Events: Top Kid-Friendly Activities For The Week

The Little Red Lighthouse Festival will take place this Saturday in Fort Washington Park; photo by Judy Harrow via flickr

There’s something for everyone to check out this week in the city. Whether you’re a dog devotee, a comics connoisseur, a LEGO lover, or simply a fan of the five boroughs, you’re sure to enjoy this selection of NYC events. Happy October!

Thursday, October 9-Sunday, October 12

New York Comic Con
The Javits Center
Various times
Families with children of all ages should head over to the Javits Center for New York Comic Con! An annual classic, this comic book bonanza will feature days of comic book author autograph signings, movie screenings, lectures, and memorabilia displays! The convention will host daily activities for children in the Family HQ, and, as usual, Sunday is Kids Day! There will be performances from Super Sprowtz and Gustasfer Yellowgold, hands-on arts and crafts workshops, a kids costume parade, storytelling with New Victory Theater, and much more.

Friday, October 10-Monday, October 13

Grand Opening Celebration of the Flatiron District LEGO Store
Madison Square Park
Various times
Join the LEGO Group and New York Family in celebrating the grand opening of the new LEGO Store Flatiron with a four-day bash October 10-13 in Madison Square Park. This new flagship location will have 3D LEGO mosaics of the neighborhood’s history, as well as life-size LEGO models! Participants can help Master Builders construct a 20-foot tall Statue of Liberty model made entirely out of LEGO blocks and receive daily prizes by being one of the first 300 visitors to make a qualifying purchase.

Saturday, October 11

My Dog Loves Central Park Fair
Naumburg Bandshell, Central Park
11am-3pm
Bring your family and dog(s) to Central Park this Saturday for the My Dog Loves Central Park Fair! Spend a dog day afternoon with your pooch during this on-leash event which includes games, trainer sessions, microchipping, a dog agility obstacle course, a pet-friendly real estate talk, canine makeovers, and more. Kids will lap up the Family Fun Zone where they can participate in a scavenger hunt and get their face painted! Free. This event will take place rain or shine.

Little Red Lighthouse Festival
Fort Washington Park
12pm-4pm
Come by the 22nd Little Red Lighthouse Festival to celebrate Manhattan’s only remaining lighthouse, made famous by Hildegarde Swift’s beloved children’s book The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge. There will be tours led by the Urban Park Rangers, two musical performances, readings of Swift’s book, fishing clinics, a kids’ workout class, food, and activities for the whole family. Free

Saturday, October 11-Sunday, October 12

Open House New York
Various locations throughout NYC
Various times
Open House New York (OHNY) grants the public access to 300 historic New York City buildings. Public tours, talks and activities will take place throughout the five boroughs and will provide a glimpse into both residential and industrial landmarks. As part of OHNY, families with children ages 5 and up should be sure to check out the Weekend Family Festival at the Center for Architecture. This free two-day festival will feature design and construction activities for crafty kids. Some sites and tours are free. Others require advanced reservations for a fee of $5. OHNY will take place rain or shine.

Brooklyn Robot Foundry - Virtual Classes

Brooklyn Robot Foundry offers super fun online robot-building classes for children 2-13 years old!&nbsp;&nbsp;Each week, students are introduced to new engineering concepts and components while building that day&rsquo;s robot in their own &ldquo;workshop&rdquo;.&nbsp;&nbsp;All classes maintain a very low student-to-teacher ratio, allowing for plenty of individualized instruction and socializing. The supplies are shipped in advance and classes are led by amazing instructors, taking all the pressure off parents.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Foundry&rsquo;s main focus however, is that kids have fun, get creative, and enjoy being part of this STEAM-loving community!&nbsp;

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.