the Brooklyn Public Library (Greenpoint)
Thursday July 23rd 315-415p. Free. For ages 6-12y. Want to learn how to draw for comic books? Then check out this workshop with Mark Ziemann, who taught art in San Francisco and is the creator of the comic strip Motorhead. Mr. Ziemann will show you how to give life and motion to ideas and characters so you can create illustrations of your own!
Magic Night Train Party for Families at the NY Transit Museum (Downtown Brooklyn)
Thursday July 23rd 6-8p. Magic shows at 620, 7 and 730p. This event is for all ages. $7 for adults and $5 for seniors and children ages 2-17. Free for Museum Members. The New York Transit Museum is casting a spell for a fun evening for families! Guests can join magicians on the Museum’s Platform level for subway slight-of-hand, explore history’s mysteries, play with model trains, and craft a zooming zoetrope image wheel! Light refreshments will be served. Purchase tickets here.
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 21st & Wednesday July 22nd: Rio 2 & How To Train Your Dragon 2
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!