Hi everyone! It is the last weekend of January and there are lots of events to enjoy with the kids here in NYC!
This weekend check out Park Sustainability Scavenger Hunt in Brooklyn Bridge Park, Birding: Winter Birds in Prospect Park, Archforkids: Make a Cabin in the Woods, Winter Tree ID in McCarren Park, LOS Presents: Life Doesn’t Frighten Me at Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Birding: Winter Waterfowl in Brookville Park, Laurei Berkner Live for CNY Diaper Bank, Historic New York: Central Park, CMA Live: Club CMA with Mackie: Oil Pastels, Riverfront Walk and History in Queensbridge Park and Snowdance! with Brooklyn Public Library.
Don’t forget about running events like Aladdin & the Wonderful Lamp at Puppetworks, Holiday Express: Toys and Trains from the Jerni Collection at New-York Historical Society Museum, Ice Skating at Winter Village in Bryant Park, the Spineless Exhibit at The New York Aquarium and the The Nature of Color Exhibit at American Museum of Natural History.
These are just some of the weekend events so check the calendar so check it to everything going on. Also like us on Facebook for last minute events and updates.
Stay warm and have fun!
~ Deirdre (mom to O & C)
Friday January 29th
CMA Live: Club CMA with Mackie: Oil Pastels (virtual)
Friday January 29th 1-130p. Free with RSVP. RSVP here. For ages 5-7y. CMA Teaching Artist Mackie Saylor leads her popular Club CMA with Mackie class as part of Free Fridays, which provide free access to our most popular CMA Live! classes while amplifying important community topics. Explore the wonderful world of oil pastels! Using flowers and elements of nature as inspiration, artists will learn about color-mixing, lines and shapes, and blending using versatile oil pastels. Don’t have oil pastels at home? You can also use crayons! See the website for all the event details.
Snowdance! with Brooklyn Public Library (virtual)
Friday January 29th 345-445p. Free Registration required. Register here. Hop, holler, sing and sneeze as we celebrate the joys and challenges of the snowy season. Award winning singer-songwriter Erin Lee Kelly is back with her annual singalong-sneeze-along. Featuring songs and stories about skating, sledding, and hand-me-down snowsuits, it’s the best way to stay warm on a winter’s day.
Laurei Berkner Live for CNY Diaper Bank
Friday January 29th 6-645p. $35/per family suggested donation. ALL PROCEEDS will benefit the CNY Diaper Bank’s diaper distribution program. CNY Diaper Bank are absolutely THRILLED to announce renowned children’s musical performer, the ONE and ONLY LAURIE BERKNER will be treating our supporters to a LIVE virtual show, featuring some of her most requested hits! So grab those shakey eggs, a favorite stuffed animal and your dancing shoes (or boots!) and join us for some Friday night family fun for a great cause! Pre-register for the event and you will receive an EXCLUSIVE ACCESS Zoom link that will allow you to livestream the show and give your kiddos the opportunity to interact with Laurie.
See all the Friday events here.
Saturday January 30th
Birding: Winter Birds in Prospect Park
Saturday January 30th 10-11a. Free. Location: The Well House. New York City is home to an amazing abundance of wildlife. From falcons and salamanders to deer and seals, wildlife viewing opportunities exist year-round in all of our parks and beaches. Our Urban Park Rangers will guide you to the best wildlife viewing spots in New York City. Discover the amazing variety of birds that winter here in NYC. Birding programs are appropriate for all skill levels and beginners are welcome. See the website for the Covid-19 protocols.
Historic New York: Central Park
Saturday January 30th 11a-12n. Free. Location: West 72nd and Central Park West. Urban Park Rangers specialize in interpretation of historic turning points, both natural and manmade, in our city’s long history. This program will focus on the history behind New York City’s most iconic urban space: Central Park. See the website for the Covid-19 protocols.
Riverfront Walk and History in Queensbridge Park
Saturday January 30th 12n-1p. Free. Location: 41st Avenue Entrance. Join the Urban Park Rangers for a walk along the East River shore with scenic views of the Manhattan skyline. We will discuss the natural and historical significance of this park. See the website for the Covid-19 protocols.
Archforkids: Make a Cabin in the Woods (virtual)
Saturday January 30th 1-2p. Free. Recommended for ages 6 and up. Build your own Tiny House in the forest. It could be a playhouse, a vacation home or a year-round residence. Gather some simple supplies and build along with ArchForKids. This pre-recorded program will air on the BPL Facebook page and YouTube Channel and remain there for 48 hours, then will be taken down. See the website for the list of materials needed.
See all the Saturday events here.
Sunday January 31st
Park Sustainability Scavenger Hunt in Brooklyn Bridge Park
Sunday January 31st 11a-4p. Free. Advance registration required. Please RSVP here. Registration instructions: Please register only once per family and be sure to answer the registration questions about the number of participants in your family/group. You will receive a confirmation email and closer to the event date a PDF copy of the hunt. This month’s family-friendly scavenger hunt will have you investigating the sustainable design of Brooklyn Bridge Park! You will be challenged to travel through the northern end of the park (from Pier 1 to 99 Plymouth Street), searching for clues and answers to our questions about the park’s incorporation of reused and recycled materials and efforts in conservation and ecological restoration. All are welcome to participate, however this month’s activity is best suited for grades 2 and up. There will be an opportunity to stop by a prize table at the back of the Environmental Education Center and share your completed hunt with the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy!
Winter Tree ID in McCarren Park
Sunday January 31st 11a-12n. Free. Location: Driggs Avenue and Lorimer Street. For this program, we will explore beautiful McCarren Park while learning how to identify trees by the bark, buds, and other distinctive characteristics. Enjoy the subtle beauty of trees in winter. See the website for Covid-19 protocols.
Birding: Winter Waterfowl in Brookville Park
Sunday January 31st 11a-12n. Free. Location: Brookville Boulevard and Caney Road. New York City is home to an amazing abundance of wildlife. From falcons and salamanders to deer and seals, wildlife viewing opportunities exist year-round in all of our parks and beaches. Our Urban Park Rangers will guide you to the best wildlife viewing spots in New York City. Discover the amazing variety of birds that winter here in NYC. Birding programs are appropriate for all skill levels and beginners are welcome. See the website for Covid-19 protocols.
LOS Presents: Life Doesn’t Frighten Me at Brooklyn Children’s Museum (Crown Heights)
Sunday January 31st included with the 3p & 530p Play Session. 530p session is pay as you wish. Purchase tickets here. Experience a musical storytelling of “Life Doesn’t Frighten Me,” a poem by Maya Angelou and illustrated by Jean-Michel Basquiat, performed by The Little Orchestra Society. Angelou’s poem celebrates the courage within each of us, focusing on the power of faith in ourselves to face adversity and fear, while Basquiat’s illustrations reveal the powerful emotions and imaginings of childhood.
See all the Sunday events here.
All Weekend
Aladdin & the Wonderful Lamp at Puppetworks (Park Slope)
Saturdays-Sundays 1230p & 230p ongoing until Sunday March 28th. Tickets: Children $10 each, Adults $11 each (suggested for ages 3 and up). Aladdin & the Wonderful Lamp from “1,001 Arabian Nights”. 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.
Holiday Express: Toys and Trains from the Jerni Collection at New-York Historical Society Museum (UWS)
Ongoing until February 21, 2021. Free with Museum admission. Purchase timed entry tickets here. Hours are Fridays 11a-8p, Saturdays-Sundays 11a-5p. Friday 10-11a is for Members and age 65+ and immunocompromised. A magical wonderland awaits visitors with the return of this holiday tradition. Featuring toy trains, figurines, and miniature models from the renowned Jerni Collection, Holiday Express transports young and old alike to a bygone era. The installation includes a variety of toy train stations dating from the turn of the 19th century to the WWII era, showcasing the evolving designs of American and European toymakers. New to the display this year are Marklin’s Onion Dome Station and Grand Station (1904–08). Visitors are greeted by animations and fun facts about the toys on nearby screens, and kids will be delighted by a specially created bench inspired by a sleigh in New-York Historical’s collection.
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.
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 1230p & 3p. 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.
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 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.
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.
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.