Events: Top Kid-Friendly Activities For The Week

The Holiday Train Show will arrive this Saturday at the New York Botanical Garden. Photo via nybg.org.

Turkey Day is just a week away, and we’ve got some fabulous events picked out especially for you and your family. A festive fair, a terrific train show, a marvelous musical production, an exciting exhibit, and an innovative interactive performance are what’s in store this week. Enjoy!

Beginning Monday, November 14

Grand Central Holiday Fair
Grand Central Terminal
Various times
Grand Central Terminal’s annual Holiday Fair is back and better than ever! It’s the perfect place to find holiday gifts – there will be art, clothing, handbags, jewelry and other accessories for men and women, food, bath and body items, collectible toys, holiday items, and home goods. The 2016 fair will feature 40 artists, craftspeople, and local businesses. Runs through Saturday, December 24. Admission is free.

Beginning Saturday, November 19

Holiday Train Show
New York Botanical Garden
Various times
Starting this weekend, celebrate the Holiday Train Show’s 25th anniversary at the New York Botanical Garden. Enjoy the enchanting ambiance of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, and watch as model trains zoom through the naturally recreated landmarks of NYC (complete with real bark, leaves, and more). Among the famous sights included are the Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty, Rockefeller Center, and, most notably, the Coney Island finale. Advance reservations are strongly recommended. Runs through Monday, January 16, 2017. Free with an All-Garden Pass.

Saturday, November 19

“Chicken Dance”
Tribeca Performing Arts Center
1:30pm
Ages 4 through 7 are invited to the Tribeca Performing Arts Center this Saturday for ArtsPower’s original musical production, “Chicken Dance.” The show follows two chickens who enter a barnyard talent contest in order to win tickets to see Elvis Poultry in concert. Will they outperform their fierce competition? Find out during this cluck-tastic performance. Tickets are $30.

Saturday, November 19-Sunday, November 20

Gotham Groove
Museum of the City of New York
10am (Saturday)-6pm (Sunday)
In honor of the grand opening of its new permanent exhibit, “New York At Its Core,” the Museum of the City of New York will host Gotham Groove, a round-the-clock 32-hour celebration! All ages are invited to view the 400 objects which capture the growth and transformation of the city over the course of its four centuries. There will also be live musical performances, a silent disco dance party, dance lessons, yoga sessions, film screenings, and more. Advance registration is required. General admission tickets are free. Special performance tickets may require a fee.

Sunday, November 20

“The Door Was Open”
Flushing Town Hall
2pm
This Sunday the Messenger Theatre Company will present a research and development workshop for its upcoming production “The Door Was Open.” Families with children ages 8 and up can make newspaper costumes, see the first quarter of the play, and learn how staging, costumes, choreography, plot points and characters were developed during the production’s genesis. Based on the paintings of Remedios Varo, and described as a darker version of “Alice in Wonderland,” “The Door Was Open” explores the dangers of imagination and creativity. This event is free.

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New York Society of Play Summer Camp and Classes

Summer Game Camp There are many who do not feel safe sending their children back out into the world with summer camp, this year. To serve those parents and keep the children connected and stimulated during this challenging time, we are offering NYSP Digital Summer Camp. The name of the game with NYSP Summer Camp is community. We have made a large effort to make our camp feel like a living space, with features including &ndash; - Role-Playing games familiar and new, led by our master storytellers! - Enriching electives such as Chess, World Building, Character Acting, Crafts, Drawing, and more! - Discussion and media screening rooms during lunch! - A digital campus! - Moderated chat hours! &nbsp; Join us for a summer of games, friends, and more! Mon - Fri 10am - 2:30pm &nbsp; Roleplay Expeditions: Dungeons &amp; Dragons No experience is required to join one of our Dungeons &amp; Dragons games. Our game masters have pre-made character sheets, so you'll be able to start playing the game right away! We adapt the rules of traditional Dungeons &amp; Dragons to make them more approachable to children of various ages. Battle in dungeons, search for relics, and make new friends in our one-of-a-kind Dungeons &amp; Dragons workshop!&nbsp; &nbsp; Public games meet once per week, with different groups every time. Private games meet 1 to 2 times per week with the same group of kids. Since the players and the storyteller in the group are consistent, this enables us to tell epic tales of adventure together! &nbsp; Dungeons &amp; Dragons Junior No experience is required to join one of our drop-in Dungeons &amp; Dragons games. Our Dungeons &amp; Dragons Jr. game provides a D&amp;D storytelling experience without character sheets. Battle in dungeons, search for relics, and make new friends in our one-of-a-kind Dungeons &amp; Dragons workshop! A great way to introduce young children to D&amp;D so they can eventually move onto the main game.

Yuletide Factory

Fill your hearts with circus cheer&mdash;the merry daredevils of Cirque Mechanics (Zephyr, 2023) are back with an industrial-strength spectacular for you and your kin. Sparkling with holiday spirit, the ever energetic ensemble of acrobats transforms a drab assembly plant into a holly jolly Yuletide Factory! From the wonder of the German wheel to festive flips from the trampoline wall, they dash and dance through a pageant of powerhouse stunts with grins and goodwill. It&rsquo;s high-flying fun, comfort and joy for the whole family!