Nestled under the Brooklyn Bridge, this 85-acre waterfront park is quite busy over the summer. Poised for access to the East River, it’s a great spot to stay cool during the hotter months and wile away long, school-less days. New, permanent additions to Brooklyn Bridge Park increase their range of recreational offerings, while both long-standing and recently developed family programs keep the summer months engaging and informative. One of the best parts? Almost everything—including special events, kids activities, and educational programs—is free (which should be more than enough incentive to drag yourself out of that air-conditioned apartment).
New additions to the park
A couple of weeks ago, on May 22, Brooklyn Bridge Park opened up two great additions to their location: Pier 2 and Pier 4 Beach.
Pier 2 offers a ton in terms of recreational activities. Its 5-acre area is filled with basketball, handball, bocce, and shuffleboard courts. Fitness equipment, play turf, and swing sets will keep little ones busy all morning until a leisurely lunch break at the pier’s picnic tables. In late June, the offered activities will expand with the opening of Pier 2’s roller rink, which will feature roller and in-line skating, roller hockey, roller derby, and skating sessions.
Where Pier 2 is active, the Pier 4 Beach has been constructed as a more relaxing environment. With the addition of the 11,000-sq. ft. sand beach, a boat ramp, and the first pre-cast tide pools in the United States, the area is a great place to enjoy non-motorized boating and children’s educational programs on living organisms and marine life. Currently inaccessible, the remnants of a railroad float transfer bridge is in the process of being transformed into a nature sanctuary called Bird’s Island.
Kayaking
One of the things that makes Brooklyn Bridge Park unique is its accessibility to the East River. For older kids, that means fun boating excursions like kayaking at Pier 2! From June 7th to August 30th, the park, in partnership with Brooklyn Bridge Boathouse, is offering kayaking sessions on Thursdays and Saturdays . Kids ages 14-17 are able to kayak by themselves with a signed waiver from a parent or guardian, but any child under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult. These free programs are walk-up and open to the public, so get there early!
Pier Kids
Pier Kids is a great summer series for younger children (ages 2-8). This new programming, which occurs every Sunday from June throughout August at Pier 6, covers art, dance, music, and more! Though the activities and special guests vary week to week, the free family celebration regularly includes a pop-up reading room and children’s art activities at noon.
For example, the next few lineups include Oliver Jeffers, a painter and illustrator for The Hueys books and the New York Times bestseller The Day the Crayons Quit on June 8th. The week after that, on June 15th, Pier Kids will be a fun block party in conjunction with the Brooklyn Children’s Museum, which will teach kids all about health with the larger-than-life Stuffee puppet.
SyFy Movies With a View
Starting in July, another summer series at Brooklyn Bridge Park will kick off. These free SyFy movie screenings, which take place outdoors at Pier 1 with a scenic backdrop of the Manhattan skyline, could be a fun night for the whole family. The movies start at sundown with a DJ playing music and a few video shorts beforehand, and the age range for attendees varies from film to film. All movies this summer are based on an animals theme, and some, like Fantastic Mr. Fox, will be great for kids, while others, like Sharknado, are for older audiences only.
Barolosolo Cirkus
Circus fans should get excited for Barosolo Cirkus, a special event at the park that’s all about family fun. Performed in association with SummerStage Kids and by the Barolosolo Cirkus Company from France, this show will be a stellar combination of comedy, modern theater, poetry, music, and more! The circus will occur Saturday, June 21 and Sunday, June 22 at both 3pm and 7pm.
Bonus Tip: Jane’s Carousel, an antique carousel that was built in 1922, is open every day but Thursday this summer from 11am-7pm. Designed by Pritzker-prize winning architect Jean Nouvel and housed in a gorgeous glass structure, the carousel contains three rows of handcrafted horses and two exquisite chariots. Tickets for a ride on the beautiful structure are $2 each.
