Events: Top Kid-Friendly Activities For The Week

Michael and the Rockness Monsters will perform this Saturday at Symphony Space! Photo via symphonyspace.org.

These five indoor events happening this weekend will take the chill out of your week! We’ve got a comic book fest, a rock concert, and a unique theatrical show at Lincoln Center. Plus, be sure to make time to celebrate the lunar new year at the Bronx Museum and the life of MLK, Jr. at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum. Happy Monday!

Friday, January 13-Saturday, January 14

5th Annual Black Comic Book Festival
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
10am-7pm
Learn all about the rich history of black comic book artists and their work at the 5th Annual Black Comic Book Festival at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. This fest will feature film screenings, panel discussions, arts and crafts workshops for kids, and much more. Expect an action-packed day! Pre-registration is required. This event is free.

Saturday, January 14

Michael and the Rockness Monsters
Symphony Space
11am-12pm
Michael and the Rockness Monsters will perform this Saturday at Symphony Space! The band, founded by Preschool of Rock founder Michael Napolitano, released their first single, “Pirate,” in the summer of 2015 on Sirius XM’s Kids Place Live, and it’s been a favorite of fans ever since. This show will feature special guest Sonia De Los Santos. Tickets are $17.

“Argus”
Clark Studio Theater at Lincoln Center
11am & 2pm
Australia’s Dead Puppet Society will bring its production of “Argus” to Lincoln Center on Saturday. Using only the actors’ hands and household objects, “Argus” tells the story of a tiny creature trying to find a place to call home in a world where he doesn’t belong. Recommended for ages 6 and up, this hour-long theatrical performance is a winter must-see. Tickets are $25.

Lunar New Year Celebration: Year of the Rooster
The Bronx Museum
2-4pm
All ages are invited to usher in the year of the rooster at the Bronx Museum! In conjunction with the New York Chinese Cultural Center, the museum’s celebration will feature authentic music, costumed folk dances, paper cutting and calligraphy workshops, and a lion dance. Admission is free.

Beginning Sunday, January 15

MLK, Jr. I Have a Dream Celebration
The Brooklyn Children’s Museum
10am-5pm
Honor the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. during the Brooklyn Children’s Museum’s I Have a Dream Celebration. This two-day event will explore the life and times of the Civil Rights activist through arts and crafts, film, storytelling, and music. All ages can make protest posters and peace postcards and watch a live performance by the Brooklyn United Marching Band. Runs through Monday, January 16. This event is free with museum admission.

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;

Asphalt Green

Asphalt Green&rsquo;s high-quality sports programs start at 4 months old. Two beautiful facilities in vibrant Manhattan neighborhoods provide the optimal space for children to learn the fundamentals, play for leisure, or compete at the highest level. As the leading sports and fitness facility in Manhattan, Asphalt Green&rsquo;s never-before- seen training methods focus on improving your mental and physical game. Whether participating in swim, soccer, flag football, martial arts, basketball, baseball, tennis, or volleyball, coaches instill values that set athletes up for success in life and bring out their full potential in sports.

Adventuring Portal

<a name="m_-1473885667065203258__Hlk72147528"></a>Adventuring Portal runs Dungeons and Dragons (D&amp;D) games for kids.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;We have created a safe online space for tweens and teens to learn and play D&amp;D. Our D&amp;D Summer Camp session are a one-week experience.&nbsp;&nbsp;Monday &ndash; Friday.&nbsp;&nbsp;Each day will be 3 hours of gaming (with 2 breaks build in).&nbsp;&nbsp;15 total gaming hours for $180.&nbsp;&nbsp;If you have played with us before, you are entitled to 10% off.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Need your kids, nieces or nephews, grand kids or neighbor&rsquo;s kids to be occupied for a bit so you can get work done &amp; take care of your to-do list? Maybe your tween or teen is still a bit isolated and craves connection with their peers? Whether your teen/tween has played D&amp;D before or is brand-new to the experience, this safe space brings players together to have fun and solve problems as a team in ways few other online opportunities do. All our games focus on experiential learning.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Our players leave knowing all the basic game play as well as experiencing: teamwork, bravery, compassion, generosity, negotiation, improvisation, gamer etiquette, strategy, critical thinking, problem solving, cartography and probability - all through online D&amp;D adventuring! We are an inclusive organization and welcome gamers who are LGBTQIA+ and those on any spectrum.&nbsp; All girls&rsquo; groups available.&nbsp; I am a parent, a certified elementary school and middle school math teacher and last summer in the midst of the mess started&nbsp;Adventuring Portal, an&nbsp;online Dungeons &amp; Dragons&nbsp;business&nbsp;for kids. There are so many benefits to playing D&amp;D and I hope you will consider us as a great way for your child to safely socialize, grow as people and have a great time.