Picks of the Week: October 1-7

It’s the start of a brand new month! To shake things up a bit, instead of featuring our favorite event picks of the week, let’s highlight a few new and returning exhibits (and a seasonal performance) happening this month and beyond. Happy October!

Wednesday, October 3-Saturday, November 3
“Hansel & Gretel’s Halloween Adventure”
Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre
Various times
In this puppet production sequel to the classic fairy tale Hansel and Gretel meet an assortment of magical characters on All Hallows Eve. Tickets are $8/adult and $5/child under 12.

Saturday, October 6-Sunday, October 7
Open House New York
Various locations citywide
Times vary
Some of New York’s most stunning buildings open to the public this weekend for America’s largest architecture and design event, otherwise known as Open House New York. Don’t miss this chance to glimpse cool architecture that’s usually off-limits, with plenty of kid-friendly activities to boot.

Saturday, October 6-Tuesday, May 28
The Butterfly Conservatory
American Museum of Natural History
10 am-5:45 pm
The Butterfly Conservatory is back at the American Museum of Natural History! Over 500 of winged creatures can be found fluttering through the conservatory during this seasonal exhibition. Butterfly lovers of all ages will learn about the caterpillar transformation process and other fascinating butterfly facts.

Through Sunday, February 24
“Marvels and Monsters” and “Alt. Comics” Exhibits
Museum of Chinese in America
11 am-6 pm
MOCA’s two new exhibits focus on cultural perceptions, specifically of Asian Americans, in the American comic book world. “Marvels and Monsters” depicts the history of Asian characters in U.S. comics between 1942 and 1986, while “Alt. Comics” focuses on present-day Asian American comic book artists and their reinvention of the genre’s heroes. Recommended for ages 9 and up. Free with museum admission.

Ongoing
da Vinci Surgical Robot Exhibit
Liberty Science Center
Various times
The Liberty Science Center’s newest addition to their permanent collection, the da Vinci Surgical Robot, lets young, wannabe surgeons show off their hand-eye coordination expertise with challenging tasks and games using remote controlled robotic arms on a plasma screen. Recommended for ages 12 and up. Free with museum admission.

BAMkids

BAMkids presents adventurous art and ideas for young audiences, igniting the imaginations of creative kids ages 3&mdash;11 with a fun and engaging lineup of workshops, movie matinees, and live performances from around the world. BAM Education connects learning with creativity, engaging imagination by encouraging self-expression through programs for students, teachers, and audiences of all ages. Explore the programs on their website to learn more about their opportunities for creative online engagement!

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.