MLK Day Fun With Kids

This holiday weekend, why not squeeze in an activity or two with your children that honors Dr. King himself? The city boasts tons of great opportunities for families, from workshops at CMOM and the Brooklyn Kids Museum to volunteering at the JCC Manhattan and walking tours of upper Manhattan. See all of our picks below!

Children’s Museum of Manhattan
Children
will learn about Dr. King and his legacy, discuss the role they can
play in making a difference in the world, and make a medal that shows
their promise to make a positive change in their communities at CMOM’s “Raising Citizens: Martin Luther King Jr, Festival.” For
children ages 5 and up; workshops take place at CMOM at 12 p.m., 2
p.m., 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. from January 15-17. For more info. call
212-721-1223 or go to cmom.org .

Symphony Space
6:30 p.m.
Symphony Space and the JCC invite families to their annual presentation of works honoring Dr. King’s message of peace and
equality. Performers
include notable jazz musician Craig Harris, the Green Pastures Baptist Church
Choir, a dance performed by Juel Lane and more. This event is free and
intended for all ages. This is a free event. 2537
Broadway at 95^th Street, 646-505-5708, symphonyspace.org

Brooklyn Children’s Museum
12:30 p.m.
At this very special family program, kids can meet Civil Rights activist
Coretta Scott King and learn how she is carrying on her late husband’s legacy
of freedom. This program will be followed by a craft activity inspired by the
King family. This event is appropriate for kids ages 6 and up and is free with
museum admission. 145 Brooklyn Avenue 718-735-4400, brooklynkids.org

GenerationOn Day of Service
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Join
GenerationOn and PS 57 for the ninth annual free MLK Jr. Day of Service. This
project bridges social, economic and cultural differences and brings kids and
adults together in community projects. An adult must accompany all children
under the age of 13, and teens (age 13-18) may participate with signed parental
permission. 176 East 115th
Street, 212-850-4170 generationon.org

25th
Annual Brooklyn Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King
Jr.
10:30 a.m.
Families
can head to the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s 25^th annual tribute to
Martin Luther King Jr., where they can enjoy readings from novelist Walter
Mosley and performances from Persuasions and the Reverend Timothy Wright
Memorial Choir of the Grace Tabernacle Christian Center C.O.G.I.C. This event
is free, open to the public and appropriate for ages five and up. 30 Lafayette Avenue Brooklyn 718.636.4100, bam.org

JCC Day of Service
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
JCC members, staff and neighbors join together in community service
projects at the JCC and in the community. Families can choose their projects
the morning of the event, and all ages are welcome to participate. 334 Amsterdam Avenue, 646- 505-4444, jccmanhattan.org

The Queens Public Library
1:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
The Queens Public Library invites families to a day of programming about Martin
Luther King, Jr. and his legacy.

11:30 a.m. Stories & Songs of Freedom: First-person stories about the civil right movement.
12:30 p.m. Dear Dr. King Reception: Borough President Helen Marshall
will honor young people who wrote letters to Dr. King for the Library’s “Dear
Dr. King” Writing Project. Refreshments will be served.
1:30 p.m. Excerpts from MLK’s “The Drum Major Instinct”: Teacher Donna Libert-Young will lead a discussion about lessons from
this famous speech.
2:30 p.m. “A Man and His Dream” documentary film about Dr. King’s life:
This is a
free event that’s suitable for kids ages 6 to 11. queenslibrary.org. 89-11
Merrick Blvd. 718-990-0767; queenslibrary.org.

We Have Another Dream:
Civil Rights in the 21^st Century
10 a.m.
Bundle up the kids, pack a thermos and head to Central Park for a free, peace-themed
tour of Upper Manhattan led by 8^th grade students from Manhattan Country School. This tour includes
Frederick
Douglass Circle, Mount Morris/Marcus Garvey Park and the Islamic Center of
New York. All ages are welcome. Meet at Strawberry Fields at Central Park West and 72nd Street. manhattancountryschool.org.

Seneca Village Tour
12 p.m. – 1 p.m.
This tour
will teach families about Seneca Village, Manhattan’s first-known community of
African-American property owners, located in what is now northeastern Central Park. This event is free and intended
for ages 8 and up. Central Park, meet inside park at the southeast corner of 85th St at Central Park West 212-.772-0210,
centralparknyc.org

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;

The School at the Mark Morris Dance Center

The School at the Mark Morris Dance Center offers year-round, community-based dance and music programming in a fully inclusive and nurturing environment, located in the heart of the Brooklyn Cultural District. The School&rsquo;s diverse and professional faculty provides progressive and non-competitive instruction with all of our classes accompanied by live music. Though we are a non-recital school, there are opportunities for students to perform and for parents to see their dancers in action.

Speakitaly NYC

SPEAKITALY NYC offers stimulating and entertaining lessons for children 0 to 16 years through a wide combination of activities based on the communicative approach anchored in the Common European Framework of Reference: active learning (group work, role plays, etc.) and practice exercises aimed to improve listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Kids will start speaking and using Italian in a very natural way.&nbsp; Small classes capped at 6 students to make sure each one gets the needed attention and facilitate learners' progress.&nbsp; Our method is driven by a didactic method that is the result of constant updates, professional certifications and more than 10 years of experience in working with non-native speakers from different native languages and levels of knowledge. Our aim is to develop a range of Italian language skills while improving accuracy that will enable the students and participants to interact without stress or feeling rushed. We want to help those in the community really embrace not only the true culture in Italy but the Italian culture within New York City&hellip; Who doesn&rsquo;t love what Italy represents in the kitchen, in history &amp; in the arts? Speakitaly wants to support multilingual families who want to learn a new language or pass along their ancestor&rsquo;s heritage and culture. Raffaella, the founder said: "We see language awareness and intercultural sensitivity as the milestones for an inclusive society. Italian, like all other languages, is an enrichment and a growth in every way. Vi aspettiamo!"