Hi everyone! The first weekend of November is almost here and the weather is spectacular so go have fun!
This weekend check out an Autumn Dance Celebration at Queens County Farm Museum, Flushing Town Hall at Home: Diwali Festival, The Jewish Museum Family Concert: Aaron Nigel Smith, Discovery Hike: Hidden Habitats in Clove Lakes Park, Corn Husk Dolls at Greenbelt Nature Center, Reading into History @ Home: “In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse” with NY Historical Society, Coastal Exploration Hike in Rockaway Beach, Story Play: Mindful Little Movers, “MOCACreate @Home: Neighborhood Sounds” with the Museum of Chinese in America, Jumpin’ Jams Online Music Class, Mandarin Storytime with Miss Lina and a Pumpkin Smash in Hudson River Park.
Also check out the Inside Exhibits at Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Jack & the Beanstalk at Puppetworks, the Spineless Exhibit at The New York Aquarium, The Nature of Color Exhibit at American Museum of Natural History and Ice Skating at Winter Village in Bryant Park.
These are just some of the weekend events so check the calendar to see everything going on. Also like us on Facebook for last minute events and updates.
Enjoy the weekend & the weather!
~ Deirdre (mom to O & C)
Friday November 6th
Jumpin’ Jams Online Music Class
Fridays 9-945a until December 18th (none 11/27). $18/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! Register here. 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!
“MOCACreate @Home: Neighborhood Sounds” with the Museum of Chinese in America
Friday November 6th 10-1045a. Free. RSVP here. Did you hear that? That’s the sound of a broom sweeping, a dog barking, and a basketball bouncing, all mixed together. What are the sounds of your neighborhood? Join us for art making inspired by the soundscapes of our streets and homes. See the website for the list of materials.
Mandarin Storytime with Miss Lina
Fridays 1-130p until December 18th. Free. Join Miss Lina from the Borough Park branch library for traditional and modern stories for little ones in Mandarin Chinese. Link to the Borough Park Library Facebook Page.
See all the Friday events here.
Saturday November 7th
Story Play: Mindful Little Movers
Saturday November 7th 10-1045a. Free. RSVP here. Geared towards children in grades K-3. You are invited to join Shenaaz of Little Feet Wise Heart yoga in collaboration with the Brooklyn Public Library for a program that pairs Storytime books with yoga poses and breath work to open the minds and hearts of young readers and movers. We’ll read a variety of stories and move our bodies. We’ll learn how our breath connects with sound to expand minds and open hearts, familiarizing kids to the world around them. Registration ensures a Zoom link is emailed to you the morning of the program.
Discovery Hike: Hidden Habitats in Clove Lakes Park (Staten Island)
Saturday November 7th 11a-12n. Free. Be an explorer with the Urban Park Rangers as we venture into habitats that exist in New York City Parks! Explore the life that moves all around you in the soil, under logs, and other places you never thought to look. See the website for the COVID-19 protocols.
Hudson River Park Pumpkin Smash
Saturday November 7th 11a-3p with timed entry. Free. Get tickets here. Chelsea Waterside Park. Hudson River Park’s family-favorite, Pumpkin Smash, is back for an in-person day of fun. Bring your jack-o-lantern or un-carved pumpkins to HRPK’s Chelsea Waterside and crush, smash and smush them into compost to help keep our Park beautiful, green and growing. Due to Covid-19 safety precautions, this event requires pre-registration, with timed entry. One (FREE) ticket is for one household, of up to five people. Groups are asked to bring their own pumpkins, as well as safety goggles, if you have them at home! Each group will have 15 minutes of smashing good fun!
Flushing Town Hall at HOME: Diwali Festival
Saturday November 7th 7-830p. Streaming on Zoom. RSVP here. On Saturday, November 7, Flushing Town Hall will celebrate the Festival of Lights with its sixth annual Diwali Festival–reimagined as a FREE virtual event. Our virtual celebration mixes live and pre-recorded content and opens with footage of a home traditionally decorated for Diwali and an explanation of the holiday and traditional foods. Nupur Arora, owner of Queens Curry Kitchen. will then demonstrate mouth-watering authentic Indian dishes with ingredients that you can find at your local grocer, including Aloo Gobhi (spiced potato and cauliflower), tikka Masala sauce for chicken or tofu, and Ginger chai tea. Then move the furniture and get ready to move as master Indian dancer Abha B. Roy and the Srijan Dance Center shows you traditional, folk and Bollywood dance moves. This is followed by, a three-minute, fun-filled set with Rutgers Tamasha performing a choreographed piece entitled “Riot Maari,” blending a variety of dance forms starting with hip-hop, transitioning to their roots of traditional Bollywood dance, and then ending with classical Southie moves! The piece has been choreographed by Bhaavi Patel and Aarushi Bhardwaj. Now that you are energized, keep moving as DJ Rekha spins the music for a 30 minute Bhangra dance party.
See all the Saturday events here.
Sunday November 8th
The Jewish Museum Family Concert: Aaron Nigel Smith
Sunday November 8th 10-1045a. This performance is Free with RSVP, one ticket per household. YouTube link sent with RSVP email confirmation. RSVP here. Dance to the award-winning reggae rhythms of Portland-based musician Aaron Nigel Smith as he shares a high energy concert inviting families to move, shake, and groove together. Hear tunes from his recent album In Our America offering positive messages and inspiration for everyday activism and including favorites of Bob Marley and other original songs which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Reggae Charts. The Museum’s concert is presented in conjunction with the exhibition We Fight to Build a Free World: An Exhibition by Jonathan Horowitz. See the materials list on the website.
Corn Husk Dolls at Greenbelt Nature Center (Staten Island)
Sunday November 8th 10a-12n. Free (donations accepted). Register here. Best for ages 6+. Harvest season is upon us, and we’re sure to start seeing the beautiful decorations and crafts that are made from nature that always remind us of fall. You can even create some yourself, like the quintessential Corn Husk Doll, and we’ll show you how! During this Autumnal craft program, you will learn some of their history and symbolism of the Corn Husk Dolls – who made them, when, why, and how? You will take part in a socially-distanced craft activity to create your very own Corn Husk Doll, with the live instruction of an Environmental Educator. All materials will be provided, and you can take your doll with you to decorate your home. This program will take place outdoors.
Coastal Exploration Hike in Rockaway Beach
Sunday November 8th 1-2p. Free. Location: Beach 86th Street. Join the Urban Park Rangers on Rockaway Beach to explore the ecological diversity of our coastal shorelines. You never know what you may observe on this exploration of clues left behind by some of the species that call this area their home. See the website for the COVID-19 protocols.
Reading into History @ Home: “In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse” with NY Historical Society
Sunday November 8th 2-3p. Our suggested program fee is $10 per family unit. Register here. For ages 9-12y. Celebrate Native American Heritage Month and join us via Zoom to discuss In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse. In Joseph M. Marshall III’s powerful story, we follow Jimmy McClean, a Lakota boy who embarks on a road trip with his grandfather that follows in the footsteps of Crazy Horse. Join Jimmy in his quest to learn more about Lakota tradition, history, and his own personal heritage. Dive deeper through observation and discussion of relevant primary sources from the New-York Historical collection. Note: New-York Historical is now open to visitors. The DiMenna Children’s History Museum remains temporarily closed.
See all the Sunday events here.
All Weekend
Autumn Dance Celebration at Queens County Farm Museum
Saturday-Sunday November 7th-8th timed tickets 12n-130p & 230-4p. Advance Tickets Only: $15; $10 (ages 4-11). Purchase tickets here. Celebrate American Indian Culture through music and dance! Autumn Dance Celebration showcases over twenty different Native American dances over two days outdoors in front of a socially distanced audience. Eight Indian Nations will be represented including Hopi, Winnebago, Lenape, Choctaw, Mayan, Seneca, Santo Domingo and Chickahomin. This event also features a market of authentic Native American art, jewelry, ceramics, textiles, and food. The audience is encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs and picnic blankets, as seating will not be provided. In autumn, the bountiful summer harvest is celebrated and thanks is given through song and dance, reflecting a reverence and appreciation for the wonderful things we find in nature. Planning Your Visit: 12n & 230p dance program each day repeats. Saturday’s dance program is different from Sunday.
Indoor Exhibits Open at Brooklyn Children’s Museum (Crown Heights)
Museum hours Saturdays-Sundays 10a-7p. Museum admission: $13 per person (children under 1 free). BCM is delighted to have the indoor exhibits open. Make sure you don’t miss a minute of fun by ordering your tickets online in advance and reserving a timed ticket. There are two types of tickets to BCM: Play Session tickets and ColorLab Session tickets. Play Sessions are Saturdays & Sundays at 10a, 1230p, 3p or 5p (90-minute session). Come play in our exhibits! BCM favorite exhibits including Totally Tots, World Brooklyn, Neighborhood Nature, Collections Central and The Nest are open for exploration. For more information on BCM’s exhibits, check out our Permanent Exhibits page. Artmaking in ColorLab are Saturdays & Sundays at 1030a, 130p & 330p. Every weekend, BCM hosts artmaking workshops featuring a muse artist and family art projects inspired by their work. Families attending the 1030a & 1p ColorLab sessions may come up to 30 minutes in advance to play in BCM’s exhibits, and visitors attending the 3p session may stay up to 30 minutes after their workshop. Space is limited to ensure that families can spread out in our art studio. See our ColorLab page for more information on art workshops. Masks required. See website for all the details.
Ice Skating at Winter Village in Bryant Park
Skating hours daily 8a-10p until March 7th. Admission is free. Skating rental vary by day. Reservations must be made in advance. See website for all the information on skating & the shops. Bryant Park is Manhattan’s winter wonderland. Enjoy New York City’s only free admission ice skating rink, the Holiday Shops, and rinkside eats and drinks at The Lodge Deck.
Jack & the Beanstalk at Puppetworks (Park Slope)
Ongoing Wednesdays-Fridays at 4p and Saturdays-Sundays at 1230p & 230p until December 23rd. Tickets: Children $10 each, Adults $11 each (suggested for ages 3 and up). Jack & the Beanstalk with an original song score adapted for Marionettes by Nicolas Coppola. Call for Reservations: 718-965-3391 or e-mail to: puppetworksinfo@gmail.com NO Same Day e-mail reservations please. Performances are @ 25% Capacity, Masks Required.
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.
Spineless Exhibit at The New York Aquarium (Coney Island)
Daily 10a-330p (park closes 430p) until March 2021. Admission included with ticket. All visitors must reserve a date-specific ticket in advance. Please check Know Before You Go for details. We have great news: The New York Aquarium is reopening on August 27! Buy tickets to see all of your favorite marine animals today and enjoy summer on Coney Island! Explore Spineless, our latest exhibit, and marvel and the jellies, octopus, and more. Come wave hello to Erie the sea lion and Murphy the Harbor Seal. Relax in Ocean Wonders: Sharks! and watch the rays, sharks, and turtles.
The Nature of Color Exhibit at American Museum of Natural History (UWS)
Museum is open Wednesdays-Sundays with timed entry tickets are available 10a-4p (museum closes 530p). Exhibit is open until March 8, 2021. Select a General Admission + One or General Admission + All ticket, choose date and time of entry to the Museum, then select The Nature of Color. Reserve tickets here. Our world is awash in color. Color makes the world feel vibrant and alive. But that’s not all. Color helps us make sense of the world. It contains vast amounts of information—about the natural world, and the human world. Come and explore the world of color in this immersive exhibition.
Children’s Museum of Manhattan at Home
CMOM is now open Wednesday-Sunday 10a-5p. CMOM at Home is still ongoing. Activities are sent in a daily email newsletter. 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. 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.