Events: Top Kid-Friendly Activities For The Week

Culinary Kids Weekend will take place this weekend at the New York Botanical Garden! Photo via nybg.org.

Frigid February is in full swing, but we have a few days of semi-decent temps coming our way so get on out there and check out some of our wildly entertaining events. We have some awesome choices for you and your family including Sesame Street Live, a culinary weekend for kids, a kids’ music concert, a Himalayan new year celebration and a birthday commemoration for our first commander-in-chief. Happy Monday!

Beginning Thursday, February 16

Sesame Street Live: “Make a New Friend”
The Theater at Madison Square Garden
Various times
Sesame Street is coming to the Big Apple to perform the original show, “Make a New Friend.” Sing along with Elmo, Big Bird, and Cookie Monster as they celebrate the theme of friendship! Runs through Sunday, February 26. Tickets start at $15.

Beginning Saturday, February 18

Culinary Kids Weekend
New York Botanical Garden
11am-3pm
Satisfy your hunger for farm-to-table cooking during Culinary Kids Weekend at the New York Botanical Garden. Kids of all ages are welcome to watch cooking demos led by the Family Garden staff, participate in activity stations and cooking workshops, and don a chef’s jacket in the Kids’ Kitchen Corner playspace. Chefs scheduled to appear include Jonah Miller and Michelle Warner. Runs through Monday, February 20. Free with an All-Garden Pass.

Saturday, February 18

Elizabeth Mitchell and You Are My Flower
Symphony Space
11am
Guitarist and folk-rocker Elizabeth Mitchell and her family band create gentle, heartfelt music that transfixes audiences of all ages with homespun renditions of great songs by musical greats Woody Guthrie, Bob Marley, The Velvet Underground, Vashti Bunyan, Gillian Welch and more. Tickets are $17.

Baby Got Bach

92Y

10am

Music is an important part of early education and 92Y is offering a chance for kids to interactively learn something about the old time classics. The musical night starts with the Back Stage Up Front, allowing kids to get hands-on experiences with musical instruments and play together on percussion instruments at a Jam Session. World class musicians led by pianist Orili Shaham will take the stage and deliver the Main Stage Concert, giving the audience a great listening tour of the fantastic live music.

Sunday, February 19

Losar Family Day
The Rubin Museum
12-4pm
Come to the Rubin Museum for an afternoon of arts, crafts, food and music in celebration of Losar, the Himalayan New Year. Watch a master artist create a sand mandala, build colorful butter sculptures, drink Himalayan butter tea, go on a family gallery tour, and enjoy traditional Tibetan music. This event is free.

Washington’s Birthday Ball
Mount Vernon Hotel Museum
1-3pm
Celebrate the birth of our first president as New Yorkers would have during the 19th Century! Head to the Mount Vernon Hotel Museum to learn traditional country dances from costumed performers, toast George Washington, and enjoy historic refreshments. Plus, don’t miss the museum tour or family scavenger hunt! Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children under 12.

Speakitaly NYC

<p>SPEAKITALY NYC offers stimulating and entertaining lessons for children 0 to 16 years through a wide combination of activities based on the communicative approach anchored in the Common European Framework of Reference: active learning (group work, role plays, etc.) and practice exercises aimed to improve listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Kids will start speaking and using Italian in a very natural way.&nbsp; Small classes capped at 6 students to make sure each one gets the needed attention and facilitate learners' progress.&nbsp;</p> <p>Our method is driven by a didactic method that is the result of constant updates, professional certifications and more than 10 years of experience in working with non-native speakers from different native languages and levels of knowledge.</p> <p>Our aim is to develop a range of Italian language skills while improving accuracy that will enable the students and participants to interact without stress or feeling rushed. We want to help those in the community really embrace not only the true culture in Italy but the Italian culture within New York City&hellip; Who doesn&rsquo;t love what Italy represents in the kitchen, in history &amp; in the arts?</p> <p>Speakitaly wants to support multilingual families who want to learn a new language or pass along their ancestor&rsquo;s heritage and culture. Raffaella, the founder said: "We see language awareness and intercultural sensitivity as the milestones for an inclusive society. Italian, like all other languages, is an enrichment and a growth in every way. Vi aspettiamo!"</p>

The Little Gym of Bay Ridge- Bensonhurst

<p><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;" data-sheets-value="{" data-sheets-userformat="{">At The Little Gym of Bay Ridge-Bensonhurt, we specialize in unique, educational classes that revolve around active play. We give children a safe and inspiring space to direct their energy, build confidence, and develop key skills. Explore the range of classes we offer at The Little Gym of Bay Ridge-Bensonhurst to find the one that&rsquo;s just right for your child.&nbsp;</span></p>

Cucu's PlayHouse

<div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">Interactive, live-streaming music and movement class in Spanish for babies, toddlers and preschoolers!<br />Join us every day from Monday through Saturday at 1:30 pm EST to sing, dance and play together while learning Spanish from your home.</div> <div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">&nbsp;</div> <div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">This class is part of a Spanish Immersion Program where your child will be introduced to basic concepts like the animals, colors, numbers and letters. All of these through the universal language of Music. Each session is fun, interactive and engaging.<br />A selection of Children Songs in Spanish guides the class from start to finish. Activities are related to the lyrics, in order to familiarize the children with the words and their meanings. Some of the songs encourage the children to dance. Nilda uses puppets, musical instruments, and props to teach children basic vocabulary through action and interaction, rather than through translation.</div> <div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;"><br />The classes are streamed on Zoom's webinar platform. Participants (children, parents, nannies) are able to join the video from their homes and interact with us in real-time, it is a fun and engaging experience.</div>