Hi everyone! Hard to believe it is the last week of school for 2019 for the NYC public school kids.
This week head out and enjoy Stomp, Clap & Sing with FunikiJam at Central Brooklyn Public Library, Taste of Chanukah at Whole Foods Market Columbus, Lucy Kalantari & the Jazz Cats at Kings Highway Brooklyn Public Library, Wee Jam Sing-Along at little Lola & tots, Celebrate Hanukkah with Tkiya! at Midwood Brooklyn Public Library, Singalong with Hannah at Lark, Kids Create: Candy Sleds at Highlawn Brooklyn Public Library, Tots Yoga ITots Yoga I at Monkey Do Yoga, Quick & Easy Holiday Crafts For Toddlers at Epiphany NY Public Library, ‘A Christmas Story’ Watch Party at Dekalb Market Hall, Children’s Movie Afternoon: Toy Story 4 at Kips Bay NY Public Library and Weejam Music For Toddlers at Edamama Cute Cuts & More.
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, 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.
Make sure to check the calendar to see everything going on here in NYC. Also follow us on our Facebook page for last minute news and event reminders.
Enjoy the week!
~Deirdre (mom to O & C)
Monday December 16th
Weejam Music For Toddlers at Edamama Cute Cuts & More (Williamsburg)
Mondays 930a, 1030a & 12, Wednesdays 1030a & 12n and Thursdays 345p in December (none 12/25). $15 drop in (cash only). Age group: Babies and Toddlers up to 2 yrs old. Toddler Movement and Music Class with lovely Carla of Tkiya Jewish Community Organization. Please join us to introduce your little munchkin to music in an interactive setting through song, movement, stories, and play!
Celebrate Hanukkah with Tkiya! at Midwood Brooklyn Public Library
Monday December 16th 11a-12n. Free. Join Tkiya, the Jewish music community initiative, for a cultural exploration of the holidays.
‘A Christmas Story’ Watch Party at Dekalb Market Hall (Downtown Brooklyn)
Monday December 16th 12n-4p. Free. A Christmas Story (1983) rated pg (1 hr 34 min): In the 1940s, a young boy named Ralphie attempts to convince his parents, his teacher and Santa that a Red Ryder BB gun really is the perfect Christmas gift. (IMDB)
See all the Monday events here.
Tuesday December 17th
Quick & Easy Holiday Crafts For Toddlers at Epiphany NY Public Library (Kips Bay)
Tuesday & Thursday December 17th & 19th 1030-1130a. Free For ages 1-3y. Drop in to our children’s room for an easy holiday themed craft project – perfect for toddlers and their caregivers to do together.
Stomp, Clap & Sing with FunikiJam at Central Brooklyn Public Library
Tuesday December 17th 11a-12n. Free. Location: Dweck Center. Captain Jam and the Agents of Jam are here to invite Junior Agents, Holiday Pixies, and new recruits to sing, dance and play along with their globe-spanning musical adventure to celebrate holidays around the world.
Taste of Chanukah at Whole Foods Market Columbus (UWS)
Tuesday December 17th 4-630p. Free. Congregation Rodeph Sholom and Rodeph Sholom School invite families to get ready for Chanukah at this FREE afternoon of fun and food. There will be a Hanukkah Jam featuring holiday music and stories with Tkiya: the Jewish Community Music Initiative, followed by a holiday food tasting provided by Whole Foods Market. A delicious way to kick off the festival of lights. 4p, in the cafe: Chanukah Jam! Kids Concert featuring Tkiya and 430 – 630p, on the lower shopping level: Holiday Tasting & Giveaways
See all the Tuesday events here.
Wednesday December 18th
Tots Yoga I at Monkey Do Yoga (Gowanus)
Wednesdays 10-1045a. Walkers – 2yrs. Drop in $25 (per caregiver/child pair). Additional Family Member $10. Class packs also available. Let your little ones begin their journey on the mat with fun and activities. Explore songs, rhymes, movement, puppets, and an experience with yoga and breath. Early exposure to yoga, movement and music has a long list of benefits including early communication skills, bonding, motor skills, self-expression, memory skills and so much more!
Kids Create: Candy Sleds at Highlawn Brooklyn Public Library
Wednesday December 18th 3-4p. Free. Stop by the library this holiday season and learn how to create a festive (and delicious!) candy sled! We’ll be using candy canes, chocolate, and glue to build our creations–and there should be enough for everyone to snack on while we do our craft! Recommended for kids 9-12.
Children’s Movie Afternoon: Toy Story 4 at Kips Bay NY Public Library
Wednesday December 18th 3p. Free. Major complications ensue when Bonnie turns a spork into a toy, but he sees himself as an eating utensil instead. Woody, Buzz and co. have to set out into the world to find him, reunite with Bonnie, and resolve his existential crisis. Directors Josh Cooley. Production year 2019, Rating G, Studio Disney Pixar, Runtime 100 minutes.
See all the Wednesday events here.
Thursday December 19th
Wee Jam Sing-Along at little Lola & tots (Bedford Stuyvesant)
Thursday December 19th 10-1045a. $20/drop in. For ages 0-4y. Don’t miss Brooklyn’s most fun and interactive singalong! Each session is packed with singing, dancing, stories, puppets, parachute, bubbles and more. Best for ages 0-4 and their grownups.
Lucy Kalantari & the Jazz Cats at Kings Highway Brooklyn Public Library
Thursday December 19th 11a-12n. Free. Everyone’s Welcome! All Ages Welcome! Multi-award winning children’s artist, Lucy Kalantari, brings delightful jazz age inspired music everyone can enjoy! Kids and families will love the interactive jazz-scat-along play, while singing about the simple joys and delights of life.
Singalong with Hannah at Lark (Flatbush/Prospect Park South)
Thursdays 11a. $10/family. Come to Sing-along and dance with Hannah from The Buttons band!
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.
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.