Hi everyone! January has flown by so quick and the weather looks pretty good for another fun week in NYC!
This week head out and enjoy After School Unwind at Marigold Studio, Stomp, Clap & Sing with Lucy Kalantari and the Jazz Cats at Central Brooklyn Public Library, Dance with Cumbe at Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Toddler Yoga at Bedford Brooklyn Public Library, Movers and Groovers Playgroup at The Wild, Big Playdate at the Annex Brooklyn Public Library, Tots Yoga I: Walkers-2yrs at Monkey Do! Yoga, Lunar New Year Celebration with Ba Ban Chinese Music at Sunset Park Brooklyn Public Library, Dr. Alex & Friends at Beyond at Liberty View at Industry City, A Snowy Day Storytime at Hudson Park NY Public Library, Spanish Story Time and Sing-A-Long at Books are Magic and Toddler Storytime at Maspeth Queens Public Library.
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, 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, Playdate & Mingle Time at Edamama Cute Cuts & More and the last few days of Survival of the Slowest at Brooklyn Children’s Museum.
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 week!
~Deirdre (mom to O & C)
Monday January 27th
Dr. Alex & Friends at Beyond at Liberty View at Industry City (Sunset Park)
Mondays 10a (none Feb 17th). $10 per kiddo. Join Dr. Alex & Friends for a fun filled kids sing a long!
Movers and Groovers Playgroup at The Wild (Greenpoint)
Mondays 1230-230p & Fridays 1-230p. $5/drop in. Bring your little one to hang out and meet other babies while you get a chance to relax, and connect with other parents and caregivers. This is an informal and unstructured playgroup for babies, newborn-2yrs, and a nice comfy space to play and chat. Lambskins and blankets for safe on-the-floor recreation. Complimentary water or tea. TWO changing tables and roomy restroom. Helpful, friendly staff. Numerous handy and helpful products to shop and explore
Toddler Yoga at Bedford Brooklyn Public Library
Mondays 330-415p until March 23rd (none February 17th). Free. Join Kelly Brennan for some fun on the yoga mat! Toddlers will explore yoga poses and breathing in a playful way through adventures, stories, games, and songs. This class is designed for any toddler who is a strong walker. We kindly ask that caregivers are attentive and quiet during the class. Caregivers are invited to participate as well! Class size will be limited to 25 participants.
See all the Monday events here.
Tuesday January 28th
Stomp, Clap & Sing with Lucy Kalantari and the Jazz Cats at Central Brooklyn Public Library
Tuesday January 28th 11a-12n. Free. Grammy-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.
A Snowy Day Storytime at Hudson Park NY Public Library (West Village)
Tuesday January 28th 1115a. Free. Join us in Celebrating the NYPL’s most checked-out book of all time, A Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats! Storytime followed by a craft. Recommended for children 0 to 5 years of age.
After School Unwind at Marigold Studio (Carroll Gardens) [sponsored]
Tuesdays & Thursdays 330-430p until February 20th. $50 Drop in/ $175 4 week pack. Tuesdays for 6-8y & Thursdays 8-12y. Shake off the school day with After School Unwind. These fun, group art making sessions are sure to inspire curiosity and creativity. Each week, we’ll explore a different type of art making. From collage, to paints, to block printing; each session gives you the chance to let your imagination run wild. These exciting weekly sessions are a great break from screen time, with only one goal: to get your hands dirty!
See all the Tuesday events here.
Wednesday January 29th
Tots Yoga I: Walkers-2yrs at Monkey Do! Yoga (Gowanus)
Wednesdays 10-1045a. Drop in $25 (per caregiver/child pair). Additional Family Member $10. 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! We encourage parents and caregivers to join along – any level of experience welcome! Also check out Tots Yoga II: 2-4y at 11a.
Big Playdate at the Annex Brooklyn Public Library (DUMBO)
Wednesday January 29th 1030a-1230p. Free. For babies and toddlers birth to 3 years and their caregivers. Stop by the Big Playdate at the BPL Annex 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.
Toddler Storytime at Maspeth Queens Public Library
Wednesdays 1030-11a. Free. Toddlers ages 12-36 months, with adult caregivers, listen to stories, learn songs and finger play rhymes, and enjoy movement activities.
See all the Wednesday events here.
Thursday January 30th
Spanish Story Time and Sing-A-Long at Books are Magic (Boerum Hill)
Thursdays 1030-1115a. $15/drop in. Toc Toc Spanish is a fun mix of story time, sing-along, dancing, games and puppet show. It’s the perfect opportunity to expose your little one to a second language right when the “language learning window” opens. Don’t worry if you are not a Spanish speaker, parents and caregivers can even learn Spanish with their child! Ages 6 mo – 3 yrs (adult participation required)
Dance with Cumbe at Brooklyn Children’s Museum (Crown Heights)
Thursday January 30th 3-330p & 4-430p. Pay as you wish hours on Thursdays from 2-6p. Join Cumbe for an afternoon of music and dancing! Learn new movements, hear new rhythms, and express yourself to the beat.
Lunar New Year Celebration with Ba Ban Chinese Music at Sunset Park Brooklyn Public Library
Thursday January 30th 4-5p. Free. Come celebrate Lunar New Year with us in this presentation of lion dance, festive music, folk dances, singing, and beautiful costumes. Happy Year of the Rat! This will be a show that you don’t want to miss!
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.