Burrr…it’s cold outside! While we all would love to stay at home during this chilly season, fun awaits in the city. Break out of the house and hit up these fun winter activities in New York that the whole family will enjoy this upcoming season! What are you waiting for? Dive into dance, tennis, theater, learning Mandarin, and more!
Looking for more happening this winter season? Check out, The Best Activities and Museums for Snow Days in New York
Manhattan
Ballet Academy East – Upper East Side
1651 Third Ave., 212-410-9140
Promoting creativity and learning within children ages 18 months through 6 years. Ballet Academy East’s Young Dancer Division instills a love of dance in an environment focused on developing individual potential. Students ages 18 months to 6 years benefit from increased coordination, self-confidence, musicality, strength, focus, and creativity through age-appropriate, structured classes. The Young Dancer Division curriculum equips students with the skills necessary for advancement into the Pre-Professional Division. Each class also has a co-teacher and live musical accompaniment. Petit Dancer, Pre-Ballet and Tap classes are accompanied by pianist.
Photo via Time Out
Collina Italiana – Upper East Side
1566 Third Ave., Suite 602-603, 212-427-7770
Italian language programs allow children to learn la bella lingua Italiana in a fun, nurturing and refurbished atmosphere! Collina will be ringing in 2020 with new classrooms, special workshops, and class offerings. Along with their usual children’s classes, Girotondo, a year-round after-school program, and Giardino dei Bambino, a morning drop-off program, they are adding Ciao YOGA, Ciao TEATRO, Ciao MUSICA and several more new classes. Through playful skill-building activities such as singing, reading and writing, and story-telling, students at Collina Italiana are truly given a taste of Italy! Visit them for their grand re-opening at the end of January.
Galli Theater – Tribeca
74 Warren St., 212-731-0668
Offering Musical Acting Camps and Workshops during the winter holidays. The Galli Theater uses the wisdom and multifaceted aspects of traditional fairytales and myths as the basis for their creative work. Their workshops, camps and after-school classes include contemporary theater games, music, movement, singing and of course fun! The children build on skills, which help them prepare to present a show at the end of the session. The students learn stage presence, playing a character and incorporating music and movement to their work. During the process the children learn to trust themselves and the power of their voice. The most important element is putting a show together.
Kids at Art – Upper East Side
1412 Second Ave., 212-410-9780
For 20 years, Kids at Art in the upper East Side has been providing the ideal environment for nurturing, non-competitive art programs where children can learn and create freely. Their age-appropriate art classes for kids ages 2 to 12 focus on the basics of visual arts and are a challenge to a child’s inventiveness, helping to develop his or her imagination. A varied arts program is offered, including creative arts classes, drawing from the model, and more. Class size is limited so everyone receives individual attention. They also offer portfolio classes for teens and art classes and life drawing sessions for “kids of all ages.”
Photo via Time Out
Launch Science + Math Centers – Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Tribeca
212-600-1010
Launch Math + Science Centers provide toddlers to tweens with inspiring math instruction and STEM-based camps and classes, plus private in-home instruction. Children in Launch’s exciting specialty programs learn to code, design bridges, build solar powered robots – and that’s just the beginning. Kids get to keep many projects so that the fun continues at home! Launch provides flexibility with multiple STEM classes per session, math for all levels, and free after school pick-up at select UWS schools, plus SAVINGS of $150 OFF multi-class registration. School-year programs offered Monday-Saturday. Launch can help you motivate your child to love and learn math and science.
Planet Han Mandarin – Upper West Side, Upper East Side
401 West End Ave., 1556 Third Ave., 212-724-2421
Having fun is a must and learning Mandarin is a Plus! Planet Han aims to teach kids ages 1 to 12 Mandarin regardless of ethnicity through group classes, afterschool programs and summer programs. All classes are conducted in 100% Mandarin. They use the novel Model.Action.Talk. or M.A.T. method for teaching language. They send parents MP3 files that recap what the children have learned. Attend a free trial to experience first-hand learning Mandarin can be fun!
Photo via New York Metro Parents
Steps on Broadway Youth Programs – Upper West Side
2121 Broadway at 74th St., 212-874-3678
Live music fills the studios, as interpretive movement and creative games introduce children to dance in First Steps (ages 18 months-6 years). Students mature into the Classes & Workshops for Kids and Teens and Pre-Professional programs (ages 6-18 years) where they develop a strong foundation in various dance styles – ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, theater dance, and modern. In-studio observations, performances, and receptions present parents with opportunities to celebrate the accomplishments of their young performers throughout the year. Steps Youth Programs offers classes year round for dancers 18 months to 18 years.
TADA! Youth Theater – Nomad
15 W. 28th St., 212-252-1619, ext. 4
WHERE YOU’RE BOUND TO MAKE IT BIG! All TADA! classes and camps are focused on original work and are team-taught by two professional teaching artists with extensive experience in musical theater and arts education. Ensemble methods are taught to encourage active listening, empathy and working with others. All students focus on daily musical theater training, expressing themselves through storytelling and developing characters. Winter session classes culminate in a quality performance where students perform their very own mini-musical for a live audience! Classes range from ages 4 to 5, 6 to 8, and 9 to 12.
Brooklyn
Brooklyn College Preparatory Center for the Performing Arts – Midwood
2900 Bedford Ave., 718-951-4111
Almost 40 years of music, theater, and dance instruction for children ages 3 to 18. MUSIC: beginner to advanced instrument and voice lessons, group classes, Suzuki study in violin, cello, and flute. DANCE: classes for ages 3 and up, from ballet to tap and hip hop and beyond THEATER: audition prep, acting and musical theater classes. Additional classes in live-action film-making, puppetry and beat making! Their professional teachers, well-known experts with extensive performance experience, encourage students’ growth at all levels in a nurturing and supportive college environment. Registration is currently underway.
Gotham Gymnastics – Gowanus
315 Douglass St., 718-722-7122
A seasoned group of coaches, trainers and parents, who all know the good that gymnastics has to offer. Presenting a variety of classes for children beginning with toddlers and then ranging from beginner, intermediate and advanced classes for older kids. Team registration is also available. Their mission is to instill the passion, skill and art of gymnastics in all their participants. The spring semester begins in February and registration is ongoing.
Queens
Kimmy Ma ARTStudio – Fresh Meadows
190-19 Union Tpke., 646-209-9352
The spring session begins in February and the Studio is open seven days a week. Sunday and Monday offers beginner-friendly classes and Tuesday through Thursday is ideal for serious beginners. For skill assertive learners, Friday and Saturday’s 2.5-hour classes are designed to further artistic development. Fine Arts curriculum is designed by Mrs. Ma, Master of Art, School of Education, NYU 1996. Learners explore five units in a 16-week semester: comic, pastel, charcoal, watercolor and painting, using medium based and ability level instructions. Enroll now before sessions begin. Make an appointment to visit — no walk-ins. See website for student gallery and bio of teaching artists.
Bronx
New Settlement Community Center – Mount Eden
1501 Jerome Ave., 718-758-5902
The New Settlement Community Center is excited about the variety of activities they are offering families during the 2019-2020 school year. There is a host of healthy, fun and exciting programs for children 6 months old and older, including: ballet and hip-hop with Alvin Ailey, group as well as private swimming classes, mixed martial arts, youth technology, and piano, guitar and violin. The Mixed Martial Arts, Youth Technology, and Group Swim programs consist of eight weeks of classes once a week. Alvin Ailey Dance is divided into two 14-week sessions with classes offered once a week.
Citywide
Advantage QuickStart Tennis – Manhattan and Roosevelt Island
646-884-9649
Kids ages 3 and up can get on the courts this winter – learning, playing, growing and enjoying tennis customized for age and ability. Specially-trained coaches make it accessible, engaging and fun. It all happens at seven convenient NYC locations on the East Side, West Side, midtown, uptown and Roosevelt Island. Kids even get free unlimited Play More sessions, to make practice something to look forward to, and free unlimited Athletic Zone sessions to build all-around athletic skills. Winter enrollment is now open!
The Huntington Learning Center – Westchester County, Rockland County, Long Island, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and Manhattan
1-800 CAN LEARN
Huntington is the leader in K-12 tutoring and test prep. Their certified tutors provide children with individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, algebra through calculus, chemistry, and other sciences. They also help prep students for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington’s proven programs help children develop the skills, confidence, and motivation needed for academic success. Founded in 1977, Huntington’s mission is to give every student the best education possible.
