Events: Top Kid-Friendly Activities For The Week

See "The Gruffalo" beginning this Saturday at the New Victory Theater! — See “The Gruffalo” beginning this Saturday at the New Victory Theater!

Though the mornings feel like fall, the spring-like afternoons will be conducive to checking out some of our picks for this week: An award-winning children’s book is brought to the stage, a performing arts fest takes Madison Square Park, and more! Enjoy!

Beginning Saturday, October 17

“The Gruffalo”
New Victory Theater
Various times
London-based troupe Tall Stories transforms Julia Donaldson’s award-winning picture book, The Gruffalo, into a family musical filled with slapstick humor, sing-along songs, and even some frightening fun for the little ones. Come see what happens when Mouse summons the Gruffalo (via his imagination) to guard against the creatures that roam the deep dark wood during this 55-minute performance. Recommended for ages 4 through 7. Tickets are $25. Runs Saturdays and Sundays through Sunday, October 25.

Saturday, October 17

Kids Fest: Stages in the Square
Madison Square Park
10am-3pm
Join other NYC families in Madison Square Park this Saturday for the park’s first performing arts fest for children! Throughout the day three stages will feature musical and theatrical performances, workshops, and storytelling for ages 0 through 12 and their families. Performers scheduled to appear include Joanie Leeds & The Nightlights, songs for seeds, the Catskill Puppet Theater, the Story Pirates, the Amazing Max, the Big Apple Circus’ Circus to Go!, The Little Orchestra Society, and others. There will also be face painting, a costume parade, and much more. Plus fill up on mouth-watering grub from local favorites like Hill Country Barbecue Market, the Melt Shop, Burger & Lobster, and Andy’s Italian Ices. New York Family is a proud media sponsor of this event. Admission is free.

The Laurie Berkner Band: The Greatest Hits Tour
The Concert Hall
11am-12:15pm
Best-selling children’s musician and preschool television star Laurie Berkner and her band will bring their Greatest Hits Tour to Manhattan this Saturday with a show at the New York Society for Ethical Culture’s Concert Hall. The concert will feature a blend of fan favorites along with tracks that will encourage young audience members to get out of their seats and dance intermixed with quieter tunes from the “Laurie Berkner Lullabies” album. Tickets are $37.50. Doors open at 10am.

Saturday, October 17-Sunday, October 18

Open House New York
Various locations throughout NYC
Various times
For two days each October, Open House New York opens hundreds of sites across the five boroughs—from the historical to the contemporary, and the residential to the industrial—for tours, talks, performances, and additional special events. Family-friendly sites this year include the African Burial Ground National Monument, the Sunset Park Material Recovery Facility, and the King Manor Museum. There are plenty of happenings just for kids—such as scavenger hunts, special tours, and art-making—around the city. Check the website for more details and to make reservations. This event is free and will take place rain or shine; some activities require advance registration.

Honey Weekend
Wave Hill
10am-4pm
Come out to Wave Hill for the super-sweet annual Honey Weekend! Highlights of this buzz-worthy celebration include the Be a Bee family art project, during which kids outfit themselves with wings, antennae, a pollen cup, and a kazoo before joining the bee parade and dancing in a cardboard hive; a honey extraction demonstration where you can help Wave Hill staff extract and bottle honey from the garden’s resident bees; plus a candle-making workshop and honey tastings! Free with garden admission.

Fall Family Weekend
Carnegie Hall
11am-3pm
Families are invited to Carnegie Hall for this fall’s Family Weekend, filled with free, interactive musical activities in the Judith Burton Resnick Education Wing. Activities include sing-alongs, instrument building (and playing), songwriting workshops, transforming ordinary objects into musical instruments in a digital sound playground, and more. There will also be performances in the Weill Music Room by Sbongiseni Duma, Elizabeth Mitchell and You Are My Flower, as well as Shine and the Moonbeams. Recommended for ages 3 through 10. This event is free.

Young Actors at Strasberg

Young Actors at Strasberg&nbsp;offers a comprehensive array of acting programs for students in grades 2 &ndash;&nbsp;12. Classes provide kids and teens with a foundation in Lee Strasberg's Method Acting and the tools to succeed in the professional industry &ndash;&nbsp;all while maintaining a fun and playful environment. Programs are tailored to encompass students at all levels, from those just beginning their acting journey to Broadway veterans and professional child actors. Young Actors at Strasberg alumni include Lady Gaga, Sophia Lillis, Angelina Jolie, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson and Rosario Dawson! Young Actors&nbsp;Programs are available online and in-person at our New York Campus, located in Union Square. Saturday, After-School and Online classes are offered during the traditional school year (Fall, Winter, and Spring) and Monday through Friday day camps and intensives are held in&nbsp;July and August. About The Lee Strasberg Theatre &amp; Film Institute: Founded in 1969 by Lee and Anna Strasberg, The Lee Strasberg Theatre &amp; Film Institute is the only school that teaches Lee Strasberg's work in its complete and authentic form. The Institute's goal is to provide students with a craft that will help them create a reality and respond truthfully in imaginary circumstances, regardless of the style or form of material being used. LSTFI is proud to have award-winning alumni from around the world working as writers, directors, and actors in all mediums.

Play On! Studios

Play On! Studios offers theater day camps and after-school classes on the UWS that are guaranteed to give kids a summer full of acting, music, and fun they won't soon forget! Young actors will rehearse and perform in a full production, work with professional NYC actors/teaching artists, build up their skills in a nurturing, non-competitive environment and play lots of drama games! Creative Drama Camps are perfect for kids entering grades K-4. Campers will work each week to put on a brand-new show! Each session, they will receive a script, rehearse a production, make a set and costumes, and perform their play. Kids will also play drama games, play outside (weather permitting), and have tons of fun! Musical Theater Camps are aimed at kids entering grades 4-9. In Musical Theater Performance Camp, campers put on a complete musical production in a professional NYC theater! Campers will stretch their skills with drama exercises and games, vocal coaching, field trips, and building a professional set. Our incredible teaching artists and campers come together to put on a truly remarkable show! During the school year, classes are great for beginners or more experienced actors - sing, dance, and put on a play! Whether your child is just starting out, or ready for Broadway, we&rsquo;ve got the class for them. Classes are available for grades PreK-8, after school or on Saturdays! Come play with us. &nbsp;

Polaris Productions Theater Camp

Kids will learn, rehearse, and perform the wonderful Maurice Sendak and Carole King musical, Really Rosie. For 10 weekdays, campers will take part in physical and vocal warm-ups and learn choreography, staging, and vocal parts. They&rsquo;ll develop skills in acting, singing, character development, and more. This camp will ignite your child&rsquo;s imagination and passion for performing, build their self-esteem, and help them form lasting friendships. They&rsquo;ll have fun! At camp&rsquo;s end, the kids will perform Really Rosie for family members and friends. Kids of all levels of experience, ages 8 through 13, are welcome to join.