Hi everyone! No school tomorrow so the weekend is not over yet and there are lots of fun things to do this week!
This week head out and enjoy The 34th Annual Brooklyn Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at BAM, Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Prospect Park, Families Celebrate Africa – A Martin Luther King Day Event at Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture, Mini Playdate at Central Brooklyn Public Library, The Little Orchestra Society at Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Library Lab: Angry Bird Popsicle Stick Catapult at Williamsburg Brooklyn Public Library, Opening Day: The Art of Chinese New Year at China Institute, Toddler Messy Play at Ottendorfer NY Public Library, Open Play at Busy Bodies Brooklyn, Toc Toc-Spanish for kids at Raising Astoria, Build with LEGO at Carroll Gardens Brooklyn Public Library and Kids Breaking League at Little Lola & tots.
Also check out the long running events like Ed Center in Brooklyn Bridge Park, the Drop-in Storytimes at Stories Bookshop + Storytelling Lab, 18th Annual Holiday Train Show at Grand Central Terminal, Survival of the Slowest at Brooklyn Children’s Museum, T. rex: The Ultimate Predator exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History, Wavefield, Variation O at Seaport Square, the Industry City Ice Rink, Holiday Express: All Aboard to Richard Scarry’s Busytown at New-York Historical Society and Playdate & Mingle Time at Edamama Cute Cuts & More.
These are just some of the weekday events 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 rest of the long weekend and the week!
~Deirdre (mom to O & C)
Monday January 20th
The 34th Annual Brooklyn Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at BAM (Fort Greene)
Monday January 21st 1030a. Free. Please Note: Tickets to this event will be distributed on a first come, first seated basis. Lobby doors open at 8am. New York City’s largest public celebration in honor of iconic civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., returns to BAM for the 34th year. BAM welcomes all members of the community for this beloved annual tradition, which brings together world-renowned activists, public figures, and civic leaders alongside musicians and other performers. Join us in paying tribute to King’s legacy—this year featuring keynote speaker Nikole Hannah-Jones and musical guests Son Little and the Brooklyn Interdenominational Choir—to help keep his message of equality, peace, and hope alive.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Prospect Park
Monday January 20th 12n-4p. Free. Location: Prospect Park Audubon Center. Join Prospect Park Alliance for indoor and outdoor nature education programs at the Prospect Park Audubon Center, the first urban Audubon Center in the nation. Discovery Pack, 12–3p: Bundle up and explore Prospect Park with our Discovery Packs, a ready-to-go kit filled with nature activities for families. Animal Encounter, 2–3 p: Join Alliance Naturalists in learning more about the animals in the Audubon Center’s collection. This program starts promptly at 2 p. Animal Encounters is made possible with generous support from Macy’s, Inc. Winter Wilderness Walk, 3-4p: Curious about animal tracks in the snow, how trees survive without leaves, or how bugs stay warm? Join an Alliance Naturalist for a tour of how plants and animals live in the winter months. This program leaves from the Audubon Center promptly at 3p.
Families Celebrate Africa – A Martin Luther King Day Event at Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture (Park Slope)
Monday January 20th 3-530p. Tickets: $20 children 3 to 12 years old ( $25 at the door). Free for children 2 yo or younger. $10 for adults and teens accompanying a child.( $15 at the door). The Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture offers a fun-filled family event to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr with African music, drumming and dance, face painting, African drawing, crafts and activities, stories and costumes. Moses Ogunleye will teach African drawing and display his art, DuPree and Barry Kornhauser (and guests) will perform songs about MLK’s life and Simba Yangala and the dancers from JungleDom will guide children through a relaxed African dance lesson and performance that welcomes the participation from both, children and adults. Purchase tickets here.
See all the Monday events here.
Tuesday January 21st
Toddler Messy Play at Ottendorfer NY Public Library (East Village)
Tuesdays 11a in January. Free. Spend time together creating, playing and exploring sensory activities. Dress in play clothes as the activities may be messy!
Open Play at Busy Bodies Brooklyn (Clinton Hill)
Tuesdays 1130a-315p. $20/drop in. Give you and your child the space you both need to play, learn and socialize. Open play will assist your child in building important developmental skills. Let your child roam freely in a bright, safe, engaging environment with a variety of toys, mats, art supplies, books and games. There is something for every child to indulge in at Busy Bodies. Join us to make new friends for you and your child. Open play welcomes children from newborn to 4 years old.
Library Lab: Angry Bird Popsicle Stick Catapult at Williamsburg Brooklyn Public Library
Tuesday January 21st 4-5p. Free. Popsicle stick catapult design is an AWESOME STEM activity for kids of all ages! Exploring physics, math and science behind it has never been so exciting for kids because everyone loves to launch stuff into the air.
See all the Tuesday events here.
Wednesday January 22nd
Toc Toc-Spanish for kids at Raising Astoria
Wednesdays 1145a-1230p until April 29th. $15/drop-in. Ages 6 mo – 3 yrs (adult participation required). ¡Hola! Toc Toc, the fun Spanish program for babies and toddlers is designed for families with any level of Spanish…so don’t worry if you don’t speak the language, you can learn along with your child! With our native Spanish teachers, children and adults alike will learn not only the language but also cultural references through a fun mix of sing-along, dancing, games, story time, and a puppet show. Speaking Spanish will bring your kid valuable experiences, friends, and multicultural insight. Give them a skill that will stick with them for life!
Build with LEGO at Carroll Gardens Brooklyn Public Library
Wednesdays 330-430p in January. Free. Come play with our extensive collection of LEGO, DUPLO, and other building toys, with materials suitable for ages 2-12. Younger children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
Kids Breaking League at Little Lola & tots (Bedford Stuyvesant)
Wednesdays 330-415 until March 25th. $25/drop in. For ages 3-6y. Dynamic Kids Brooklyn is partnering with little Lola & tots to provide a unique afterschool program. This class will help guide your child through basic movements and break out of their shell. With fun music and small challenges, children are motivated to explore their strengths and weaknesses. They will learn to create their own movements and tell their own story through the art of “Breaking”.
See all the Wednesday events here.
Thursday January 23rd
Opening Day: The Art of Chinese New Year at China Institute (Financial District)
Starting Thursday January 23rd 10a-8p. Exhibit ongoing until February 29th and the hours are Mondays-Fridays 10a-5p (until 8p Thursdays) and Saturdays 11a-5p. Free. “The Art of Chinese New Year” is a vibrant, interactive art experience where visitors of all ages can explore the Chinese New Year holiday and the traditional visual and performing arts related to it. The installation captures the sights and sounds of the holiday through displays, artist workshops, and hands-on activities, leading visitors to a deeper experience, and a greater understanding, of traditional Chinese culture. In the visual arts, visitors will learn about nianhua (New Year pictures), spring couplets, and papercutting. A showcase on the art of shadow puppetry will feature antique puppets, a traditional shadow puppet theater, and a theater where children can create their own puppet shows. At a lion dance display, visitors can try on real lion dance costumes. There will also be ticketed workshops on weekends. See the website for all the details.
Mini Playdate at Central Brooklyn Public Library
Thursday January 23rd 1030a-12n. Free. Location: Dweck Center. For babies and toddlers birth to 3 years and their parents and caregivers. Stop by the Mini Brooklyn Playdate to enjoy fun games and activities that delight young children and encourage early literacy. Come to play and leave ready to turn ordinary objects in your home into your child’s favorite toys.
The Little Orchestra Society at Brooklyn Children’s Museum (Crown Heights)
Thursdays 3-345p & 4-445p until March 19th (except February 27th). Pay as you wish hours on Thursdays 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. This event also happens on the first Sunday of the month in February & March at 4p & 5p.
See all the Thursday events here.
Ongoing Events
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.
Ed Center in Brooklyn Bridge Park
Tuesdays & Thursdays 3-5p and also Saturdays and Sundays from 1–5p. Location: Pier 1. 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!
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.
Wavefield, Variation O at Seaport Square
Daily 10a-9p until March 31st. Free. Location: next to Pier 17. Head down to Seaport Square this month and get ready to play on Wave-Field, Variation O, a series of interactive, glowing seesaws designed to bring people together and light up the night.
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.
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.
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.
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.