SEPTEMBER 9
SAVE A LIFE
[All Ages]
Brace yourself for puppy eyes from your little ones at Adoptapalooza, the city’s biggest pet adoption event of the year. Alongside 200+ vaccinated cats and dogs looking for homes, the gathering brings valuable resources to new and seasoned pet owners, featuring training sessions, vendor giveaways, and microchip stations. Don’t miss celebrity animals like Sandy, the canine star of the upcoming Broadway “Annie the Musical” revival, or skateboarding dog Wally.
12-5pm. Union Square Park (north end), 212-252-2350, animalalliancenyc.org
September 15
PRINCESS FOR A DAY
[All Ages]
Every little girl is royalty at Moey’s Back-to-School Princess Ball. Don your glitziest, most glamorous garb and get ready to groove with one of New York’s favorite mommy rockers. The ball features music, dancing, Face Art by Melissa, and Ballooniac creations. Bonus: The little princess who makes those sparkles shake the most will win a feather boa and Moey’s new CD, Princess Revolution.
Free, 2-3pm. Bloomingdale’s, 59th Street & Lexington Avenue, 917-680-6739, moeysmusicparty.com
September 22 & 23
MAMA KNOWS BEST
[Parents And Children 4+ To Tween]
Get the insider scoop on the local services, products, and experts that are right at your fingertips throughout New York City, especially in the borough of Queens. Whether you’re looking for cool new classes or super-smart gadgets, this is the place to connect with top representatives and snatch up great discounts. As parents get informed, kids can enjoy a marionette show, all-day museum access, Muppet Show screening, and other hands-on fun. Free with museum admission.
Adults $12, college students and seniors $9, children (3-17) $6, 10am-4pm. Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria, Queens, 718-777-6888, queensmama.com
September 29
MUSEUM MADNESS
[All Ages]
No day makes New Yorkers appreciate the wealth of museums in their neighborhoods like Smithsonian Museum Day, where institutions across the country offer free admission to each Museum Day ticket-holder and a guest. NYC participants include favorites like The New York Historical Society, The Skyscraper Museum, The Nobel Maritime Collection, and many more. Check the Museum Day website for the full list and to obtain your free ticket.
Various locations, 202-633-6370, smithsonianmag.com/museumday
September 29
DOWN BY THE BAY
[All Ages]
The Alley Pond Environmental Center’s National Estuaries Day Festival is dedicated to the country’s coastal bays, sounds, and lagoons. Centering on the area’s own estuary, Little Neck Bay, the festival provides educational exhibits, interactive booths from local organizations, boat rides, hands-on demonstrations, crafts, games, and more. Experience a day of family fun while you learn to appreciate all the bay has to offer—everything from recreation for residents to a habitat for countless sea critters.
Free, 11am-3pm. 228-06 Northern Boulevard Douglaston, 718-229-4000, alleypond.com
September 29 & 30
SHOW AND TELL
[All Ages]
The World Maker Faire New York, organized by MAKE Magazine, brings over 400 “makers” and maker organizations together to one of the biggest show-and-tell events of the year. Head over to the Maker Kids Market to find goods for kids and by kids, or participate in the endless soldering, crafts, and tech projects. When you’ve finished ogling everything from robots to upcycled clothes, enjoy acrobatic attractions and jam to the musical creations of ArcAttack!
Adults $27.50, Students $16.50, Seniors $25, Youth (2-17) $12, Under 2 free, Sat 10am-7pm, Sun 10am-6pm. New York Hall of Science, 47-01 111th Street, Queens, 718-699-0005, nysci.org
September 30
BLOCK PARTY!
[All Ages]
Grown-up Manhattanites might revel in our city’s infamous nightlife, but kiddie New Yorkers get to enjoy the Lower East Side’s DayLife—a daytime party that transforms Orchard Street into an “urban backyard” with healthy fun like urban croquet, badminton, and Twister. As families experience the food, culture, art, and music of the LES, the popular eight-year-old DJ Kai will keep the music pumping. For an early taste of the fun, look out for the festival’s fundraising partnerships with LowLine, the underground counterpart of the HighLine, on the 16th and 23rd of the month.
Free, 12-5pm. Orchard Street between Delancey and Houston, 212-226-9010, lowereastsideny.com
Through November 5
TOYLAND
[Consult Related Programs]
The Museum of Modern Art celebrates 100 years of toys, furniture, playground design, and all other things childhood in its “Century of the Child: Growing by Design 1900-2000” exhibit. Youngsters will delight in glimpsing vintage toys like the first Barbie Dream House from 1962 and taking a seat in the oversized Tripp Trapp adjustable chair. For an extra special experience, time your visit with complementary programming like harvesting an edible garden and hand-weaving rugs.
Adults $25, seniors $18, students $14, 14 and under free. Museum of Modern Art, 11 West 53rd Street, 212-708-9400, moma.org
Through December 2
CREEPY, CRAWLY COOL
[All Ages]
The American Museum of Natural History’s “Spiders Alive!” is an homage to the creepy, crawly arachnids that have both frightened and inspired us for centuries. While a spider might have created a Spiderman in comic land, this exhibit shows us how these little guys are real world heroes in playing an important role in the world’s diverse ecosystems. Learn about the spiders’ anatomy and clever survival mechanisms—and come face-to-face with 20 different species including the deadly black widow and the goliath bird eater (the largest spider in the world!).
Adults $25, kids $14.50, seniors and students $19, including general admission. American Museum of Natural History, 200 Central Park West, 212-769-5100, amnh.org
Ongoing
OUT OF THIS WORLD
[All Ages]
In case you missed it earlier in the summer, the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum is now home to the Enterprise space shuttle—NASA’s first ever that launched in 1976. Aspiring astronauts can get some up-close-and-personal peeks at the aircraft, even walking directly underneath it for an underbelly look. Delight in immersive videos, interactive showcases, and more to experience the inspiring feats and future possibilities of science, engineering, and math.
Adults $28, students and seniors $24, youth (7-17) $21, children (3-6) $14, Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum, Pier 86 at West 46th Street and 12th Avenue, 212-245-0072, intrepidmuseum.org
