Picks Of The Week: March 14-16

Peace, Love, and Cupcakes The Musical. Photo from peaceloveandcupcakesthemusical.com — “Peace, Love, and Cupcakes The Musical.” Photo from peaceloveandcupcakesthemusical.com

This weekend holds some exciting beginnings, like the Whitney Museum of American Art’s 2014 Biennial Family Programs and
“Peace, Love, and Cupcakes The Musical!” Additionally, a few special performances include a group of adventurers on a silly bear hunt and some exquisite puppetry based on Caldecott Honor books. After all the family performances and activities, check out some great Purim celebrations this Saturday!

Friday, March 14 and Saturday, March 15

2014 Biennial Family Programs
Whitney Museum of American Art
Various dates and times
The Whitney is offering families a few great options over the weekend. On Friday, a Stroller Tour for parents and babies explores some of 2014’s biennial highlights. Saturday, children can enjoy Whitney Wee’s Touchable Textures interactive tour; a Big, Bold Brushstrokes painting workshop, or a Painting and Drawing sketching tour. Various prices

Starting Saturday, March 15
“Peace, Love, and Cupcakes The Musical”
Vital Theatre
Fridays and Saturdays at 7pm
Based on a well-enjoyed chapter book “Peace, Love, and Cupcakes” by Sheryl Berk and 11-year-old daughter Carrie, this musical will be a treat for all family members! Join Kylie, the new girl in school, who wants to sweeten up her image by baking cupcakes. Will popular Meredith succeed in sabotaging Kylie’s party? See the show and find out! $30

Saturday, March 15
“We’re Going on a Bear Hunt”
Symphony Space
11am and 2pm
Looking for a fun-filled family show? “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt” is a silly theatrical event featuring adventurers who sing on their quest through swishy-swashy grass, a splishy-splashy river, oozy squelchy mud, and much more! Children $15, Adults $25

Leo Lionni’s Swimmy, Frederick & Inch by Inch
Tribeca PAC
1:30 pm
Puppet fans will love the innovative storytelling techniques of Leo Lionni’s Swimmy, Frederick & Inch by Inch. A translation of the beloved Caldecott Honor books into theatrical performances, this show tells the tale of Swimmy, a small fish who outsmarts tricky situations; Frederick, a poetic mouse; and an inch worm who has the ability to measure everything. $25

Sunday, March 16
Purim Celebrations
Celebrate Purim with these two family carnivals! There’s no shortage of holiday entertainment with 92Y’s festival including carnival games, a petting zoo, and a magic show. Guests are even encouraged to show up in costume! The JCC in Manhattan is also hosting their own Purim carnival, filled with games, animals, face painting, an obstacle course, and more! The 92Y carnival is from $12, the JCC carnival is free

Adventuring Portal

<a name="m_-1473885667065203258__Hlk72147528"></a>Adventuring Portal runs Dungeons and Dragons (D&amp;D) games for kids.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;We have created a safe online space for tweens and teens to learn and play D&amp;D. Our D&amp;D Summer Camp session are a one-week experience.&nbsp;&nbsp;Monday &ndash; Friday.&nbsp;&nbsp;Each day will be 3 hours of gaming (with 2 breaks build in).&nbsp;&nbsp;15 total gaming hours for $180.&nbsp;&nbsp;If you have played with us before, you are entitled to 10% off.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Need your kids, nieces or nephews, grand kids or neighbor&rsquo;s kids to be occupied for a bit so you can get work done &amp; take care of your to-do list? Maybe your tween or teen is still a bit isolated and craves connection with their peers? Whether your teen/tween has played D&amp;D before or is brand-new to the experience, this safe space brings players together to have fun and solve problems as a team in ways few other online opportunities do. All our games focus on experiential learning.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Our players leave knowing all the basic game play as well as experiencing: teamwork, bravery, compassion, generosity, negotiation, improvisation, gamer etiquette, strategy, critical thinking, problem solving, cartography and probability - all through online D&amp;D adventuring! We are an inclusive organization and welcome gamers who are LGBTQIA+ and those on any spectrum.&nbsp; All girls&rsquo; groups available.&nbsp; I am a parent, a certified elementary school and middle school math teacher and last summer in the midst of the mess started&nbsp;Adventuring Portal, an&nbsp;online Dungeons &amp; Dragons&nbsp;business&nbsp;for kids. There are so many benefits to playing D&amp;D and I hope you will consider us as a great way for your child to safely socialize, grow as people and have a great time.

Manhattan Mandarin

Manhattan Mandarin runs the Mandarin after-school programs at over 40 schools nationwide, including St. Bernard's, Chapin, Allen-Stevenson, and Buckley. Whether in schools, students' homes, in the office, online, or on our beloved China trips, our teachers and tutors have helped hundreds of students of all ages master the Mandarin language on their own unique paths to fluency. Our philosophy has always been to make private lessons and classes perfectly tailored for each individual student. We look forward to working with you. - Jamie Keyte, Founder

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.