Hi everyone! I can’t believe how fast this unusual Summer has flown and there are lots of fun things to do this week.
This week check out Art Backpack Family Day at Brooklyn Museum, Animation Block Party 2020!, Wyckoff House Museum: Fiber Crafts & Weaving with Found Materials for Kids, Hudson River Park: Ask a Scientist, Brooklyn Music School: One Crown Heights Virtual Family Nights, Brooklyn Public Library Summer Reading: Folktales from Around the World and Big Jeff, “A Virtual Field Trip to The Jim Henson Exhibition” with the Museum of the Moving Image, Stomp, Clap and Sing with Cara Samantha, the 39th Annual Battery Dance Virtual Festival and Mount Vernon Virtual Museum Storytime: Aquatic Animals.
These are just some of the events this week so check the calendar to see everything going on. Also follow us on our Facebook page for updates.
Stay safe & enjoy the week!
~Deirdre (mom to O & C)
Monday August 17th
Wyckoff House Museum: Fiber Crafts & Weaving with Found Materials for Kids
Mondays 930-1030a until August 24th. Free. Join us for a brief history of traditional textile-making processes from the colonial period. Students will then experiment with different fabrics and found materials for their own woven creations. This program is for children 1st grade & up. Students are welcome to register for multiple sessions to continue working on projects with the instructors and will learn new skills every week. For more information and to register, click here. Students will receive a materials list upon registration.
Summer Reading: Folktales from Around the World
Monday August 17th 2-3p. Free. Every country from Albania to Zaire has it’s own tales – in this program we will hear stories from all over the globe that are filled with wonder and fun! View the broadcast on Zoom at 2 PM. Participants must register in advance. Register here. Registrants will receive an email with a Zoom link 1 hour prior to the start time.
See all the Monday events here.
Tuesday August 18th
Stomp, Clap and Sing with Cara Samantha
Tuesday August 18th 11a-12n. Free. Clap, dance, sing, and party along with Cara Samantha and her magical musicians as they crawl their way into your hearts with a variety of pop, Motown, Disney, and family favorite songs. View the broadcast on her Facebook page at 11a.
Art Backpack Family Day at Brooklyn Museum
Tuesday August 18th 1-6p. Free. Families are invited to pick up their very own art backpack, filled with activities for children up to age 10. Join us in our Steinberg Sculpture Garden (located behind the Museum), and stay for some socially distanced art activities, family-friendly music, and more! All backpacks contain an art kit filled with gem crayons and your choice of an “On-The-Go Coloring Kit” or a “Feel Better Bag,” as well as some suggested activities inspired by the Museum’s collection. One backpack will be distributed per family, or one per child if children are present at pickup. This event will take place outdoors. We’re following procedures and guidelines laid out by the CDC and local health officials, including practicing social distancing for all activities, and masks are required for all adults and children over the age of 2. Indoor restrooms will be available.
See all the Tuesday events here
Wednesday August 19th
Hudson River Park: Ask a Scientist
Wednesday August 19th 2-3p. Free. Tune in live with HRPK’s River Project to enjoy virtual programs and connect with the Park’s Estuarine Sanctuary. Science programming for everyone! Engage with real scientists in real time! Each month, we invite you to explore current park research with a local STEM expert followed by a live Q&A session. Dive into a fascinating science topic each month including fish ecology, marine plastics and diversity & inclusion in STEM. Sign up here.
“A Virtual Field Trip to The Jim Henson Exhibition” with the Museum of the Moving Image
Wednesday August 19th 4-430p. Free. Director of Curatorial Affairs Barbara Miller will lead an online audience (watching from home) on a live virtual tour, making stops at several sections pertaining to different phases of Jim Henson’s career. These sections include an introduction to Henson, early works, Sesame Street, the Muppets, and his fantasy films and series (The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, and The Fraggles). Advance questions are welcome and will be answered in real time. This is a program for audiences of all ages. Register here.
See all the Wednesday events here.
Thursday August 20th
Summer Reading: Big Jeff
Thursday August 20th 11a-12n. Free. Big Jeff is an award winning children’s singer/ songwriter. Show includes movement, children’s songs, interactive fun, musical story time, and learning through music. View the broadcast on Facebook Live at 11a.
Brooklyn Music School: One Crown Heights Virtual Family Nights
Thursday August 20th 6-8p. Free. Join us on 8/20 and 9/3 from 6pm-8pm for One Crown Heights Virtual Family Nights presented by the Office of Council Member Laurie Cumbo! Jump into the music with an interactive Caribbean Percussion session with Mr. Fitz and much more! See the website for the Zoom information.
See all the Thursday events here.
Friday August 21st
Animation Block Party 2020!
Friday-Sunday August 21-23rd streaming online. Experience the world’s best independent animation as the 17th annual Animation Block Party goes digital. This three-day festival of animated shorts and virtual after-parties includes live animated comedy; films for kids; experimental shorts and music videos; and programs spotlighting East Coast, indie, international, and student filmmakers. All programs are free with a suggested donation to either Black Lives Matter of Greater NY or City Harvest for Covid-19 support. For more on this year’s festival, including the complete lineup, please the Animation Block Party website.
Mount Vernon Virtual Museum Storytime: Aquatic Animals
Friday August 21st 1130a-12n. Free. Join us for a virtual museum storytime. We will read picture books about animals that live in and around water. Bring a brown paper lunch bag and we can make a beaver puppet to help us read one of the stories. Everyone welcome, but designed especially for children 6 and under. For a complete list of craft supplies, email info@mvhm.org. Zoom access information is on the website.
See all the Friday events here.
Daily Events
Brooklyn Public Library Vitural Storytimes
Daily usually at 11a & 2p. Free. Sometimes the storytimes are on the Brooklyn Public Library Family facebook page and other times they are on a specific branch facebook page. See the website for all the details.
The 39th Annual Battery Dance Festival (Virtual)
Ongoing daily 7-8p until Saturday August 22nd. Free online performance online or yourtube. Register for free to receive reminders and bonus content for every day of the Festival here. Or click on a day on the website to register for a specific day. The Battery Dance Festival is New York City’s longest-running free public dance festival. Each year, the Festival draws a combined audience of over 12,000 people. AUG 14 ~ Black Voices in Dance: The 39th Annual Battery Dance Festival opens this year with a celebration of Black Voices in Dance, standing in solidarity with Black Lives Matter. This program features works that explore individuality, community, and the sometimes uneasy relationship between.
Biking, Boating + Splash Pad in Prospect Park
Open daily. Hours: Boating + Biking: daily, 10a- 8p & Splash Pad (water play): daily, 10a-dusk. Splash pad is free see website for biking & boating rates. COVID-19 Update: Please note that starting Saturday, August 1, the LeFrak Center at Lakeside will be open daily for biking, boating and water play, with food and drink available for takeaway from the Bluestone Cafe; roller skating is not offered at this time. Please note that our water play feature, Splash Pad, is not regularly sanitized, and patrons are requested to follow COVID-19 safety guidelines posted on site, including adhering to mask wearing and social distancing protocols.
Creatively Wild Art Studio: Creative Playtime for Toddlers with DM & BLU
Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays 9-945a until August 31st. $20/class (class packages also available). Suitable for Toddlers ages 22 months- 3.5 yrs. Our fun, engaging summer online playtime class for Toddlers is hosted by our very own DM (our creative director /owner) and will include an awesome art project, a story & a sing-song! Brought to you in the comfort of your own home during these challenging times. This is a 45 minute immersive adventure & the perfect way to keep your tiny one engaged & inspired. Art nurtures each child’s development and helps them make creative choices, gain confidence, develop fine motor skills. We will set a cool art project every morning, you will be amazed at what your little one can create! For all online classes you will need to purchase your own Art Supplies. See the website for the details. NOTE: This is an Online Art Class that meets virtually
Free Bike Mornings on Governors Island
Mondays-Fridays 10a-12n. Free. Blazing Saddles offers bikes, surreys, pedal cars, scooters and more for rental. Free Bike Mornings allow visitors to borrow a bike from Blazing Saddles for free for up to one hour every weekday between 10 AM and noon. Come visit Blazing Saddles at the north end of Colonels Row and bike the Island! This year you need a reservation for the ferry. See the website for all the details.
The Hopalong Andrew Show
Tuesdays and Thursdays 10a until August 27th. $10 Suggested Minimum. Back in the saddle! This is the first time I’ve ever tried something like this… a retro-tinged, 1-man variety show from my apartment. Flavorpill Critic’s Pick: “A camp-heavy combination of Mr. Rogers meets Bob Ross… Hopalong Andrew might be just weird enough for folks to tune in.” VENMO @HopalongAndrew (code, if needed, 5283) or PAYPAL hopalongandrew@gmail.com. See the website for all the details.
PJ Library Digital Resources
Monday-Friday storytimes & craft-alongs at 11a, 1p & 4p (eastern) and virtual field trips 12n eastern everyday. See website for details.
Bilingual Birdies Zoom Classes
Tuesdays 5p (Spanish), Wednesdays 11 (Mandarin), Thursdays 11a (Spanish), Fridays 11a (French). Pricing: Weekly: $15 per week of unlimited access to classes, Monthly: $40 per month of unlimited access to classes, Semester: $120 for an entire four months of unlimited access to classes. Experience the bilingual magic from home with virtual classes for kids up to age 6! Learn & practice languages at home through singing, dancing, and puppetry! Interactive 30-minute classes will be held live by our top bilingual teaching musicians who will enchant your child while they increase their vocabulary and celebrate diversity! Sign up and receive a “Mini Birdkit” (fun class materials) in the mail and enjoy unlimited classes in Spanish, French, and Mandarin. See the website here.
Jumpin’ Jams: Summer Online Music Class
Wednesdays-Fridays 945-1030a until August 14th. $17/drop in class. For ages 3m-6y. This is a LIVE online, interactive version of our hoppin’ music classes! You can login thru Zoom (we’ll send you the link, once registered) and join the fun! We will go on a musical train ride, get down and boogie, and check out different instruments while jamming along with fun, age appropriate music. Many of the movement based songs are designed to reinforce early language development and an understanding of the world around them. Come jam with us! Register here for Wednesdays, here for Thursdays & here for Fridays. See the website for information on classes on other days/times.
Children’s Museum of Manhattan at Home
Activities in a daily email newsletter. Free. While the Museum is closed, our CMOM educators are still working to fill your child’s day with engaging interactive activity. CMOM can still be a part of your day through videos, sing-a-longs, games and so much more for you to do together with your family at home! Sign up for emails here (go all the way down the page on the right hand side for email sign up). From slime-making, dance parties and being transported to Japan with a recipe for sushi, to making animal puppets from recycled materials around the house, creating a bedtime routine and storytimes, “CMOM at Home” is sure to delight. Each day of the week will feature a different theme: Magical Monday, Move & Grove Tuesday, Our World Wednesday, Artsy Thursday, Feel Good Friday, Storytime Saturday and Surprise Sunday.