Hi everyone,
Thanksgiving is almost here! If you are in town this week there are lots of fun holiday events happening.
This week take the kids to see the Origami Holiday Tree at the American Museum of Natural History, Holiday Train Show at The New York Botanical Garden, Giving Thanks at Thanksgiving at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Grand Central Autumn Harvest, Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade Balloon Inflation, Gingerbread Lane at New York Hall of Science, Thanksgiving Day Parade Floats at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan and the famous Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®!
Also happening this week is drop-ins for Music for Aardvarks and Other Mammals at Gumbo, Musical Tots Yoga at Bend & Bloom Yoga, Little Feet Wise Heart Story Yoga at Lark, Movies @ the Library: The Rescuers at the Marcy Brooklyn Public Library and an Olive Pressing Workshop at the Jewish Children’s Museum.
There are more events on the calendar so check it out and go have fun with the kids this week in NYC! Also remember to like us on Facebook for last minute news and event reminders.
Have a great week & Happy Thanksgiving!
~ Deirdre (mom to O & C)
Monday November 23rd
Origami Holiday Tree at the American Museum of Natural History (UWS)
Monday November 23rd 10-545a (on display until January 10th). Free with Museum admission. Visit the American Museum of Natural History each holiday season to see one of New York’s most beloved displays, the Origami Holiday Tree—an annual tradition for more than forty years. Produced in partnership with OrigamiUSA, the tree is delightfully decorated with more than 800 hand-folded paper models created by local, national, and international origami artists. Feeling crafty? Volunteers from OrigamiUSA will be on hand at the Museum to teach paper folding to visitors of all ages.
Musical Tots Yoga at Bend & Bloom Yoga (Park Slope)
Mondays 10-1045a. $24 one child + one adult, $10 for each additional family member. For walkers thru 4 and a parent or caregiver. In this musical tots yoga class, you and your child will move through yoga poses, explore the breath, sing, and share stories all while being accompanied by the live music of seasoned performers and teachers Cassie Naaktgeboren (vocals, ukulele) and Ryan Pearson (vocals, guitar). We will take a “World Tour” together and visit a new destination each week, letting the music, nature, and stories of cultures from all across the globe inspire our own music making and movement that day.
Music for Aardvarks and Other Mammals at Gumbo (Boerum Hill)
Mondays 330p until December 7th. For mixed ages. Drop-ins $30. Book your drop-in spot by emailing info@audrarox.com. Music for Aardvarks and Other Mammals with Jennifer Milich! Come join in the fun at Music for Aardvarks classes – a musical experience for families with children ages 3 months to 5 years. We will explore music through song & gesture, dance & movement, rhythm training, and instrument play; using original music that celebrates the lives of children growing up in an urban environment. Written by David Weinstone, songs like Taxi, City Kid, and Subway provide children with a positive image of their world and help them relate to their surroundings.
For more Monday events please click here!
Tuesday November 24th
Holiday Train Show at The New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Tuesday-Sunday and ongoing until Monday January 18th Tuesday-Sunday. Open 3 Mondays December14th, 21st & 28th and Monday January 18th and closed Christmas Day. Various times and prices. See website for information. Advance reservations are strongly recommended as tickets do sell out. Purchase tickets here. NYC’s Favorite Train Show Is Bigger Than Ever! Enchanting model trains zip through a display of 150 landmarks, each re-created with bark, leaves, and other natural materials—all under the twinkling glow of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. Marvel at G-scale locomotives humming along among familiar sights such as the Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty, and Rockefeller Center—surprising at every turn—on nearly a half-mile of track. This year’s exhibition features 3,000 square feet of additional exhibition space, making room for dozens of new trains, bridges, and tracks; a captivating short film of the show’s behind-the-scenes magic; and a stunning multisensory finale of light and sound. Explore a winter wonderland across our 250 acres with special tours, musical performances, and activities for kids, plus take care of your gift list at NYBG Shop and stop for a bite at one of our exciting new dining venues. Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind holiday outing!
Little Feet Wise Heart Story Yoga at LARK (Flatbush/Prospect Park South)
Tuesdays 10a–1045a. This is a drop-in class. Great class for two years and up. $15/child and $10 for siblings. Wise Heart Story yoga! Combing the creative poses of yoga with our favorite books on movement, yoga, nature and animals, this class will have kids moving, Om-ing, and jumping between being entranced by the written word. Heart warming stories on life, love, family and sharing are interspersed with ringing the bells, blowing the pinwheels and learning the art of savasana enriched by books, books, books!
Giving Thanks at Thanksgiving at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum (Crown Heights)
Tuesday-Wednesday November 24th-25th 1130a-1230p & 230-330p. Free with paid admission. For ages 2.5-5y. What are you thankful for? Learn about the origin of Thanksgiving and how families in America celebrate. Create a work of art that expresses your gratitude for your family and community.
For more fun Tuesday events click here!
Wednesday November 25th
Grand Central Autumn Harvest (Midtown East)
Wednesday Nov 25th 10a-7p at Taxi Stand (Vanderbilt Ave at 43rd St) Picking up Thanksgiving dessert is easy as pie. The following Grand Central shops will be selling their amazing desserts for easy pick up before you head to your holiday destination: Financier Patisserie, Jacques Torres Chocolate, Junior’s Bakery, Magnolia Bakery, Taste NY Grand Central and Zaro’s Bakery. Please contact the shops directly if you would like to place your order in advance. As you shop, enjoy the tunes of the following bands: 10AM–1PM: Jim Graseck, “recklessly romantic” violin, 1PM–4PM: Salieu Suso, Gambian kora and 4PM–7PM: Inti & the Moon, Latin fusion guitars & cajon. We know Grand Central Terminal can be a confusing place to navigate. Please see this helpful map to find the Autumn Harvest vendors.
Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade Balloon Inflation (UWS)
Wednesday November 25th 3-10p. Free. Join us for the Macy’s Giant Balloon Inflation from 3pm to 10pm on the day before Thanksgiving. You can enter the special balloon inflation areas surrounding the Museum of Natural History beginning at 79th Street and Columbus Avenue. This year, four new giant characters will take center stage including Angry Birds’ Red by Rovio Entertainment; the pre-historic and legendary DINO™ by Sinclair Oil; Ice Age’s Scrat and his Acorn by Twentieth Century Fox; and Ronald McDonald® debuting in his fourth whimsical giant balloon. Returning characters include Adventure Time with Finn & Jake, Diary of A Wimpy Kid®, The Elf on the Shelf®, Hello Kitty®, How to Train Your Dragon’s Toothless, PADDINGTON™, Pikachu™, Pillsbury™ Doughboy™, Skylanders® Eruptor, Snoopy & Woodstock, SpongeBob SquarePants, the Red Mighty Morphin Power Ranger and Thomas the Tank Engine®. Returning balloonicles (a Macy’s Parade hybrid of cold-air balloon and vehicle) include the famed-spokesduck The Aflac Duck and the supercool KOOL-AID Man.
Movies @ the Library: The Rescuers at the Marcy Brooklyn Public Library (Bedford Stuyvesant)
Wednesday November 25th 330-5p. Free. The Rescuers (1977): Two mice of the Rescue Aid Society search for a little girl kidnapped by unscrupulous treasure hunters. Starring the voices of: Bob Newhart, Eva Gabor, Geraldine Page et.al.
For more fun Wednesday events click here!
Thursday November 26th
89th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade® (UWS)
Thursday November 26th 9a-12n. Free. Starts at 77th and Central Park West. Heads down Central Park West to Columbus Circle, before making a left and heading along Central Park South to 6th Avenue. Continues south until 34th Street, where it makes a right and heads to Macy’s at Herald Square. America’s favorite holiday tradition will once again kick off the season of joy, as the 89th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade® returns to march down the streets of New York City on Thursday, Nov. 26. As millions celebrate the holiday with family and friends, more than 8,000 participants, including clowns, balloon handlers and marching bands, will travel through Manhattan to the sound of the iconic catchphrase Let’s Have a Parade™. With more than 3.5 million spectators and more than 50 million television viewers nationwide, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is the nation’s most celebrated and anticipated holiday treat. Tips on where to view from Macy’s FAQ: The best places to view, depends on you! Early risers like to camp out starting at 6am along the west side of the street on Central Park West from 59th to 75th Streets, where the Parade runs from about 9am until 10:30am. If you prefer to arrive later, further down the route on 6th Avenue may be best – the Parade reaches this area around 9:30am. We don’t suggest viewing from 6th Avenue between 34th and 38th Streets or in front of Macy’s Herald Square, which provides very limited viewing due to the national television broadcast.
Thanksgiving Hours at LeFrak Center at Lakeside (Prospect Park)
Thursday November 26th 10a-630p. Weather permitting. Entry to the LeFrak Center, café, and restrooms is free. Skating Rink Admission: $6/person weekdays, $8/person weekends and holidays. The Snack Bar will be closed but Bluestone Cafe will be open 10a-630p. Lakeside holiday hours for the Thanksgiving weekend is on the website. Skate Rentals are available everyday for $6.
Olive Pressing Workshop at the Jewish Children’s Museum (Crown Heights)
Thursday November 26th 1230p & 2p and also Sundays until December 14th 1230p, 2pm and during the week of Chanukah. See the website for the dates. Free with Museum admission. Pick…press…pour…and explore the story of Chanukah! Learn about the ancient art of oil-pressing that has been around since temple times as well as other holiday traditions at this hands-on workshop. Participants will choose the best olives, extract the oil and finally light a Chanukah menorah using their hand-made wicks and freshly produced oil.
For more fun Thursday events click here!
Ongoing
Shadow Box Theatre Presents: Little is Big at PS 3 The Bedford Village School (Bedford Stuyvesant)
Weekdays until Wednesday December 23rd. For individual tickets $10 in advance/$15 at the door. Group: $8. For more info and reservations call 212-724-0677. Recommended for pre-K to 3rd grade. In an enchanted landscape beneath the sea, the little fish Spinny and his friends face up to a big bully of a fish – and find courage, tolerance, and the true meaning of friendship. Following the puppet show, the audience joins in an inspiring “Sing Out for Peace”.
Thanksgiving Day Parade Floats at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan (UWS)
Tuesday-Wednesday November 24th-25th 10a-1p and also Friday-Sunday November 27th-29th. For all ages. Drop-in. Free with Museum admission. Every year thousands of people come to New York to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with its giant balloons and elaborate floats. Create your own 3D float inspired by some of the parade’s most famous designs.
Pilobolus’s Shadowland at NYU Skirball Center For The Performing Arts (Greenwich Village)
Monday-Wednesday November 23rd-25th at 7p and various dates/times until December 6th. See website for more information on dates/times. Duration: 75 min. Tickets: $45-$75. Appropriate for all ages. Please note that 8p shows include nudity. Following sold-out performances throughout Europe and Asia, Pilobolus’s Shadowland makes its North American Premiere at NYU Skirball. Pilobolus’s Shadowland is a mix of shadow theater, dance, circus, and concert, incorporating multiple moving screens of different sizes and shapes to create a performance that merges projected images with front-of-screen choreography. Shadowland was the first show of its kind to combine shadow theater with dance and has since inspired many similar productions around the world.
Gingerbread Lane at New York Hall of Science (Flushing Meadows)
Starting Saturday November 14th until Sunday January 9, 2016. Tuesday–Friday 930a–5p & Saturday & Sunday 10a–6p. Free with Museum admission. Museum closed on Thanksgiving Day & Christmas Day. Marvel at homemade gingerbread houses made entirely of edible gingerbread, royal icing and candy. The houses are drafted, designed, baked, planned, built and decorated by chef Jon Lovitch over the course of an entire year. GingerBread Lane has won the Guinness World Record for the largest gingerbread village for 2013 and 2014 and will compete for its third consecutive Guinness World Record this year. Lovitch’s creation will again contend for this year’s Guinness World Record. The all-new 2015 version of GingerBread Lane will cover 500 square feet and will have more than 1,050 houses and structures including a double-decker carousel reminiscent of one on the Coney Island boardwalk in days past and the S.C. Kringle & Co. Department Store which hearkens back to Gimbels department store in the early 1900s. GingerBread Lane 2015 will also have new twists like The Pumpkin Spice Latte Coffee Shoppe, The EveryDay’s Thanksgiving Café, a second train (for the first time), and a 10-square-foot candy factory you can see inside of as you climb the stairs to view GingerBread Lane. While the exhibition’s layout and composition change yearly, GingerBread Lane always includes Eggnog Bay, Gum Drop Row, Peppermint Central Park, Candy Cane Place and Toffee Boulevard. As a grand finale, Lovitch will give away all houses on January 10.
Holiday Train Show at The New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturday November 21st-Monday January 18th. Various times and prices. See website for information. Advance reservations are strongly recommended as tickets do sell out. Purchase tickets here. NYC’s Favorite Train Show Is Bigger Than Ever! Enchanting model trains zip through a display of 150 landmarks, each re-created with bark, leaves, and other natural materials—all under the twinkling glow of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. Marvel at G-scale locomotives humming along among familiar sights such as the Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty, and Rockefeller Center—surprising at every turn—on nearly a half-mile of track. This year’s exhibition features 3,000 square feet of additional exhibition space, making room for dozens of new trains, bridges, and tracks; a captivating short film of the show’s behind-the-scenes magic; and a stunning multisensory finale of light and sound. Explore a winter wonderland across our 250 acres with special tours, musical performances, and activities for kids, plus take care of your gift list at NYBG Shop and stop for a bite at one of our exciting new dining venues. Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind holiday outing!
14th Annual Holiday Train Show at Grand Central Terminal (Midtown East)
Starting Saturday November 14th until February 21st. M–F: 8a–8p, Saturday and Sunday: 10a–6p. Free. Location: NY Transit Museum Gallery Annex and Store Shuttle Passage. Presented annually by the New York Transit Museum, this popular model railroad exhibition features Metro-North, New York Central, and subway trains departing from a miniature Grand Central Terminal on a 34’-long, two-level “O” gauge layout. The Museum’s store and booth at the Holiday Fair also offer great gifts for your holiday shopping. Transit gifts are available online at www.nytransitmuseumstore.com.
The 3 Bears Holiday Bash at Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre (Central Park)
Daily until Wednesday December 30th. Showtimes are Monday – Friday 1030a & 12n with additional shows Wednesdays at 230p and Saturday and Sunday at 1p. Tickets are $7/children and $10/adults. The Three Bears Holiday Bash is a variety show that celebrates the holiday season in song, dance and puppetry. This production quickly becomes a comedy of errors when Baby Bear invites Santa to star in Mama and Papa Bear’s annual holiday show. The audience also gets to join in on the fun with a “12 days of Christmas” sing-a-long during the performance! Purchase tickets here.
Play Space Fall Schedule at Juguemos a Cantar North Slope
M-F 2-5p. $10 per visit / Sibling $2 per visit. Play passes also available. Indoor play space reopens starting November 9th. There is also an indoor play space at Juguemos a Cantar South Slope which is open M-F 9a-12n.
Play Time at Play Kids (Prospect Lefferts Gardens)
Monday, Wednesday, Friday 1-3p. $10/child. For ages 0-3y. Open Play sessions offer a fun and affordable way to get together with other children and parents/caregivers. Children share playtime with age-appropriate toys (balls, cars, blocks, puzzles) while building connections with each other. Save money by buying a Class Pass, one free class and bring a friend.
WEE Arts Drop-in Session at the Children’s Museum of the Arts (South Village)
Monday-Friday: 1045a-12p & Wednesdays 145-3p, $25 per family ($20 for members). Want to stay longer? General admission is just $6 per person after drop-in. Music time! Story time! Art time! Join CMA’s WEE teaching artists for an art-filled drop-in session before we open our doors to the public. Parent and/or caregivers are required to join and we encourage family collaboration throughout the class. No sign up required.
Playgroup at Bija Kids (Clinton Hill)
Monday-Thursday 330-5p until May 29, 2016. For ages 0-3y. Drop-in – $15 first child/$7 additional child or 10 pack/10 visits $120 or $200 (family of 2 or more children pack). Packs expire 3 months of date of purchase. After a nap and lunch, but before bath and dinner, come to hang out and play with other 0-3 year olds at Bija. With parents or caregivers present, little ones explore puzzles, instruments, books, and plush toys in a warm, safe, and enriching environment. One our our dynamic teachers leads an enrichment activity each afternoon 430-5p. Expect bubbles, parachute, paint, and more! Spots are available on a first come, first serve basis. Bija has a changing table and child size toilets perfect for potty training! There is stroller parking but please fold up the strollers to accommodate all the families. Playgroup requires that a parent or caregiver be present within the space. Register one time only here.
Sensory Room Family Hours at Brooklyn Children’s Museum (Crown Heights)
Tuesdays & Thursdays & Saturday-Sunday 2-445p. For all ages. Free with museum admission. The Sensory Room is an inclusive space where children of all abilities can engage with their peers and explore their senses. This room provides a welcoming environment for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).
Play Space at LuLu’s then & now (Park Slope/Gowanus)
Daily (excluding holidays) from 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm. Please allow us time between 1pm and 2pm for maintenance. Rates: $12 per session (10am-1pm or 2pm to 5pm) for the first child and $6 for siblings. Or, purchase a 10-pack for $105. Admission to events at the Play Space is on first come first serve basis. Our Play Space is a beautiful room filled with innovative, stimulating, modern toys and a well curated library for your tot to explore, imagine and create with. Please review the rules here before coming to the Play Space.
To see all the events click here for the calendar!