Picks of the Week: December 10-16

Happy Hanukkah! In this week’s installment of Picks of the Week, we continue our search for the best holiday events for families. Check out what we’ve found.

All Week

Grand Army Plaza Menorah Lighting
Manhattan’s Grand Army Plaza (5th Avenue at 59th Street)
5:30 pm
The “world’s largest menorah” will be lit every night this week in honor of Hanukkah. The 32-ft tall menorah weighs in at a staggering 2 tons, and the nightly lighting ceremony is free to the public.

Friday, December 14-Sunday, December 16

Peter & the Wolf
The Guggenheim
Various times
The beloved Sergei Prokofiev tale, “Peter & the Wolf,” will be brought to life at the Guggenheim Museum during this 30-minute holiday performance. Fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi will narrate as George Manahan conducts the Juilliard Ensemble. Artist Will Cotton’s sets and artwork, including a gingerbread house interior, will be available for viewing after each performance. Tickets are $30.

Saturday, December 15-Sunday, December 16

Gingerbread Workshops
Various places
Various times
An abundance of workshops dedicated to gingerbread decorating have popped up across the city! There’s something uniquely special about decorating the king of all holiday cookies with your kids, so we’ve compiled a round-up of places offering gingerbread decorating workshops this month. This weekend, Little Collector, The Craft Studio, and Church Street School for Music and Art are hosting their gingerbread decorating classes and Brooklyn’s Dough Re Me Kids is having a Holiday Warmth Workshop, where kids can make their own hot chocolate and marshmallows. To read our complete round-up, 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;

Aviator Sports Summer Day Camp

Aviator Sports Summer Day Camp offers five daily rotating activities such as swimming, ice skating gymnastics, rock climbing, parkour, indoor/outdoor turf, and courts plus more in its ample 175,000 sq. ft. facility and 35-acre outdoor area. Aviator Summer Camp also offers off-site and on-site field trips such as a day at Green Meadows Farm, Launch Trampoline Park, and a Brooklyn Cyclones game. The summer camp runs from 9 am-5 pm with early drop off and late stay available. Bus transportation is also available throughout Brooklyn. Lunch and an afternoon snack are included. Sign up by February 28th to receive up to $300 off camp with early bird discounts.

USC Gymnastics & Baseball Training Facility

We offer sports activities, after school programs, birthday parties &amp; private lessons for kids ages 3&ndash;13 years! Our gymnastics classes are a great way to keep your child active and healthy. We strive to empower and challenge children through the sport of gymnastics.