Midwinter break is here for New York public schools and some private schools! While the weather may be unpredictable, there’s no better place to keep the kids active and embrace the city like tourists.
We’ve rounded up some of the best things to do during the kids’ week off of school. Take a visit to a museum, blow off some steam or create something new!
Psst… Check Out 25 Things to Do With Kids at Night in NYC
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Citywide
Go Ice Skating
Take full advantage of the winter season! There are awesome indoor and outdoor ice skating rinks in NYC for you and your family to check out during mid-winter break. Don’t forget to grab a cup of hot chocolate to warm up when you’re done!
Bounce at a Trampoline Park
By the time midwinter break hits, your kids are probably bouncing off the walls, so why not take them to one of New York’s trampoline parks? It’s the perfect way to turn an outing into a fun-filled day for the whole family! Jump, play, and burn off some energy together.
Introduce your child to the thrill of rock climbing with indoor gyms that offer a fun, safe, and challenging experience. These spots provide the perfect mix of guidance, excitement, and teamwork.
Play a Game of Laser Tag
Give your kids the perfect chance to burn off some energy with a few exciting rounds of laser tag! It’s a fun, action-packed activity that’s great for the whole family, no matter the age. Plus, there are laser tag locations all across New York, so you’re never far from the fun!
Visit an Indoor Play Space
Indoor play spaces offer comfortable and secure play areas for children to play in while they burn pent-up energy, explore fun games and stimulating activities, and make new friends.
Every play space is unique, offering obstacle courses, games, and activities that will keep kids of all ages laughing and at play.
Take a Look at the Stars
A week off school is the perfect chance for a late-night stargazing adventure with the family! We’ve got some beginner-friendly tips and a list of the best spots near New York City to catch the stars with your loved ones. Grab a blanket, look up, and enjoy the night sky together.
Psst… Check Out Things to Do This Weekend in NYC with Kids
Manhattan
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom: The Musical
The New Victory Theater, 209 W 42nd St., Midtown
Saturdays and Sundays, 11 am, Saturdays, 3 pm, through Feb. 22; Feb. 16, 18 – 20, 11 am; Feb. 22, 3 pm.
ASL interpretation will occur at the Sensory-Friendly Performance on February 15 at 3 pm
Ages 3 – 6
Tickets start at $25
Flip flop flee and find out in Chicka Chicka Boom Boom: The Musical, a playful adaptation of every kid’s favorite alphabet book! From the adventuresome A, B and C to the lonely balladeer Z, little letters take on big personalities, puppeteered up the coconut tree to a mixtape of musical styles. And look who’s coming! LMNOP—an inseparable boy band with a chart-topping bop! Sing, dance and skit skat skoodle doot to this joyous mingling of music and literacy for first-time theatergoers.
Celebrate Together: Special Break Week Programs & Performances
Children’s Museum of Manhattan, 212 W 83rd St., Upper West Side
Feb. 14 – 22, daily 10 am – 5 pm; except Feb. 17,19, and 21
Ages 8 and younger
Included with admission: $18
There is so much to celebrate this week! From focusing on self-love and Valentine’s Day, to special carnival celebrations and Lunar New Year celebrations, to focusing on black joy, and celebrating the right to vote, there is something for everything this break week at CMOM!
Kids Week at the Intrepid Museum
Intrepid Museum, West 46th St., Hell’s Kitchen
Feb. 14 – 21, Daily 10 am – 5 pm
All ages
$14 – $38
Join the Intrepid for Kids Week, where children of all ages can explore the world of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) through a range of thrilling activities! Explore engaging displays and exhibits, witness captivating live animal shows, participate in hands-on workshops, enjoy performances by special guests and experience interactive demonstrations designed to educate and ignite curiosity.
Hold On To Your Butts
SOHO PLAYHOUSE, 15 Vandam St., SoHo
Feb. 7 – March 15, see website for schedule
Ages 8 and older
$40; $80 four ticket pack with code “FAMILY”
Performed by just two actors and a Foley artist who creates the sound effects live on stage, the trio reenact each scene and perform every character (including the dinosaurs) in this family-friendly romp. Through comedy, physical theatre and the wildly inventive use of simple props – from cardboard cut-outs, traffic cones and muffin tins – they bring the groundbreaking CGI of the iconic film to life in brilliantly lo-fi fashion.
Kids Week at Bryant Park
Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park, 41st St. and 6th Ave., Midtown
Feb. 17, Daily, 9:30 am – 12:10 pm, through Feb. 20.
Ages 3 – 6
Free
Kids Week returns to Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park. Kids take over the skating rink and can join a free skate lesson* with coaches, watch junior skaters perform on the ice, and skate around to music from iconic kids’ shows and movies. The fun continues off the ice with themed activities and workshops each day.
Kindie Rock
Wednesdays, 10 – 10:45 am and 11 – 11:45 am, through March 25
6 River Terrace, Battery Park City
Ages 8 and younger
Free
Catch a fantastic roster of Kindie Rock performers lead families with little ones in rocking sing-a-longs! Space is limited; first-come, first-served.
Kids Week: Wigwam Gathering and Campfire
Inwood Hill Park, W. 218th St. & Indian Road, Inwood
Wednesday, Feb. 18, 1 – 2:30 pm
All ages
Free
Explore and enter the recently restored Lenape wigwam and enjoy an afternoon by a warm campfire. Learn how to use a bow drill and other methods to start a fire.
Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation’s 11th Annual Harlem Gymnastics Invitational
Harlem Armory, 40 W 143rd St., Harlem
Feb. 20 – 22, Daily, 9 am – 6 pm
All ages
Free
Advanced registration required
Celebrating its 30th year, the Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation will host The Harlem Gymnastics Invitational. The event will feature various levels of gymnasts competing in Rhythmic Gymnastics, Trampoline & Tumbling and Girls’ Artistic Gymnastics, creating a live spectacle of sport.
Bronx
The Orchid Show: Mr. Flower Fantastic’s Concrete Jungle
New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Blvd., Bronx Park
Tuesdays – Sundays, 10 am – 6 pm through April 26
All ages
$12 – $25
Step into a dazzling floral dreamscape at The Orchid Show: Mr. Flower Fantastic’s Concrete Jungle. A visionary designer and New York native, Mr. Flower Fantastic transforms NYBG’s Enid A. Haupt Conservatory into a breathtaking orchid tribute to the spirit, style, and skyline of New York City.
Kids Week: Campfire Story Time
Van Cortlandt Nature Center, 246th St. and Broadway, Riverdale
Tuesday, Feb. 17, 1 – 2 pm
All ages
Free
Join the Urban Park Rangers for a cozy campfire and storytelling session. Rangers will read books and use puppets paired with visual props. Dress warm and bring a blanket!
Kids Week: Nature Scavenger Hunt
Pelham Bay Nature Center in Pelham Bay Park, Bruckner Blvd. and Wilkinson Ave., Pelham Bay Park
Thursday, Feb. 19, 1 – 2 pm
All ages
Free
Join the Urban Park Rangers on a fun nature scavenger hunt!
Kids Week: Shelter Building
Van Cortlandt Nature Center, 246th Street and Broadway, Riverdale
Friday, Feb. 20, 1 – 2 pm
All ages
Free
Urban Rangers will teach different methods of shelter building using natural materials.
The Chocolate Makery @ The Jewish Children’s Museum
Jewish Children’s Museum, 792 Eastern Pkwy., Crown Heights
Feb. 16 – 18, Monday – Thursday, 10 am – 5 pm
Ages 3 – 12
$19 child; $17 adult
Join the Jewish Children’s Museum to explore chocolate! A five-sense experience, learn how chocolate is made from pod to delicious creamy chocolate. Children will join in the fun to harvest cocoa pods, grind and roast the beans and end in a crescendo of decorating their very own delicious chocolate creation!
Drop-In Workshops: Life at Sea
Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Pkwy., Prospect Heights
Feb. 18 – 20, 12 – 4 pm
All ages
Included with admission: $14-$20; free for ages 19 and younger
Take a deep dive into Oliver Jeffers: Life at Sea and help expand this underwater world. During these drop-in workshops, bring the family to create colorful creatures and structures. Each afternoon centers on designing new ocean life, from coral to 3D fish, to add to Life at Sea.
Black Future Festival
Feb. 15–21, Daily, 10 am – 5 pm
Brooklyn Children’s Museum, 145 Brooklyn Ave., Crown Heights
Ages 12 and younger
$15
Brooklyn’s boldest celebration of Black imagination, invention, and joy, shaped by Black creators. Make art, learn dances, create music, and envision the future that celebrates Black culture and the African Diaspora. Presented with Kendra J. Ross and STooPS.
February Break Discovery Days: Conservatory Quest
Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 1000 Washington Ave., Prospect Heights
Feb. 16 – 18, Monday and Wednesday, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm
All ages
Included with pay-what-you-wish garden admission
Travel from the desert to the rainforest (and beyond) in the blink of an eye! Use all five of your senses to investigate plants from these habitats.
Ringling Bros. and Barnum Bailey® The Greatest Show On Earth
Barclays Center, 620 Atlantic Ave., Prospect Heights
Feb. 19 – 22, see website for schedule
All ages
Tickets start at $35
The Greatest Show On Earth® is back with a high-energy, music-driven experience with bold circus performances, unforgettable characters, and a nonstop party vibe. This new production moves at the speed of today’s world: fast-paced, dynamic, and full of energy – bringing audiences closer than ever to the talent and heart that make The Greatest Show On Earth® unforgettable. It’s an adrenaline-packed celebration of human talent, where world-class athletes and performers from around the globe showcase extraordinary, jaw-dropping skills that make Children Of All Ages feel like they’re part of The Greatest Party On Earth!
Queens
Space Glide at the New York Hall of Science
New York Hall of Science, 4701 111th St., Corona
Wednesdays – Sundays, 10 am – 5 pm, through Feb. 22; Feb. 16 & 17, 10 am – 5 pm
All ages
Included with $19-$22 admission; $6 for Cool Culture pass holders; $6 during free admission hours on Fridays from 2-5 pm
“Space Glide”, an immersive skating experience set in deep space, has landed at the New York Hall of Science! The indoor rink is made of “Glice,” an eco-friendly, polymer-based, ice-like substance, which does not require skates. Visitors can glide in booties provided by NYSCI, making it fun and accessible to all ages and skill levels. The rink will feature projections onto the Glice and around the room to simulate floating through space.
For the Birds: Winter Break Family Fun
Voelker Orth Museum, 14919 38th Ave., Flushing
Feb. 15–18, Sunday and Wednesday, 1 – 3:30 pm
All ages
$4; $10 per family; free for children younger than 3
Birding and bird care are year-round activities at the Voelker Orth Museum! Enjoy a family-friendly and informative hands-on afternoon dedicated to these feathered friends. Visitors will make decorative bird feeders to place near their homes, learn how to use binoculars to observe birds in the wild, and create bird journals in order to track observations throughout the year. Visitors will also discover resources to help identify New York area birds and great places to observe them. Additional art and exploration activities included, plus light refreshments served.
Beautiful Birds
Alley Pond Environmental Center, 229-10 Northern Blvd., Douglaston
Tuesday, Feb. 17, 12:30 – 3:30 pm
Ages 6 – 8
$45
Register in advance
There are over 11,000 living species of birds. Join the Center and see what characteristics they share and what sets them apart from other vertebrates. In this fun class, kids will learn about birds, create some bird-based artwork, and go on a nature walk. Students will also get to meet one of APEC’s ambassador doves. Students should bring a NUT FREE snack to enjoy during class.
Interesting Invertebrates
Alley Pond Environmental Center, 229-10 Northern Blvd., Douglaston
Wednesday, Feb. 18, 12:30 – 3:30 pm
Ages 6 – 8
$45
Register in advance
Scientists estimate that 95-97% of animal species are invertebrates. In this class students will learn about their adaptations and how evolution has shaped them. Students should be prepared to go on a nature walk and meet several different invertebrates. Students should bring a NUT FREE snack to enjoy during class.
Little Hearts, Big Smiles!
Al Oerter Recreation Center, 131-40 Fowler Ave. Flushing
Friday, Feb. 20, noon – 3 pm
All ages
Free
Bring your family and friends to celebrate love and friendship. This event will feature arts & crafts, fun games and activities, and a musical performance.
Psst… Check Out Free Kid and Family Activities in NYC: 10 Free Things to Do This Week
