Picks of the Week: October 28-November 3

Canstruction; photo by Stephen Rees via flickr

Let the Halloween countdown begin! We’ve selected a couple of terrifyingly terrific Halloween events that are sure to knock your socks (or your masks ) off. Plus, be sure to check out our full roundup of Halloween parties and parades here. Have a safe and happy All Hallows’ Eve!

Thursday, October 31

Canstruction
Brookfield Place Winter Garden
10am-6pm
Canstruction is unlike any building competition around. Architects, designers, engineers, and students compete in teams to build incredible, large-scale structures made completely out of unopened cans of food. Visitors to the Brookfield Place Winter Garden will have the opportunity to view the “canstructions” until November 13, when they will be dismantled. The cans will be donated to City Harvest for those in need of meals. Admission is free, but visitors are asked to bring an unopened can of high quality food as a donation.

10th Annual Divalysscious Moms Halloween Spooktacular
Dylan’s Candy Bar
11am-1pm
Join us for Divalysscious Moms annual Halloween Spooktacular at Dylan’s Candy Bar! This event will be hosted by Divamom Lyss Stern, New York Family, and New York Family‘s October cover family, Sean MacPherson and Rachelle Hruska-MacPherson. Spooktacular promises to be a scary good time for little ones ages 6 months to 4 years with entertainment by Little Maestros, photography by Heidi Green, pumpkin carving, food, trick-or-treat tote bag decorating, goody bags provided by Dylan’s Candy Bar, and much more. Admission is $75, but save $25 when RSVP-ing for a family of 3 when you mention New York Family. Space is limited, Reservations are required.

23rd Annual Children’s Halloween Parade
Washington Square Arch
3-6pm
Ages 3 through 12 are invited to NYU and Community Board 2s Annual Children’s Halloween Parade. Kids can march with circus performers and brass bands to LaGuardia Place in Washington Square South where there will be games, rides, and, of course, yummy trick-or-treat bags. Admission is free.

Saturday, November 2

Dark Universe Space Show
American Museum of Natural History
Various times
The new Dark Universe Space Show in the American Museum of Natural History’s Hayden Planetarium launches viewers through the galaxy like never before. Audiences will marvel at the Milky Way from the perspective of the Mt. Wilson Observatory in California and see Jupiter via NASA’s Galileo spacecraft. The show also explores phenomena such as dark energy and dark matter. Tickets are $16 for children and $27 for adults.

Family Day: Festival of Lights
Rubin Museum of Art
12-4pm
Visit the Rubin Museum this Saturday for a Diwali celebration. All are welcome to learn about the Hindu New Year with storytelling, music and dance performances, marigold garland making, and clay lamp sculpting. Also, contribute flower petals to a giant Rangoli design collaboration. Admission is $10 for children and $10 for adults.

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.

USC Gymnastics & Baseball Training Facility

We offer sports activities, after school programs, birthday parties &amp; private lessons for kids ages 3&ndash;13 years! Our gymnastics classes are a great way to keep your child active and healthy. We strive to empower and challenge children through the sport of gymnastics.

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;