Picks of the Week: May 13-19

Hope everyone had a marvelous Mother’s Day! Next up on the NYC events scene are two festivals, a week dedicated to wildflowers, and a fantastic frog exhibit.

Through Sunday, May 19
NYC Wildflower Week
Various locations throughout NYC
Various times
Who knew that there was a week when wildflowers were celebrated in the city? The Torrey Botanical Society created Wildflower Week in 1871 as a way to highlight and protect the area’s plants and flora. Standout children’s events happening in Manhattan include “Experience Life as a Plant” (Friday, May 17), where kids will learn how flowers grow in big cities, and an “Interactive Nature Fair” (Saturday, May 18), during which all ages can pot and take home a plant and participate in arts & crafts workshops. Most events are free. Registration is recommended.

Saturday, May 18
Frogs: A Chorus of Colors Exhibit
American Museum of Natural History
10 am-5:45 pm
Opening this weekend, Frogs: A Chorus of Colors explores the many varieties of frogs and their natural habitats. Featuring live specimens, the exhibit will also reveal how these amphibians have become masterfully adept at disguising and protecting themselves in the wild. Runs through January 5, 2014. Free with museum admission. Recommended for all ages.

Spring Kids Fest
Madison Square Park
10:30 am-1:30 pm
Madison Square Park’s Spring Kids Fest is back! This year’s activities include family yoga sessions, a ring toss, potato sack races, face painting, and more. Disney’s Pixar Animation Studios will give visitors a sneak peek of their upcoming movie “Monsters University” and the DiMenna Children’s History Museum will be on hand for storytime. Plus, see Rolie Polie Guacamole in concert beginning at 11am. The Spring Kids Fest is free.

Saturday, May 18-Sunday, May 19

New York Baby Show
Pier 92 (52nd Street & West Side Highway)
10am-4pm
Join New York Family at the New York Baby Show! At the family-friendly mega show, new and expectant parents with infants and toddlers can explore a mix of top products and services, along with an inspiring menu of speakers and demonstrations from maternity designer Rosie Pope and other highly regarded experts in the world of parenting and pregnancy. Some highlights: great children’s entertainment like Radio Disney on-site playing music and games, moms’ and dads’ lounges, and a fun kids’ play area. $10 for individuals and $20 for families.

The 40th Annual Ninth Avenue International Food Festival
Ninth Avenue between 42nd & 57th Streets (Manhattan)
12 pm-5 pm
What better way to spend an afternoon than by chowing down on some good eats from 40 food vendors during The Ninth Avenue International Food Festival. Sample the cuisines of Italy, Poland, Spain, Greece, Japan, and others–all without leaving NYC. Vendors include The Bread Factory, Dalton’s Bar & Grill, Southern Hospitality BBQ, Breeze, Empanada Mama, and much more. The festival will be held rain or shine. Admission is free.

WCS Education - Wildlife Conservation Society

Explore nature, learn about the planet, and get close to animals&mdash;all in New York City! WCS zoo and aquarium day camps are for every young adventurer, from toddlers to teens. Campers experience hands-on learning, from STEAM classrooms and animal exhibits to nature trails and the beach. Recognized as industry leaders, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Education Department was the first of its kind to offer zoo camps and continues to provide award-winning programming. Visit wcs.education/camps to explore summer camps at the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Queens Zoo, and New York Aquarium!

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.

Instituto Cervantes

Children and teenagers learn to understand and express themselves in Spanish, while improving their communication skills through a dynamic immersion program taught by NATIVE TEACHERS that combines CLASSES, ARTISTIC WORKSHOPS and FUN ACTIVITIES! All of our high-qualified teachers are native Spanish speakers who adapt the structure of the class to the needs and levels of each group while conducting the classes entirely in Spanish. We offer both Spanish Summer Camps and Regular Courses for children along the year to foster language learning and multicultural understanding.