Hi everyone! I hope the weekend was fabulous and you are ready for another fun week here in NYC!
This week head out and enjoy the Washington Square Tree Lighting Ceremony, Get Festive at the Atlantic Terminal, Holiday Crafts and Music Festival at the Park Slope Brooklyn Public Library, Make Your Own Tambourine at CAMP City Point, Celebrate Hanukkah with Tkiya! at the Williamsburg Brooklyn Public Library, CantaEspañol at Gumbo, Toddler Messy Play at Ottendorfer NY Public Library, Hootenanny with Mississippi Cotten at Jill Lindsey, Tammy Hall – Tales of Black Heritage from Around the World at Clinton Hill Brooklyn Public Library, Lil Yogis: 3-5 year olds at Bend & Bloom Yoga, Puppetry in Practice: Anansi the Spider at the Carroll Gardens Brooklyn Public Library and The Little Orchestra Society at Brooklyn Children’s Museum.
Also check out the long running events like the Holiday Lights at the Bronx Zoo, the 18th Annual Holiday Train Show at Grand Central Terminal, Survival of the Slowest at Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Ed Center in Brooklyn Bridge Park, Drop-in Storytimes at Stories Bookshop + Storytelling Lab, Origami Holiday Tree and T. rex: The Ultimate Predator exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History, GingerBread Lane and The Art of the Brick at New York Hall of Science, Holiday Express: All Aboard to Richard Scarry’s Busytown at New-York Historical Society, Yeti, Set, Snow! at Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre, the NYC Winter Lantern Festival at Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden, the Industry City Ice Rink and Photos with Santa and Luminaries at Brookfield Place.
This is just some of the 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.
Have a wonderful week!
~Deirdre (mom to O & C)
Monday December 9th
Tammy Hall – Tales of Black Heritage from Around the World at Clinton Hill Brooklyn Public Library
Monday December 9th 1030-1130a. Free. Children of all ages welcome! A fantastic literary journey of stories from the African Diaspora. With wit and wisdom, storyteller, Tammy Hall, leads audiences to many lands in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Americas. Presented as a part of the 1619 Project, Ms. Hall’s sharing of tales in the oral tradition educates listeners on the art of storytelling and encourages engagement with and celebration of the lands from which they come.
Make Your Own Tambourine at CAMP City Point (Downtown Brooklyn)
Monday December 9th 1130a-1215p. Child ticket: $25. For musical kids 2-6. Dance to the beat of your own tambourine with this colorful, musical CAMP craft! Using paper plates, beads, colorful paper and markers, you’ll get to make a tambourine to shake to the beat. Once you have your own tambourine, you’ll be ready to rock on stage whenever the opportunity arises! CAMP City Point is now open and different activities everyday. Check out the website for all the activities.
2019 Washington Square Tree Lighting Ceremony
Monday December 9th 6-7p. Free. On Monday, December 9th at 6 pm, the Rob Susman Brass Quartet and children and grown-ups alike will sing holiday songs. The sparkling lights on the resplendent tree will be turned on to mark the beginning of festive winter evenings. Santa Claus himself has promised to appear, candy canes in hand, and lead the children in the illumination countdown. The Washington Square Association provides songbooks.
See all the Monday events here.
Tuesday December 10th
Toddler Messy Play at Ottendorfer NY Public Library (East Village)
Tuesdays 11a until December 17th. Free. Spend time together creating, playing and exploring sensory activities. Dress in play clothes as the activities may be messy!
Holiday Crafts and Music Festival at the Park Slope Brooklyn Public Library
Tuesday December 10th 4-7p. Free. Come and get into the holiday spirit with us and decorate cookies, make holiday cards and origami, and more! 4p: Jack & Friends live music with Suzi Shelton, 5p: Live music with Bob Kaye and the Market Chords, 6p: Jewelry making workshop for adults with Chaya Adler.
Lil Yogis: 3-5 year olds at Bend & Bloom Yoga (Park Slope/Gowanus)
Tuesdays 4-5p. $20/kids drop-in. Class packs also available. Bend & Bloom’s imaginative yoga adventures and animated poses keep little yogis’ creativity and bodies flowing. Our silly yoga sequences enhance children’s concentration skills while refining their motor coordination. Bend & Bloom’s fun yoga games teach cooperative play and sharpen listening skills as your child transitions to school. Kids’ yoga will plant the seed for a life-long love of physical and mental well-being. Please note: Minimum age of 3 years old. We love your 2-year-olds! Please bring them to our Tots classes. Note: Adult Hour Flow class runs at the same time.
See all the Tuesday events here.
Wednesday December 11th
Hootenanny with Mississippi Cotten at Jill Lindsey (Fort Greene)
Wednesdays at 11a. $15/child – plus $5 for siblings. Join us with Mississippi Cotten for a family sing a long! Fun For All! What IS a Hootenanny, anyway? There are probably as many definitions for Hootenanny as there are people who have sung at one. Actually, Hootenannies have been going on for a long time —- every since people found that they could make better Music singing together than they could by singing alone….Anyway, that’s what Hootenannies are. People singing and playing together! All ages and voices welcome. Come sing some songs and play some instruments with some nice neighborhood folks.
CantaEspañol at Gumbo (Boerum Hill)
Wednesdays at 11-1145a until December 18th. Drop ins $25. CantaEspañol is a program designed for children from 5 months to 4 years old. Through songs, musical games, dance, puppets, play instruments and movement, your child will be totally engaged in the Spanish language. In addition, these interactive activities will serve to develop self expression and social skills. Conducted completely in Spanish, the CantaEspañol class will introduce Spanish into your child’s life in a lively and super fun way! Parents and guardians should come ready to play and participate. Gracias!
Celebrate Hanukkah with Tkiya! at the Williamsburg Brooklyn Public Library
Wednesday December 11th 4-5p. Free. Join Tkiya, the Jewish music community initiative, for a cultural exploration of the holidays.
See all the Wednesday events here.
Thursday December 12th
The Little Orchestra Society at Brooklyn Children’s Museum (Crown Heights)
Thursdays 3-345p & 4-445p until December 19th. Pay as you wish hours on Thursdays are from 2-6p. Join The Little Orchestra Society in an interactive musical workshop that explores the music of different cultures around the world and engages audiences through movement, song, composition, and an introduction to world instruments. Sessions accommodate up to 25 participants on a first-come, first served basis.
1619-2019: 400 Years Later- Puppetry in Practice: Anansi the Spider at the Carroll Gardens Brooklyn Public Library
Thursday December 12th 4-5p. Free. All ages welcome! In August 1619, between 20 and 30 enslaved Africans were brought to Jamestown, Virginia and then sold to the colonists. 2019 marks the 400th anniversary of this event. The Carroll Gardens branch will be hosting a puppetry event as a celebration of West African and Caribbean folktales. Performers from Puppetry In Practice (PiP) will be presenting Anansi the Spider a West African Folktale. PiP uses the creative arts to enhance literacy, spark curiosity and imagination, and engage in cultural immersions in the countries of origin that make our city great.
Get Festive at the Atlantic Terminal (Fort Greene)
Thursday December 12th 5-7p. Free. Life-Size Snow Globe Photo Op! DJ Monopoli! Selfies with Santa! Book Mobile! Holiday Arts & Crafts! African Origami with MoCADA Museum! Winter Wonderland Community Art & much more!
See all the Thursday events here.
Ongoing Events
Luminaries at Brookfield Place (Battery Park City)
Luminaries will be on display daily 10a-8p December 4th-January 3rd. Free to attend. This mesmerizing installation and holiday tradition features a canopy of colorful lights emanating from hundreds of suspended lanterns. Luminaries was created by the LAB at Rockwell Group for Brookfield Place, inspired by the season’s traditions of sharing, giving, and community. LIGHT SHOWS (8am-10pm): Special light shows will be presented at the top of every hour, set to popular holiday songs by Michael Bublé, The Bird and The Bee, Tony Bennett, and featuring a new show featuring “Let it Snow” by Pentatonix! HOLIDAY WISHES (10am-8pm): The interactive exhibit includes three Wishing Stations located on the ground that will allow visitors to send a touch-activated wish to the canopy of lanterns above, activating a magical display of lights and colors. Brookfield Place will donate $1, up to $25,000, for every wish made during the holiday season to Cookies for Kids’ Cancer.
18th Annual Holiday Train Show at Grand Central Terminal (Midtown East)
Ongoing until February 23rd 2020. Free. Hours: Monday–Friday 8a–8p, Saturday and Sunday: 11a–6p. Closed for special events and major holidays. Every holiday season, the New York Transit Museum’s Grand Central Gallery plays host to a city within a city with the display of a miniature electric railroad running over, through, and beneath some of New York’s most magnificent landmarks. Celebrating its 18th year of operation, this beloved annual holiday exhibit features model trains traveling along a 34’ long, two-level, “O” gauge model train layout. This year’s exhibit is set against a mural designed by cartoonist Julia Wertz. Departing from a miniature replica of Grand Central Terminal, the Transit Museum’s collection of Lionel trains including Metro-North, Polar Express, and vintage subway train sets will dazzle the eyes of children and adults alike as they make their way past New York landmarks and on to the North Pole! Note that strollers are not permitted in the Gallery & Store. Additionally, Grand Central Terminal does not permit unattended strollers. Please consider leaving your strollers at home. See website for directions to event.
The Industry City Ice Rink (Sunset Park)
Wednesdays-Thursdays 4-8p, Fridays 11a-8p, Saturdays 10a-8p and Sundays 10a-5p. Tickets will be $10 for adults and $6 for kids 12 and under, with skate rentals costing $9. Tickets can be purchased on site at IC Ice Rink in courtyard 5/6. The Industry City Ice Rink opens November 30 and welcomes guests to join for an iconic winter experience every Wednesday to Sunday with ice skating theme parties on Fridays + Saturdays. The rink is outside and uncovered, so dress appropriately for an enjoyable and comfortable skate. If you come at a popular time and there’s a line, there are plenty of other activities to fill your time while you wait. Pop into our game room, browse + shop The Makers Guild, hang by the fire pit or grab a drink inside any of our brewers and distillers. See website for all the details.
NYC Winter Lantern Festival at Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden (Staten Island)
Ongoing until January 12th. Hours: Wednesdays-Thursdays 5-930p. Fridays-Sundays 5-1030p. Also open Monday-Tuesday December 30th-31st 5-10p. Tickets: $25 general admission, $17 youth ticket (ages 3-12y), $20 Senior/Military/Student. After our success last year, the NYC Winter Lantern Festival is back to transform Staten Island’s Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden into a whimsical world of light. There will be over 1,000 lanterns on display, sculpted into magnificent figures of luminescent art. Bring your whole family to revel in eight acres of lights, live cultural shows, interactive exhibits, and more. For those of you who attended last year’s event, prepare yourself for a completely fresh, new, and unique display! Purchase tickets here.
Holiday Lights at the Bronx Zoo
Ongoing until December 31st (excluding December 24th-25th) and January 3rd-5th. Hours: Sunday-Thursday 5-9p & Friday-Saturday 5-10p. Tickets: $22.95 for children 3-12y, $29.95 for adult. Discount available for WCS. See website for details. Discover the holiday season at the Bronx Zoo. Animal lanterns, animated sculptures, and colorful designs will light your way throughout the park. Enjoy a magical night that’s greener than ever thanks to LED technology. There will also be roaming carolers, ice carving, a holiday train, costumed characters ad seasonal food & souvenirs. See the website for all the details.
GingerBread Lane at New York Hall of Science (Flushing Meadows)
Daily until January 12th 2020. Hours are Monday-Friday 930a-5p & Saturday-Sunday 10a-6p. Free with Museum admission. GingerBread Lane is the record-holder of the Guinness World Records for largest gingerbread village. In order to be eligible for the title, every element of the gingerbread display must be edible, and the display must imitate a village with houses, shops and town services such as a firehouse and police station. Creator Jon Lovitch will again try to break his own record with this year’s GingerBread Lane. This year’s GingerBread Lane includes a number of storefronts with quirky names: Eleven Pipers Piping – Piping Hot Soup, My Two Front Teeth General Dentistry, Visions of Sugar Plums Eye Glasses, and Letters to Santa – GingerBread Lane’s Post Office. Also check The Art of the Brick exhibit.
Photos with Santa in Brookfield Place (Battery Park City)
Hours: Tuesday-Friday 12n-8p, Saturdays 10a-8p, Sundays 10a-6p, December 24th 10a-4p. Closed Mondays except 12/23. Santa takes a break to feed his reindeer around 3-4pm each day. Create lasting photo memories with Santa at BFPL! Photo packages start at $29. See website for full pricing information. Walk ins for photos with Santa are welcome, or click here to reserve your spot in advance.
Yeti, Set, Snow! at Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre (Central Park)
Mondays-Fridays 1030a & 1130a and Saturdays & Sundays 1p and ongoing at various times until February 23, 2020. See website for the full schedule. Tickets: $12 adult, $8 child. An original story and production from the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre, Yet, Set, Snow! is the story of a young girl named Widget, and her friend, Twig, who encounter a yeti named Pascetti on the first snow day of the winter season. Pascetti, who lives on a mountain top nearby, dislikes the snow. Through songs and snow day activities, Pascetti discovers not only that snow can be fun but also the value of friendship.
Origami Holiday Tree at the American Museum of Natural History (UWS)
On display 10a-545p until January 12th (except 12/25). Free with Museum admission. Visit the American Museum of Natural History this holiday season to see one of New York’s most beloved displays, the Origami Holiday Tree—an annual tradition for more than 40 years. The theme of this year’s 13-foot tree is T. rex and Friends: History in the Making, with models inspired by the Museum’s special exhibition T. rex: The Ultimate Predator, which celebrates the most famous dinosaur species that was first discovered, named, and exhibited to the public by the Museum. Feeling crafty? Volunteers from OrigamiUSA will be on hand at the Museum to teach paper folding to visitors of all ages. Also check out the T. rex: The Ultimate Predator exhibit.
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.
Tots Drop in Center at Congregation Beth Elohim (Park Slope)
Tuesdays-Fridays 915a-12p starting November 12th. Fees: Temple Member $13/child, $18 with additional sibling. Non-member $15/child, $21 with additional sibling. 10 packs also available for purchase. See website for more information. The tots drop-in center is a place for children ages 0-24 months and their parents/caregivers to explore, learn, and have fun! Drop in for play with age-appropriate toys and activities in our social hall (large indoor space). Please check the preschool calendar for holiday closures. No advanced registration required – please do drop in!
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.
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. We lead storytimes with our staff for babies through toddlers five days a week! 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.