Picks of the Week: April 1-7

The Intergalactic Nemesis; photo by The Wexner Center

Hope everyone had a superb long weekend! Now that April has arrived, we’re beginning to see more outdoor events pop up around the city. Here are our favorite choices for this week:

Wednesday, April 3-Sunday, April 7

“Billy, Goat, Gruff: The Musical”
The New Theater at 45th Street
1 pm
The tale of the Three Billy Goats Gruff is re-imagined in this musical production by The New Theater at 45th Street and the New York Music/Theatre Project. Billy, Goat, and Gruff are three billy goat brothers on a mission to reach the meadow on the other side of the troll-guarded bridge. Find out if they succeed in this magical adaptation for all ages. Tickets start at $18. Runs through April 28.

Friday, April 5-Sunday, April 7

“The Intergalactic Nemesis”
The New Victory Theater
Various times
Aliens are trying to take over Earth in this radio play by Texas’ The Robot Planet. Three live actors voice hundreds of out-of-this-world characters during this two-hour scifi adventure perfect for ages 7 and up. Tickets start at $14. Runs weekends through April 13.

Saturday, April 6

Scotland Run & Festival
Central Park
8 am
Join other runners in Central Park for the 10th annual Scotland Run & Festival! This 10k run and fest celebrates the majesty and traditions of Scotland and its people. After racing through the park, the whole family can enjoy live music, food, dancing, games, and more throughout the day. Race entry fee before race day is $37 for adults/$15 for juniors or $40 for adults/$20 for juniors on race day. If registering on race day, please arrive early (between 6:30 am and 7:30 am).

Sandsational Riverside 2013
Various playgrounds throughout Riverside Park
10 am-12 pm
Help Riverside Park ready their many playgrounds for the spring and summer months. Volunteers will help transport fresh sand via family bucket brigade to their local sandbox. Kids’ shovels and pails will be provided. For a list of participating playgrounds, click here.

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;

Saf-T-Swim

For over 35 years, Saf-T-Swim Swim School has been teaching lifesaving swimming skills throughout Nassau County, Suffolk County, and now Little Neck. The school is proud to be Long Island's #1 swim school and a leader in water safety education. With swim programs for infants as young as 4 months, beginners, and advanced swimmers, Saf-T-Swim offers swimming programs for every age and skill level. Discover why generations of Long Islanders have trusted Saf-T-Swim time and time again with equipping their little ones the essential skill of swimming. &nbsp; &nbsp; &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.