Hi everyone! Get ready for another fun weekend here in NYC with the family.
This weekend head out and enjoy BAMkids Film Festival, Brooklyn Book Bodega at Ingersoll Community Center, The Little Orchestra Society at Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Groundhog Day at Staten Island Zoo, Show Up, Kids! at Kraine Theater, Oran Etkin: Timbalooloo Jazz For Kids Duo Series at National Sawdust, Little Laffs at Jalopy Theatre, Winter Jam in Central Park, Movie Night & Global BitesMovie Night & Global Bites at One World Project, Lunar New Year at Brookfield Place, Jiggy Tots at Epiphany NY Public Library, Chinese New Year Family Festival at China Institute, Family Movie: Ralph Breaks the Internet at Brooklyn Heights Public Library, Family Day: Moon Over Manhattan! at Asia Society and Thunderbird American Indian Dancers Concert at Theater for the New City.
Don’t forget to check out the long running events like Lunar Zoo Year – Year of the Rat in Prospect Park Zoo, LC Kids: SUDS at Clark Studio Theater, Alice in Wonderland at Puppetworks, the 18th Annual Holiday Train Show at Grand Central Terminal, Holiday Express: All Aboard to Richard Scarry’s Busytown at New-York Historical Society, Film Forum Jr. Matinee at the Film Forum, T. rex: The Ultimate Predator at American Museum of Natural History,Yeti, Set, Snow! at Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre and Angelina Ballerina The Musical at Soho Playhouse.
There are even more events this weekend so check the calendar to see everything going on. Also like us on Facebook for last minute events and updates.
Enjoy the weekend with the family!
~ Deirdre (mom to O & C)
Friday January 31st
Jiggy Tots at Epiphany NY Public Library (Kips Bay)
Friday January 31st 11a. Free. Jiggy Tots® is an Irish pre-dance and movement class. Each session works on building strength, developing gross motor skills, coordination, body awareness, and movement creativity through dance and educational games, utilizing counting and colors, and sometimes including a few words in Irish language! Upbeat traditional Irish songs, combined with clapping, stamping, and shakers, are used to explore rhythm. Best for children ages 0-5 years with parent/caregiver. No registration required. Presented by Urban Stages.
Family Movie: Ralph Breaks the Internet at Brooklyn Heights Public Library
Friday January 31st 330-5p. Free. Come to the library for a movie to start the weekend off right! About the film: “Video game villain Wreck-It-Ralph must brave the Internet to help Vanellope fix her game Sugar Rush.” Rated PG.
Movie Night & Global Bites at One World Project (Windsor Terrace)
Friday January 31st 6-730p. Suggested donation is $25 per family. All proceeds benefit One World Project’s scholarship fund. Come in your PJs and enjoy the movie Happy Feet (Rompiendo el Hielo) with your family! We will provide snacks and popcorn!
Thunderbird American Indian Dancers Concert at Theater for the New City
Fridays 8p, Saturdays 3p & 8p & Sundays 3p until February 2nd. Tickets: $15 general admission. Matinees are kids’ days: when children aged five to twelve accompanied by a ticket-bearing adult are admitted for $1.00 (adults $15). At the conclusion of these matinées, young audience members are welcome to the stage to be photographed with the dancers. Theater for the New City, 155 First Avenue, will present its 45th annual Thunderbird American Dancers Dance Concert and Pow Wow from January 24 to February 2, 2020. There will be dances, stories and traditional music from Native Peoples of the Northeast, Southwest and Great Plains regions. The event has become a treasured New York tradition for celebrating our diversity by honoring the culture of our first Americans.
See all the Friday events here.
Saturday February 1st
Winter Jam NYC in Central Park
Saturday February 1st 11a-3p. Free. Location: Rumsey Playfield. Rain, snow or shine. Presented by NYC Parks, the Olympic Regional Development Authority, I Love NY, and I Ski NY, Winter Jam is a free winter sports festival for New Yorkers of all ages! Our partners at Gore Mountain will blow a mini-mountain of snow in the heart of Manhattan, creating an urban wonderland for all to enjoy! See the website for all event details.
Oran Etkin: Timbalooloo Jazz For Kids Duo Series at National Sawdust (Williamsburg)
Saturday February 1st 11a. Advance tickets: $20/adults, $5/kids. In Timbalooloo, instruments come to life and speak through their music, encouraging children to conceive of playing music as performing the magical act of making their instrument talk! The Timbalooloo Monthly Duo Series at National Sawdust features Oran Etkin with his sidekick Clara Net (Etkin’s clarinet) meeting a new instrument friend from around the world each month. The concerts are highly interactive — children will be singing along, drumming, and learning new dances as they become friends with Clara Net and her instrument friends from around the world, excited and empowered to create music themselves. This month Clara meets Kora, a West African harp played by Yacouba Sissoko.
Brooklyn Book Bodega at Ingersoll Community Center (Fort Greene)
Saturday February 1st 12n-3p. Free. Brooklyn Book Bodega’s mission is to increase the number of 100+ book homes in Brooklyn, with the belief that every child deserves to own the books that they want to read and enjoy. Bring any children’s books to this FREE swap to pass along to someone else. You can take books from the bodega without giving.There will also be free readings and activities for kids with authors and illustrators.
Family Day: Moon Over Manhattan! at Asia Society (UES)
Saturday February 1st 1-5p. Tickets: $5 students, seniors, children; $7 members; $12 nonmembers. Friends and Family members FREE: Please call 212.327.9338 for Friends and Family Member tickets. Celebrate the Year of the Rat! Asia Society rings in the Year of the Rat with performances and traditional craft activities inspired by Lunar New Year traditions across Asia. Activities will include a Lion Dance and kung fu demonstration, musical performances, and more. See the website for the schedule of events.
Lunar New Year at Brookfield Place (Battery Park City)
Saturday February 1st 2-315p. Free. Ring in the Lunar New Year with a family-friendly performance presented by Arts Brookfield in partnership with the New York Chinese Cultural Center. A dynamic Lion Parade led by lion dancers launches an afternoon filled with bursts of energy and color with traditional Chinese dance and music, a martial arts demonstration, and theatrical players in full traditional make-up and regalia! Please note, seating for this popular performance is first-come, first-served and early arrival is strongly suggested.
See all the Saturday events here.
Sunday February 2nd
Groundhog Day 2020 at Staten Island Zoo
Sunday February 2nd gates open at 630a. Ceremony 7a. Free admission. Chuck predicts 730a! With a prediction success rate of nearly 80% – tops among groundhogs – Chuck will once again astound with both his accuracy and affection.
Little Laffs at the Jalopy Theatre (Carroll Gardens/Red Hook)
Sunday February 2nd 11a. Tickets: $5 Kids, $10 Adults (includes a Bloody Mary or Mimosa), $25 Family. Little Laffs, “Big Fun for Little Ones” is a monthly variety show for kids ages 3-9, that mixes juggling, balloon art, music, comedy, and more. Join us at the Fabulous Jalopy Theatre in Carroll Gardens/Red Hook, Brooklyn for an afternoon full of Little Laffs! Host: Twistin’ Todd, Music: The Trummytones and Magic: Miss Donna
Angelina Ballerina The Musical at Soho Playhouse
Sundays 11a until May 17th (none on 3/15, 3/22 & 4/19). Tickets start at $25. In Angelina Ballerina The Musical, Angelina and her friends, Alice, Gracie, AZ, Viki and even their teacher, Ms. Mimi, are all aflutter because a special guest is coming to visit Camembert Academy! Angelina and her friends will perform all types of dance, including hip-hop, modern dance, the Irish jig and of course, ballet and they are excited to show off their skills to their famous visitor. Angelina is the most excited of all, but will she get the starring moment she hopes for? Based on the CG-animated series, “Angelina Ballerina The Next Steps,” Angelina Ballerina The Musical is a family-friendly show that will have the entire audience dancing in the aisles. The performance runs 1 hour.
Chinese New Year Family Festival at China Institute (Financial District)
Sunday February 2nd 12n-4p. Free admission. Workshop tickets $20 adults, $5 kids. See website for event schedule & tickets. Kick off the Year of the Rat with China Institute’s signature Lunar New Year Celebration for families. The festival opens with a lion dance followed by New Year-themed workshops and activities including dumpling making, lantern-making, educational workshops, interactive storytelling, paper cutting, New Year treats, crafts, and a special Year of the Rat puppet show by Chinese Theatre Works. Attendees can also visit the “The Art of Chinese New Year,” an interactive installation celebrating the Chinese New Year holiday and its traditional visual and performance arts.
The Little Orchestra Society at Brooklyn Children’s Museum (Crown Heights)
Sunday February 2nd 4p & 5p and also March 8th. Pay as you wish hours on Sundays from 4-7p. 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.
See all the Sunday events here.
All Weekend
Show Up, Kids! at Kraine Theater (East Village) [sponsored]
Ongoing Saturdays-Sundays at 1130a until February 9th. All tickets $15. Following capacity crowds and rave reviews from NYC to Hollywood, Peter Michael Marino’s “Show Up, Kids!” returns to The Kraine Theater for nine performances from January 18-February 9. This interactive, semi-improvised family show for kids 3-10 years old puts a wildly comedic, theatrical twist on the traditional kids’ show. When the main attraction doesn’t show up, Pete enlists the help of the kids to provide prompts and control everything from plot to props, characters to costumes, and settings to sound in a one-of-a-kind, 55-minute laughfest.
BAMkids Film Festival 2020 (Fort Greene)
Saturday-Sunday February 1st-2nd various times. For ages 3-9+. Tickets: $15 general admission, $10 child/senior. In association with Northwest Film Forum, Melbourne International Animation Festival, Cinekid, and Eye International. Laugh, dream, and delight in the best new live action and animated shorts from every corner of the globe. The beloved annual BAMkids Film Festival presents 87 films from 30 countries, plus live performances, hands-on activities, and more! See the website for film information.
LC Kids: SUDS at Clark Studio Theater (UWS)
Saturdays & Sundays 11a & 2p until February 9th. Tickets: $25. Recommended for Ages 5-8. All are welcome at this immersive, multisensory theatrical experience that takes the seemingly mundane task of going to the laundromat and transforms it into an exhilarating adventure filled with water, soap, and bubbles. Along the way they’ll meet an engaging cast of characters, including a dancing sweatshirt and a laundry monster—who is actually very nice! SUDS is specially created for children with autism and other developmental disabilities. Adventure Guides are paired with audience members to tailor the production to their unique needs and interests.
Lunar Zoo Year – Year of the Rat in Prospect Park Zoo
Saturdays-Sundays 10a-4p in February. Free with Zoo admission. Visit Prospect Park Zoo on February weekends to celebrate the festival of the new moon and animals of the Chinese Zodiac. Meet one of the tiniest rodents in the world, the Eurasian Harvest Mouse and learn how the Wildlife Conservation Society is helping animals in China and Southeast Asia. Special activities and a zodiac scavenger hunt will all be a part of the fun.
Alice in Wonderland at Puppetworks (Park Slope)
Saturdays-Sundays 1230p & 230p until April 5th. For 3y+. Admission for a Child is $10, an Adult $11. No credit cards accepted. Reservations are suggested: 718-965-3391 (current day or advance reservations) or e-mail us: puppetworks@twcmetrobiz.com (NO same day e-mail reservations). Lewis Carroll’s English Adventure with an original song score. Adapted for Marionettes by Nicolas Coppola & Adam Kilgour.
Yeti, Set, Snow! at Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre (Central Park)
Fridays 1030a & 1130a, Saturday-Sundays 11a & 1p and additional performance 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.
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!
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.
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.
Film Forum Jr. Matinee at the Film Forum (Lower East Side)
Saturdays-Sundays at 11a until March 15th. ALL TICKETS $9. Advance tickets on sale at the box office and online. Most programs appropriate for ages 5 and up. Classics For Kids and Their Families! February 1st-2nd THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN