Just Puttin’ Around

The pressure’s mounting. Everybody’s staring. You take a deep breath. Block out the spectators and the distractions. You strike the ball with care and precision, following through to give it pace. You’re sure it’s going in. And then…the ball crashes into the windmill.

Even if your experience on the putt-putt course isn’t quite so dramatic, a tour through the holes always makes for some good family fun. Whether your crew is super competitive and playing for bragging rights, or just working up an appetite before a few scoops, we’ve got your guide to the city’s top greens.

PUTT-PUTT PARTY

Blue river, green course—what more could you ask for? Pier 25 at Hudson River Park offers a nicely landscaped course open for late afternoon and nighttime golfing during the week and all day on weekends. (North Moore Street and West Street, pier25.com)

Up for a challenge? Pick one of the two 18-hole courses at Randall’s Island Golf Center. These courses are perfect for families that are a little more serious but still looking to have fun. (1 Randall’s Island, 212-427-5689, randallsislandgolfcenter.com)

Weave around the waterfalls and streams at Flushing Meadows Golf Center’s low-key mini golf course. Each of the 18 holes has a par of 2 or 3 and is great for young kids, especially at night when the course is fully lit. (100 Flushing Meadows Park, Queens, 718-271-8182, golfnyc.com)

Unwind from an intense day of scientific exploration and see if you can outwit gravity on the loop-de-loops of the Rocket Park Mini Golf’s 10-hole course at the New York Hall of Science. (47-01 111^th Street, Queens, 718-699-0005, nysci.org)

A trip to Staten Island Go-Karts will feel like a full-throttle adventure as you cross bridges, hike up hills and navigate sand traps along the 18-hole course. (215 Schmidts Lane, 718-982-5576, sigokarts.com)

The free Figment 2012 MiniGolf Course at Governors Island gives players an arcade-themed treat at each hole—all of which boast funky and innovative designs by artists. (Governors Island, 212-440-2200, newyork.figmentproject.org)

The Brooklyn Golf Center expanded its options last summer to include an 18-hole mini golf course, with welcoming landscaping and a driving range for ambitious putt-putters to get some practice hits. (3200 Flatbush Avenue, 718-253-6816, brooklyngolfcenter.com)

BEYOND KIDDIE CLUBS

Forget the windmills—for families interested in arcing their golf game to the next level, The Golf Club at Chelsea Piers offers camps, lessons and driving ranges for all ages and ability levels. (Pier 59, 23^rd Street and Hudson River Park, 212-336-6400,
chelseapiers.com)

Perfect your swing at the CityParks Junior Golf Center in Brooklyn, a new state-of-the-art facility that offers free golf instruction to city kids between the ages of 7 and 17. (7^thAvenue & 86^th Streeet, 718-259-2999, cityparksfoundation.org)

For other green venues to maximize those golf swings, click here.

Super Soccer Stars

Soccer Stars is New York&rsquo;s most popular youth educational soccer program! With 24 years of experience under our cleats, we have positively impacted over one million kids in our local community by putting the FUN in FUNdamentals in our weekly classes and camps. At Soccer Stars, we use the soccer ball as a vehicle to help children not only improve their soccer skills, but develop self-confidence and physical literacy, improve gross motor skills, build teamwork, and hone socialization skills. Our highly trained coaches and early childhood experts lead an age-specific curriculum with a low kid-to-coach ratio so every child gets individual attention and can grow at their own pace. Kids ages 1-12+ can join our seasonal programs, including Parent &amp; Me, FUNdamentals, Development Training, and Travel Soccer. Join us at one of over 80 locations in neighborhoods across across Westchester County, Connecticut and New York, available 7 days-a-week: Connecticut: <ul> <li>Cos Cob</li> <li>Greenwich</li> <li>Port Chester</li> </ul> &nbsp; Westchester: <ul> <li>Briarcliff</li> <li>Eastchester</li> <li>Mt. Kisco</li> <li>New Rochelle</li> <li>Ridgefield</li> <li>Scarsdale</li> <li>White Plains</li> </ul> &nbsp; New York City: <ul> <li>Bronx</li> <li>Inwood</li> <li>Upper West Side</li> <li>Upper East Side</li> </ul> &nbsp; Can&rsquo;t find a class or location that fits your schedule? Soccer Stars also offers private classes for small groups or individual training. Let our coaches come to you with a completely customizable program, anytime, anywhere. Birthday parties are also available!&nbsp;

Atlantic Acting School

Looking for a fun and exciting theater program for kids and teens? Join us at the Atlantic. Our programs are intense, exciting and fun!

New York Society of Play Summer Camp and Classes

Summer Game Camp There are many who do not feel safe sending their children back out into the world with summer camp, this year. To serve those parents and keep the children connected and stimulated during this challenging time, we are offering NYSP Digital Summer Camp. The name of the game with NYSP Summer Camp is community. We have made a large effort to make our camp feel like a living space, with features including &ndash; - Role-Playing games familiar and new, led by our master storytellers! - Enriching electives such as Chess, World Building, Character Acting, Crafts, Drawing, and more! - Discussion and media screening rooms during lunch! - A digital campus! - Moderated chat hours! &nbsp; Join us for a summer of games, friends, and more! Mon - Fri 10am - 2:30pm &nbsp; Roleplay Expeditions: Dungeons &amp; Dragons No experience is required to join one of our Dungeons &amp; Dragons games. Our game masters have pre-made character sheets, so you'll be able to start playing the game right away! We adapt the rules of traditional Dungeons &amp; Dragons to make them more approachable to children of various ages. Battle in dungeons, search for relics, and make new friends in our one-of-a-kind Dungeons &amp; Dragons workshop!&nbsp; &nbsp; Public games meet once per week, with different groups every time. Private games meet 1 to 2 times per week with the same group of kids. Since the players and the storyteller in the group are consistent, this enables us to tell epic tales of adventure together! &nbsp; Dungeons &amp; Dragons Junior No experience is required to join one of our drop-in Dungeons &amp; Dragons games. Our Dungeons &amp; Dragons Jr. game provides a D&amp;D storytelling experience without character sheets. Battle in dungeons, search for relics, and make new friends in our one-of-a-kind Dungeons &amp; Dragons workshop! A great way to introduce young children to D&amp;D so they can eventually move onto the main game.