10 Great Events For April

Special Species

Opens April 4 [All Ages] The American Museum of Natural History’s newest exhibit, “Life at the Limits: Stories of Amazing Species,” delves into the variety of amazing superpowers that some animals and plants use to reproduce, find food, and survive. Through featured creatures such as elephant seals, which can hold their breath for up to two hours while diving for food, and lizards that squirt blood from their eyes to ward off predators, as well as live animals on display such as the axolotl—an aquatic salamander that can regenerate limbs—children will be amazed by the powers these crazy critters possess. Free with museum admission, 10am-5:45pm. American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, 212-769-5100, amnh.org

Spread Your Wings

April 7-12 [Ages 5-10] Celebrate spring birds at Wave Hill’s Spring Wings Week, filled with bird-inspired activities and arts and crafts, as well as drop-in science explorations, live bird demonstrations, and family walks. Explore Wave Hill’s woodlands on birding walks with naturalist Gabriel Willow; meet live birds such as the eastern screech owl, the American kestrel, and red-tailed hawk; and delve into owls’ diets at owl pellet dissection workshops. $25 per one child and one adult for art workshops; science drop-in sessions and demos are free with grounds admission; times vary. Wave Hill, West 249th Street, the Bronx, 718-549-3200, wavehill.org

Happily Ever After

April 8-12 [All Ages] Disney Princesses Cinderella, Belle, and Snow White meet Disney favorites Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy in “Three Classic Fairy Tales,” presented by Disney Live! Young audiences will enjoy these humorous tales of adventure as the princesses and heroes conquer evil villains in this adaptation of Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, brought to life with beautiful costumes, magical special effects, and award-winning music. $30-125, show times vary. The Theater at Madison Square Garden, 4 Pennsylvania Plaza, 212-465-6741, theateratmsg.com

Rites of Spring

April 11-12 & April 18-19 [All Ages] Enjoy spring at the Queens County Farm Museum’s Children’s Carnival! Head out to the apple orchard for carnival rides, midway games and prizes, hayrides, and live entertainment. Admission includes unlimited carnival rides! $12 per person (free for members), Saturday and Sundays, 11am-6pm. Queens County Farm Museum, 73-50 Little Neck Parkway, Floral Park, 718-347-3276, queensfarm.org

Good Eggs

April 15-19 [Ages 2-4] “Egg and Spoon,” the UK-based Lyngo Theatre Company’s first show for little ones, doesn’t expect its tiny audience members to sit still. Instead, during this interactive performance they’ll journey through the four seasons. They’ll run through rain and falling leaves, admire glowing stars, sleep on a blanket of snow, and chase butterflies around a blossoming tree as they wait for Birdy to hatch from his egg come spring. $12, show times vary. Fishman Space at BAM Fisher, 321 Ashland Place, Brooklyn, 718-636-4100, bam.org

Take the Stage

April 18 [Ages 7-12] Aspiring actors, singers, and dancers will love Carnegie Hall’s upcoming family concert, “Take the Stage with Broadway Stars.” A cast of Broadway greats, led by Tony Award-winner Jesse Mueller, will teach the audience the music and choreography for Broadway hits such as “Grease,” “The Sound of Music,” “Rent,” “Les Miserables,” “Hairspray,” and “Beautiful: The Carol King Musical.” There may even be a chance for kids and families to join the stars onstage! $10-22, 3pm. Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall, 881 7th Avenue (and 57th Street), 212-247-7800, 
carnegiehall.org

Sunday Funday

April 19 [Ages 0-12] Join hundreds of local families for Sunday Funday at Pier 60 to support and celebrate the Children’s Museum of Manhattan. Dan Zanes and Friends will kick off the party with a live performance, and children will enjoy activities such as obstacle courses, potato sack races, arts and crafts stations, and bouncy castles. For the little ones, there will be baby and toddler play areas and sing-a-longs, in addition to themed workshops for all ages led by Museum educators. Your family won’t want to miss the beloved costume characters, magicians, and face painters. All funds raised will support new exhibits and programs at the museum. $75 per person, 10:30am-2pm. Pier 60 at Chelsea Piers, 23rd Street and West Side Highway, cmom.org/funday

Family Fest

April 25 [All Ages] Celebrate the close of the Tribeca Film Festival at this free family street fair. You’ll have the chance to see special performances from on and off-Broadway shows on the Festival stages, attend free screenings, participate in high-tech activity stations and animation demos in addition to enjoying food and face-painting stations. This year’s schedule is TBA as of press time, but previous years’ highlights have included live chef demos from local restaurants and filmmaking workshops, a bubble garden, and a book fair where young revelers can browse kid-friendly titles and enjoy readings. Free, 10am-6pm. Greenwich Street between Chambers and Hubert Streets, tribecafilm.com

Justin Roberts is Not Ready for Naptime

April 25-26 [Ages 4-7] Two-time Grammy nominees Justin Roberts and the Not Ready for Naptime Players are putting on a special concert experience for audiences at the New Victory Theater this month. “The Mysterious Hat” show will feature new songs for children to jam to in the kiddie mosh pit. On Saturday, there will also be two accompanying 90-minute family songwriting workshops led by New Vic teaching artists, during which young rockers will compose original songs through a series of fun activities. 
Tickets start at $25, 11am & 3pm shows; 12:30pm & 3:30 pm workshops on Saturday, April 25. The New Victory Theater, 209 West 42nd Street, 646-223-3010, newvictory.org

Beautiful Blossoms

April 25-26 [All Ages] Celebrate spring and the blooming 
cherry blossoms at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s sixth annual Sakura Matsuri weekend, a festival of traditional and contemporary Japanese culture. Weekend events will include samurai sword fighting, taiko drumming, tea ceremonies, children’s bonsai workshops, manga drawing, kabuki dance, and more! Free with garden admission, 10am-6pm. Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 150 Eastern Parkway / 990 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn, 718-623-7200, 
bbg.org (Photo by Liz Ligon, Copyright Brooklyn Botanic Garden)