Events: Top Kid-Friendly Activities For The Week

Vanessa Trien and the Jumping Monkeys will be performing this Saturday at Symphony Space; photo via symphonyspace.org

By Gavriella Mahpour & Tiffany Lu

Who’s ready to have an outstanding October?! It’s time to ring in a new month with loads of fresh, family-friendly events, including one of our favorite annual Halloween shows in Central Park, a Marine Science fest, a sweet, honey-filled extravaganza, and more. Happy Monday!

Beginning Wednesday, October 1

Hansel and Gretel’s Halloween Adventure
The Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre, Central Park
Various times
Get in the Halloween spirit early this year with a visit to Central Park’s Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre to see their production of “Hansel and Gretel’s Halloween Adventure.” This puppet performance finds the sibling duo confronted by monsters, mermaids, vampires, pirates, and other terrifying characters. Set in NYC on a spooky All Hallows’ Eve night, this holiday tale just screams Halloween! Tickets are $7 for kids and $10 for adults (ages 13 and up). No performances on Mondays. Runs through Saturday, November 1.

Beginning Friday, October 3

New York Super Week
Various locations
Various times
Celebrate pop culture in NYC as the city becomes overrun with colorful characters–such as super heroes, villains, and vampires–in celebration of Super Week. This weekend’s events include Astronomy Night at the Intrepid Museum, a a conversation with Neil De Grasse Tyson and Malcom Gladwell, and a Feline Film and Video Festival. Through Sunday, October 12.

Saturday, October 4

Vanessa Trien and the Jumping Monkeys
Symphony Space
11am
Kicking off the “Just Kidding” season at Symphony Space’s Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theater, Upper West Side native Vanessa Trien and the Jumping Monkeys promise a fun musical show for the whole family! Listen up and sing along to Trien’s original family folk songs as she shares her love for music with young ones. Tickets are $14 for kids and $21 for adults.

Saturday, October 4-Sunday, October 5

Honey Weekend
Wave Hill
10am-4pm
Celebrate bees and their honey at Wave Hill in the Bronx with a weekend of fun and educational activities. There will be bee-centered family art projects, a candle making workshop, honey tastings, a demonstration on extracting honey, and an information station where you can try on real beekeeping gear! Free with garden admission.

Sunday, October 5

Submerge! NYC Marine Science Festival
Pier 26, Hudson River Park
11am-3pm
Head over to Hudson River Park for a splash of science in the city at New York’s Marine Science Festival, Submerge! Families can enjoy a whole day of educational fun with hands-on activities, interactive demonstrations, live music, fishing, food, and more! Noted experts will also be giving a variety of talks on relevant topics. This event will be held rain or shine. Free.

Harvest Festival
Randall’s Island Urban Farm
11am-3pm
Enjoy the sights and sounds of Randall’s Island during its Harvest Festival. This Sunday, the island’s Urban Farm will host a pumpkin hunt, face painting, farm tours, apple cider and rice cake making demos, and more. Free.

Treehouse Shakers

<div>Treehouse Shakers&rsquo; Branching OUT After-School program is for ages 12-14. This awarded program is for young people who identify as LGBTQIA+, or are seeking to become better allies. Branching OUT centers on discovering and exploring one&rsquo;s story and identity through an intentionally artist-led format. During our community-based program, young people will explore and reflect on their own story to create a larger, more meaningful experience, while gaining self-empowerment and gathering with like-minded peers. Through the guidance of our awarded teaching artists, young people will create narratives that will be turned into podcasts, dances, songs or poetry.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>Young people have the opportunity to learn new art forms, work with professional artists, while building a meaningful community.</div>

Instituto Cervantes

Children and teenagers learn to understand and express themselves in Spanish, while improving their communication skills through a dynamic immersion program taught by NATIVE TEACHERS that combines CLASSES, ARTISTIC WORKSHOPS and FUN ACTIVITIES! All of our high-qualified teachers are native Spanish speakers who adapt the structure of the class to the needs and levels of each group while conducting the classes entirely in Spanish. We offer both Spanish Summer Camps and Regular Courses for children along the year to foster language learning and multicultural understanding.

Steps on Broadway Youth Programs

<p class="m_6201101365486487057m_1751229968981391907gmail-m-6447730382188674378msonospacing" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">For 40 years, the Youth Programs at the internationally celebrated Steps on Broadway have nurtured young dancers, ages 18 months to 18 years.&nbsp; Whether seeking a fun dance experience or comprehensive pre-professional training, there is a program suited for everyone.&nbsp; Classes include ballet, tap, jazz, theater dance, hip hop, contemporary, modern, pointe and more.&nbsp; Taught by a faculty of internationally-recognized concert, ballet, Broadway and celebrated guest artists, every student is encouraged to discover their artistic uniqueness, deepen their passion for the art form, while growing as dancers and individuals.&nbsp; Classes are offered throughout the academic year and summer. First Steps (ages 18 mos &ndash; 5 yrs) Kids &amp; Teens (ages 6-18 yrs) Pre-Professional Program (ages 7-18 yrs, by audition only)