Events: Top Kid-Friendly Events of the Week

winterfamily — Winter Family Day is coming to the Morgan Library & Museum this Sunday! Photo via themorgan.org

It’s time to get back to the work/school grindstone! The Thanksgiving celebrations have ended, but don’t worry, there are plenty of upcoming holiday events on the horizon. From a playful production of “Peter & the Wolf” at the Guggenheim Museum to a wonderful Winter Family Day at the Morgan Museum & Library, these picks will make the weeks before the holidays fly by. Plus, to check out our guide to the city’s best tree lighting ceremonies, click here.

Thursday, December 4-Sunday, December 7

The Yorkville Nutcracker
The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College
Various times
Set in 1895, the annual “Yorkville Nutcracker” presented by Dances Patrelle situates the classic ballet right here in NYC as characters dance at landmarks like Gracie Mansion and Central Park. Special guests include the New York City Ballet’s Abi Stafford and Adrian Danching-Waring. Tickets start at $45.

Beginning Friday, December 5

Cirque Zíva
The New Victory Theater
Various times
Wannabe circus performers and families with children ages 5 and up should head over to the New Victory Theater to see the Chinese Golden Dragon Acrobats’ newest show, “Cirque Zíva.” This two-hour circus spectacular features a convincing contortionist, a lithe lion dance, and acrobatics galore. Tickets start at $19. Runs through Sunday, January 4.

A Christmas Carol, Oy Hanukkah, Merry Kwanzaa
LaMaMa First Floor Theatre & Club
Various times
The classic Dickens holiday tale, A Christmas Carol, will get an international makeover this year with the Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theater’s production of “A Christmas Carol, Oy Hanukkah, Merry Kwanzaa.” Milos Kasal has created more than 30 stringed puppets for this performance that features English, Czech, Hebrew, and Swahili songs performed a capella by Judith Barnes, Hayden DeWitt and a chorus. Tickets are $13 for children and $18 for adults. Runs weekends through Sunday, December 14.

Beginning Saturday, December 6

Peter & the Wolf
The Guggenheim Museum
2:30pm & 4pm
Join the Guggenheim for its presentation of Sergei Prokofiev’s orchestral piece, “Peter & the Wolf.” Fashion designer extraordinaire Isaac Mizrahi will narrate this half-hour performance by Ensemble Signal. Originally composed as a way for children to learn the instruments of the orchestra, “Peter & the Wolf” is a fantastic introduction to the world of classical music. Recommended for children ages 5 and up. Tickets are $35 for non-museum members and $30 for museum members. Runs through Sunday, December 14.

Gotham Chamber Opera: El Gato Con Botas (Puss in Boots)
El Museo del Barrio
Various times
Don’t miss the Gotham Chamber Opera and Tectonic Theater Project’s production of “El Gato Con Botas (Puss in Boots)” beginning this Saturday at El Museo del Barrio. Sung in English, this hour-long opera tells the tale of a cat who must rescue a princess from a monstrous ogre. Featuring Bunraku puppetry and a stunning set, this is one opera that is guaranteed to please all ages. Plus, on Sunday, December 7th, audience members should stick around for a Family Fiesta at 3pm. Guests can meet and have their photo taken with the puppets and singers of the show, dress in costume and dine on sandwiches and desserts in the museum’s café. Tickets start at $30. Runs through Sunday, December 14.

Saturday, December 6-Sunday, December 7

New York Family’s December Camp Fairs
Saturday: St. Jean Baptiste High School, 173 East 75th Street
Sunday: Ethical Culture Fieldston School, 33 Central Park West
12pm-3pm
For families with children from 3-13, some of the most special events New York Family puts together every year are our Camp Fairs, which are the largest in the city. There are two Camp Fairs coming up: on Saturday, December 6, and Sunday, December 7. They are free, but it’s best to pre-register HERE to secure your spot and mark your calendar.The December Camp Fairs, both from 12-3pm, will be located on the Upper East Side on Saturday and the Upper West Side on Sunday. Free.

Sunday, December 7

Winter Family Day
The Morgan Library & Museum
2pm-5pm
Ages 3 through 12 will rejoice over Winter Family Day at the Morgan Library & Museum. This Sunday, children can watch a puppet show based upon the stories of Hans Christian Andersen, interact with character impersonators of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, make holiday cards, have their photo taken in costumes inspired by the Library’s collection of medieval manuscripts, and more. Free with museum admission.

Athletic Association of Yorkville Youths

Serving the families and children of NYC for over 50 years with high-quality recreational activities that foster life-lessons which empower young people to succeed beyond sports. Our programs encourage positive attitudes and growth through teamwork and sportsmanship, attendance, fair play, respect, hard work, integrity and fun. Your child can participate in clinics and leagues in such sports as baseball, basketball, flag-football, lacrosse, soccer, hockey, wrestling, track, and tennis. We also offer weekly dodgeball tournaments, drama and musical theater workshops, and after school programs.

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.

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;