Picks Of The Week: May 2-8

Looking for some
activity inspiration for the week ahead? Just check out our “Picks of the
Week” blog, in which our listings editor Sandy Krulwich picks her favorite
family events for each day of the week, whether it’s a workshop, special story
time for kids, or a musical performance. See this week’s picks after the jump. —

Monday, May 2
Book Talks For Kids And
Parents At Mount
Vernon Hotel Museum
421
East 61st Street
6 pm – 7 pm

Beginning
today, the museum will host a discussion series (six in all), each focused on a
young adult book related to themes of American identity. Pre-registration
required – call 212.838.6878 (ext.25)
for more information.

Tuesday, May 3
Lego Store Monthly Mini
Model Build
Rockefeller Center
5 pm (until
supplies last)

The architecturally-minded
will dig the Lego Store’s free mini model demonstration, which happens the
first Tuesday of every month. Bonus points: take the cool creation home with
you! Recommended for ages 6-14 years.

Wednesday, May 4
Preschool Play At Robert
F. Wagner Jr. Park
Just
north of Historic Battery Park, off Battery Place.
10
am – Noon

Toddlers and preschoolers can
enjoy stories and songs on the lawn. Toys, books and equipment provided.

Thursday, May 5
Meet 12 Beloved Children’s
Illustrators At The Scholastic Store
557 Broadway
3:30 pm – 5:00 pm

Want to celebrate Children’s
Book Week in style? Meet 12 of your kid’s favorite illustrators (okay, ours
too) at this unprecedented event! Favorites include: David Shannon (No, David), Norman Bridwell (Clifford) and Bruce Degen (Magic School Bus).

Friday, May 6
Blooming Babies: I Love
My Mommy!
145
Brooklyn Avenue (Brooklyn
Children’s Museum)
11:30
am

With Mother’s Day is right
around the corner, nothing says “I love you” like a special necklace! For ages
18 months – 2.5 years.

Saturday, May 7
Mother’s Day Tea Party
at Taste Buds Kitchen
109
West 27th Street
9:30 am (5-8
years), 11 am (2-4
years), 12:30 pm (9-13
years)

This Mother’s Day, come to
Taste Buds for a special Mother and Child Tea Party. Nosh on raspberry tea and
homemade scones with homemade jam. Be sure to choose the best session based on
child’s age.

Sunday, May 8
Animal Tales Extravaganza At The Bronx Zoo
Bronx Zoo
10 am – 5 pm

With weekend programs through
June 26, Animal Tales offers families two days of themed fun! This Sunday, don’t
miss Elisabeth Hasselbeck (a New York
Family cover mom from earlier this year) reading “Angelina’s New Partner” as
well a children’s dance workshop with the folks from Vital Theatre.

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.

Broadway Dance Center Children and Teens

With more than 35 years of experience, Broadway Dance Center Children &amp; Teens provides young movers ages 3-18 with exceptional training. BDC delivers the finest all-around dance experience for students by offering a wide variety of styles and levels, performance opportunities, and the highest caliber dance instruction that only New York City and BDC Children &amp; Teens can provide. This studio is so much more than a training course for young dancers; it is a diverse, family-friendly community for budding creatives. It has an exemplary faculty who follow the vision to not only develop a dancer&rsquo;s love and ability in dance, but to do so in a nurturing and supportive way.

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;