Hi everyone! I hope you all enjoyed the weekend and ready for another busy week here in NYC.
This week head out and enjoy Stomp, Clap & Sing: Music with Marc: Around the World and Back Again! at Central Brooklyn Public Library, Election Day at Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Urban Stages presents African Dancing and Folktales Workshop at DeKalb Brooklyn Public Library, FunikiJam World Music and Movement at Raising Astoria, La Hora Mágica de los Pequeños at Sunset Park Brooklyn Public Library, Election Day in Prospect Park, Jumpstart’s Read for the Record at Borough Park Brooklyn Public Library, Kids Bulb Planting Day in Washington Square Park, Children’s Film Screening: Coco at Hudson Park NY Public Library, Yogi Land at little Lola & tots, Alphabits! at Epiphany NY Public Library and Toddler Art Exploration at Busy Bodies.
Also check out the long running events like the Survival of the Slowest at Brooklyn Children’s Museum, NYC Winter Lantern Festival x WTC Pop-Up in Liberty Park, Ed Center in Brooklyn Bridge Park, Playdate & Mingle Time at Edamama Cute Cuts & More, Drop-in Storytimes at Stories Bookshop + Storytelling Lab, King of the Jungle at Brooklyn Zoo, T. rex: The Ultimate Predator exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History, The Art of the Brick at New York Hall of Science and Holiday Express: All Aboard to Richard Scarry’s Busytown at New-York Historical Society.
There are more events this week so check the calendar to see everything going on. Also follow us on our Facebook page for last minute news and event reminders.
Enjoy the week and don’t forget to vote!
~Deirdre (mom to O & C)
Monday November 4th
Toddler Art Exploration at Busy Bodies (Clinton Hill)
Mondays 1030-1115a. $20/drop-in. We recommend 22 months to 4 years of age. Join us for our Toddler Art Exploration at Busy Bodies on Mondays at 10:30am for the Summer. Each week in this 45 minute class, we will read a different book and complete a related art activity. We will definitely get messy, we can promise you that! Stay and Play before and after!
Urban Stages presents African Dancing and Folktales Workshop at DeKalb Brooklyn Public Library
Monday November 4th 330-430p. Free. Audience members become the storytellers in a series of African folktales as our facilitator guides them through an interactive African Dance class. Accompanied by live percussion music. The artists also offer a full, interactive performance with costumes, more music, and full choreography.
Yogi Land at little Lola & tots (Bedford Stuyvesant)
Mondays 330-415p until December 2nd. $25/drop in. Ages 0 mo – 4 yrs (adult participation required). Yogi Tales is a live music yoga experience for children ages 0- 4 years old that enhances physical flexibility, refines balance and coordination, and boosts self-esteem and confidence through an exciting interactive storytelling format. Grant Henry, an NYU Digital Media Design for Learning (M.A.) graduate and certified yoga teacher, will lead the children into a world of amazing adventures using a wide range of yoga poses and breathing techniques to help navigate through these incredible stories. Your child will experience great musical numbers played with a guitar and other instruments with original songs and scores to help fully create this immersive yogic experience for young children.
See all the Monday events here.
Tuesday November 5th
Election Day at Brooklyn Children’s Museum (Crown Heights)
Tuesday November 5th 10a-5p. Free with Museum admission. On November 5, adults across New York will cast their votes in a general election. Join us as we explore the democratic process and civic engagement through voting on an animal representative for our Museum and packing supplies for CAMBA, a Brooklyn-based shelter. Decorate your own “I Voted” sign to show the world how you make your voice heard!
Stomp, Clap & Sing: Music with Marc: Around the World and Back Again! at Central Brooklyn Public Library
Tuesday November 5th 11a-12n. Free. Marc Evan Diaz is an accomplished Urban Music Educator and Music Producer who has produced 16 international children’s albums representing songs from different countries, styles, and time periods. Come sing with Marc as we explore music from this culture and beyond! Families will be given seating priority. Seating is limited. First come, first served.
Election Day in Prospect Park
Tuesday November 5th 12n-4p. Join Prospect Park Alliance for family friendly programming on Election Day. Kids Vote Too! 12–4p at Lefferts Historic House ($3 suggested donation). Join the Prospect Park Alliance at the Lefferts Historic House after voting this Election Day where kids vote too! All children under 18 are welcome to cast their votes for national and local representatives. Polls close at 4pm. Nature Exploration 12n-4p at Prospect Park Audubon Center (Free). Join the Prospect Park Alliance for nature education programs at the Prospect Park Audubon Center. Discovery Pack, 12–3p: The Prospect Park Alliance invites you to get inspired by nature with our Discovery Packs, ready-to-go kits filled with nature activities for families. Bird Nerd Game Hour, 1–2p: Learn about birds and nature in this fun, mildly competitive hour of puzzles, Bingo, card games, and more! Animal Encounter, 2–3p: Join Alliance Naturalists in learning more about the animals in the Audubon Center’s collection. This program starts promptly at 2p. Nature on the Go!, 3–4p: An Alliance Naturalist will lead children and families to areas near the Audubon Center, where you can learn about the nature that is all around us.
See all the Tuesday events here.
Wednesday November 6th
La Hora Mágica de los Pequeños at Sunset Park Brooklyn Public Library
Wednesdays 130-230p until November 27th. Free. Cuentos, Juegos, canciones, rimas y actividades divertidas para los pequeños de 1- 5 años. Programa bilingüe en español e inglés. Stories, games, songs, fingerplay, rhymes, and fun activities for Children ages 1-5 years old. Bilingual Spanish/ English.
FunikiJam World Music and Movement at Raising Astoria
Wednesdays 330-415p until December 18th 330-415p (none 11/27). $25/drop-in. For ages 0-3y. FunikiJam is a musical education program that engages children with musical traditions from across the globe. Every three weeks, we will learn new rhythms, sounds, and songs from a different region of the world. We will make awesome music together using shakers, bells, and other fun instruments. Toddlers and grownups alike can try out their rhythm —or lack thereof— at award-winning programs with FunikiJam’s stellar cast of Broadway performers and professional musicians! Each 45-minute session is jam-packed with 12-15 activities that include singing, dancing, storytelling and lots of instrument play. Check out funikijam.com for more information, videos, and testimonials from families who’ve attended! Note: Strollers must stay outside. Socks are required for adults and children. Doors open 10 minutes before class start time.
Children’s Film Screening: Coco at Hudson Park NY Public Library (West Village)
Wednesday November 6th 330p. Free. Follow Miguel as he embarks on an extraordinary journey to the magic land of his ancestors. There he stumbles onto Hector, a charming trickster who is more than meets the eye. Can Miguel unlock the mystery of his family and his grandma’s anger towards musicians?
See all the Wednesday events here.
Thursday November 7th
Alphabits! at Epiphany NY Public Library (Kips Bay)
Thursday November 7th & 21st 1030-1130a. Free. For ages 1-3y. Each session of this new biweekly program, featuring a short storytime and simple craft, will feature a different letter of the alphabet from A-Z. Please note this program is limited to 20 children. Tickets will be handed out in the children’s room beginning @ 10am on the morning of the program.
Jumpstart’s Read for the Record at Borough Park Brooklyn Public Library
Thursday November 7th 3-330p. Free. Join us and the millions of people around the world who will participate in Jumpstart’s Read for the Record© campaign for a read aloud of author Oge Mora’s Thank You, Omu! the story of a generous elderly woman who makes a fantastic pot of thick red stew. You’ll be supporting Jumpstart’s yearlong literacy program – giving at-risk children a jumpstart on the future – and breaking a world record for the greatest number of people reading the same book on the same day by besting the current record. See the BPL website for all the Read the Record events happening at additional branches.
Kids Bulb Planting Day in Washington Square Park (Greenwich Village)
Thursday November 7th 330-5p. Free. Thousands of bulbs have been delivered to the Park and we need your helping hands (big and small) to plant them!* Join us for a family volunteer day by the Large Playground. Please wear weather appropriate clothing. Closed-toed shoes are required. Tools and gloves will be provided. This event is great for kids ages 5 to 10. *Please reserve 1 ticket per child participating. Parents do not need tickets. Get tickets here. Parents do not have to participate, but must remain with their child for the duration of the event.
See all the Thursday events here.
Ongoing Events
Survival of the Slowest at Brooklyn Children’s Museum (Crown Heights)
Ongoing until February 2nd 2020. Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday 10a-5p, Thursday 10a-6p & Saturday-Sunday 10a-7p. Free with Museum admission. Meet Roger the sloth! He has two toes, lives in Central America, and is visiting Brooklyn with his friends. Learn about how slow animals survive and thrive in our fast-paced world at BCM’s newest exhibit. Survival of the Slowest features 19 distinct habitats with live animals, including Roger the two-toed sloth, a blood python, a roughneck monitor lizard, and many more. Each day this exhibit will offer up-close experiences with slow and small species that survive and thrive in a world where large, strong, and fast animals are often at the top of the food chain. Survival of the Slowest prompts families to appreciate the different evolutionary paths of these incredible creatures, and showcases the value of deliberation in our fast-paced city. While exploring Survival of the Slowest, young visitors will explore concepts of biology and evolutionary science. Live animal presentations are offered throughout the day to educate, entertain, and most importantly, connect visitors with wildlife and nature.
Holiday Express: All Aboard to Richard Scarry’s Busytown at New-York Historical Society (UWS)
Ongoing until February 23rd 2020. Museum hours: Tuesday-Thursday 10a-6p, Friday 10a-8p, Saturday 10a-6p & Sunday 11a-5p. Free with Museum admission. Holiday Express returns to New-York Historical this holiday season, reimagined to celebrate the 100th birthday of Busytown author and illustrator Richard Scarry. The installation showcases artwork and graphics of Scarry’s characters (like Huckle Cat and Lowly Worm!) from publisher Penguin Random House alongside Jerni Collection toys. Children and adults can also experience dynamic displays exploring the workings of the railroad, the services it provides, and the jobs required to keep people and goods moving.
NYC Winter Lantern Festival x WTC Pop-Up in Liberty Park (Financial District)
Ongoing 6a-11p until November 16th. Free Kick off the holiday season with a special preview of the 2019 NYC Winter Lantern Festival at the World Trade Center. The spectacular lantern display features 12 hand-crafted zodiac animals from the Lunar Calendar, each with their own special meaning. Take a stroll with your family and friends through Liberty Park and enjoy the festive glow of lights.
The Art of the Brick at New York Hall of Science
Daily through January 26th. General hours ~ Monday–Friday: 930a-5p and Saturday–Sunday: 10a-6p. Entry to the exhibition costs $7 per person, plus NYSCI admission. Experience The Art of the Brick, the world’s largest display of LEGO® art! Artist Nathan Sawaya created more than 100 pieces for this exhibition using only LEGO bricks. The collection features original pieces, as well as re-imagined versions of some of the world’s most famous art masterpieces. More than one million LEGO bricks were used to create Sawaya’s sculptures. See the website for all the event details.
Playdate & Mingle Time at Edamama Cute Cuts & More (Williamsburg)
Daily 130-3p. Cash only: $15 per munchkin. Sibling is $25 (two children). Adults are free! Spots are available on a first come, first serve basis. Invite your friends. While munchkins are rolling around and socializing you can take a breather with your friends! Our space is the most children and family friendly hang out space in the hood. Play dates are an informal and unstructured social events for munchkins 0 to 3 yrs old and their tribe.
King of the Jungle at Brooklyn Zoo (Williamsburg)
Mondays-Fridays 4-5p. $25/drop-in. Class packs also available. For ages 5-10y. King of the Jungle is a good intro class to our space. It combines two or more skills that we teach in our space and put it into one classes. The skills that are taught during our King of the Jungle classes are Parkour, Ninja Warrior, Trampoline, and Tumbling. (Class may vary depending on instructor)
T. rex: The Ultimate Predator at American Museum of Natural History (UWS)
Daily 10a-545p until August 9th 2020. Timed entry only. Gallery 3, third floor. General Admission + One tickets: Adult $28 / Child (2-12) $16.50 / Senior & Student $22.50. Free for members. How did T. rex evolve to become the most fearsome carnivore of the Mesozoic? T. rex: The Ultimate Predator will introduce you to the entire tyrannosaur superfamily and reveal the amazing story of the most iconic dinosaur in the world through stunning life-sized models, fossils and casts, engaging interactives, and an immersive multiplayer virtual reality experience developed exclusively for this exhibition. Warning: you may never think of T. rex the same way again.
Drop-in Storytimes at Stories Bookshop + Storytelling Lab (Park Slope)
Mondays 1130a, 1230p & 3p, Tuesdays 1030a, Wednesdays 1130a & 1230p, Thursdays 1030a & 1130a & Fridays 1130a & 1230p. No sign-up or registration is needed for Storytimes. Weekday Storytimes with our staff are $10 per family, with further discounted Read-y passes available for sale in our bookshop. See website for information.
Under 5s Drop In Class at the Children’s Museum of the Arts (SoHo)
Monday-Friday 1045a-12n. $30 per family (total of 5), CMA members $15 per family. Music time! Story time! Art time! Join CMA’s stART teaching artists for an art-filled drop-in session when the museum is closed for general hours. Parent and/or caregivers are required to join and we encourage family collaboration throughout the class. No sign up required. Want to stay longer? General admission is just $6 per family after drop-in.
Ed Center in Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 1
Tuesdays & Thursdays 3-5p and also Saturdays and Sundays from 1–5p. Free. The Ed Center is open for free, drop-in hours three afternoons a week! Get to know Brooklyn Bridge Park with our 250 gallon aquarium filled with critters from the East River, a 10’ scale model of Brooklyn Bridge Park, crafts, a reading corner, and much more!