Picks Of The Week: June 27-July 4

Looking for some activity
inspiration for the week ahead? Just check out our “Picks of the
Week” blog, in which our listings editor Sandy Krulwich picks her favorite
family events for each day of the week, whether it’s a workshop, special storytime
for kids, or a musical performance. See this week’s picks after the jump. —

Monday, June 27
Children’s Book Launch Party: Carla and Leo’s World of Dance
70
Mercer Street

5-8pm

Come meet the author behind Carla
and Leo, take a dance class, and enjoy other family-friendly activities! RSVP
required to [email protected].

Tuesday, June 28

Billy Kelly and the Blah Blah Blahs Concert at Madison Square Park

10
Madison Avenue

10:30am

Billy Kelly’s upbeat music will put a smile on
even the crankiest child’s face. Enjoy a morning in the park with your little
one!

Wednesday, June 29

Wild Wednesday on the High Line

Chelsea Market Passage, on
the High Line near West 16th Street

4pm

Explore the beautiful park through a wide variety of
nature-based activities. Each week will feature a new theme…this Wednesday?
Ladybug launch! (P.S. Rainbow City,
the High Line’s temporary, inflatable playscape expires soon—so stop on by
while you are already in the area.)

Rooftop-A-Palooza at the JCC
in Manhattan
334 Amsterdam Avenue
at 76^th Street
4-5:15pm

Come grow mini gardens (kids will get seeds to take home) and munch on a
delicious pizza dinner. Rock-a-Baby, Music for Aardvarks and Story Pirates will
be jamming the night away.

Thursday, June 30
Kids in the Square in Union Square Park
Union Square
at 14th Street
Noon

Little Groove will be performing for FREE in the downtown
green space—delight in the educational tunes of Sara Wheeler .

Summer Reading Club
Kick-Off: The Three Billy Goats Not-So Gruff
135 Second Avenue

2pm

Bookish ones under 12 can head to the New York
Public Library and sign up for their summer reading club. Crafts and music
await!

Friday, July 1

Drum Beats and Little Feet at the Rubin Museum

150
West 17th Street

11am

This weekly workshop gives preschoolers the opportunity to
translate visual art into movement and sound.

40^th Annual International African Arts Festival
1360 Fulton St.
10am-9pm

Head downtown (all weekend long!) as the IAAF turns 40. Over 75,000 are
expected to show for this cultural celebration of the African diaspora—complete
with over 100 vendors, a winding marketplace and a fresh line-up of
entertainment.

Saturday, July 2
Flaubert
Frog & Friends in Bryant Park
Between 5th & 6th Avenues, West 40 & West 42 Street
1pm – 2pm

Join Flaubert Frog at the Carousel each Saturday this summer
for games and stories, followed by a craft. Ribbet!

Sunday, July 3
SummerStage’s Bronx Family Day At St. Mary’s Park
649 Westchester Avenue
3pm

SummerStage Kids moves to the Bronx
this holiday weekend! Don’t miss out on a day of Latin-infused music where Moona
Luna and Secret Agent 23 Skidoo will be performing. David Gonzalez will be
spinning tales all afternoon. FREE.

Monday, July 4
Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest At Coney Island
1310 Surf Avenue
10am

Celebrate the 4th with that all-American tubular food–the hot dog. Or at least watch eat contest champions from around the world (in the season finale!) compete to see who can eat the most in 10 minutes.

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.

Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum

Looking for something to do with the kids in New York City that is fun, exciting, and educational? The Intrepid Museum offers family-friendly activities and programs all year long that keep children engaged, entertained, and curious about history and science. Fun rain or shine, the Museum offers both indoor and outdoor interactive exhibits and activities. With so many things to do and see, you&rsquo;ll never hear &ldquo;I&rsquo;m bored,&rdquo; when you climb aboard Intrepid. A non-profit, educational institution featuring the legendary aircraft carrier Intrepid, the space shuttle Enterprise, the world&rsquo;s fastest jets and a guided missile submarine.