Want fun and affordable things to do in Westchester this January? We’ve got you covered! Get all the details on the best local kids’ events happening this month, from fun family shows to our top picks for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Plus, find out why a trip over the border either CT or the Bronx (or both!) is totally worth your while.
For even more upcoming family events in Westchester and the NYC area, head to our full (searchable!) calendar of events.
Cerealist Works
Families are invited to visit Michael Albert’s One-Man Show & Retrospective at the White Plains Library Gallery, running through January 31. Albert, a collage- and pop-artist, is best known for his cubist mosaic cereal-box collages. In the past several years, he has worked to create “epic” collage works on historical, geographical, and literary themes, including the Map Collage of White Plains, which he dedicated in a ceremony at the library in December. On January 15, from 2-4pm, the library will host a special drop-in Cerealism Collage Workshop with Michael Albert. Families can view the exhibit, then peruse picture books and make collages of their own. FREE.
The White Plains Library, 100 Martine Avenue, White Plains.914-422-1476. www.whiteplainslibrary.org.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Highlights
January 16 is a national holiday, so schools are closed, as are many places you’d ordinarily take the kids. But there are some wonderful events happening on and around Martin Luther King, Jr. Day to help children understand the meaning of this important time of remembrance. New events are announced daily, so be sure to check our online calendar at www.nymetroparents.com/calendar for those that were announced after press time.
Wave Hill, the public garden and cultural center in the Bronx, is offering Freedom Pillows, a family art project. Participants will make a pillow that expresses their personal dream of freedom, drawing on the spirit of Dr. King and traditional African-American quilts. January 13-14. 10am-1pm. The program is free both days, but Sunday admission to the grounds is $8; $4 students and seniors; $2 ages 6-18.
Wave Hill, 675 West 252nd Street, Bronx. 718-549-3200. www.wavehill.org.
Kids can drop in to Free Craft Saturday at Straight A’s to make their own “I Have a Dream” picture. The recently opened store in downtown White Plains sells educational toys, gifts, and teacher supplies. January 14. 11am-4pm.
Straight A’s, 180 East Post Road, White Plains. 914-437-8922. www.straightaseductional.com.
The White Plains Public Library will hold three free events in honor of the holiday. Children in kindergarten through grade 6 (along with their family members) are invited to attend “Martin’s Big Words” and Other Books About Dr. King on January 14, 2-2:30pm, in Galaxy Hall. Then, at the Martin Luther King Dream Collage program in the Castle, they will make collages about Dr King’s “I Have a Dream” speech using recycled materials and listen to White Plains artist Michael Albert read Dr. King’s speech from his own collage; 2:30-4pm. On January 15, Short Films About Dr. King will play in The Cave, 1-5pm.
White Plains Public Library, 100 Martine Avenue, White Plains. 914-422-1476. www.whiteplainslibrary.org.
The theme of this year’s Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Family Day Celebration at the Bruce Museum is “Dr. King’s Message of Love.” The program will feature performances by Built for Praise Dance Academy and students of all ages and abilities can make “I Have a Dream” buttons and add their self-portraits to the Circle of Friends mural. January 16. 10am-4pm. $7; $6 ages 5-22; free ages 4 and younger.
Bruce Museum, 1 Museum Drive, Greenwich, CT. 203-869-0376. www.brucemuseum.org.
Self-taught artist Winfred Rembert lived through many of the pivotal and tumultuous moments of 20th-century civil rights history. As a prisoner serving an unjust seven-year sentence, he learned to make designs on hand-tooled leather. Years later, in colorful tableaux on tanned leather, Rembert conjured a world of incredible brutality from his past experiences. The mid-career exhibition Winfred Rembert: Amazing Grace shows the dramatic, biographical nature of Rembert’s art. Rembert will sing gospel songs and discuss his experiences in the galleries on several dates. Please note: This exhibition contains some graphic images of racism and brutality, so it may not be appropriate for young children. The show opens January 21 and runs through May 5. Wednesday-Sunday 12-5pm. $5; $3 seniors and ages 5-16; free ages 4 and younger.
Hudson River Museum, 511 Warburton Avenue, Yonkers. 914-963-4550. www.hrm.org.
Cruisin’ for Creatures
Bet you never thought of taking a cruise in January…on the Long Island Sound! Turns out, this month is the perfect time to experience the Maritime Aquarium’s new season of Winter Creature Cruises. The two-and-a-half-hour cruises seek out the harbor seals, gray seals, and even harp seals that have been wintering on the Sound in growing numbers each winter. Educators on board the research vessel Oceanic will point out these federally protected marine mammals and talk about their natural histories. They’ll also help identify such winter waterfowl as buffleheads, mergansers, and Old Squaws. Cruises depart from the dock outside the Aquarium’s IMAX movie theater. It goes without saying, but binoculars and layers of warm clothes are recommended. Dates and departure times vary by the tide schedule (seals like to rest on exposed rocks during low tide), but this month’s cruises are at 9am on January 15 and 29. $20.50. Recommended for ages 8 and older. Advance reservations strongly recommended; walk-up tickets will be sold, space permitting. For reservations and details, call 203-852-0700 ext. 2206.
The Maritime Museum, 10 Water Street, Norwalk, CT. www.maritimeaquarium.org.
Pop in for Winter Fun
As part of Hibernators’ Pajama Pop-In Weekend at Wave Hill in the Bronx, kids can don their PJs to make an animal mask and hear tales of hibernating creatures. Bundle up and follow Jack Frost on an outdoor adventure where you’ll play games and find winter treasure. Or hunker down and listen to cool stories told by Buddy Bear. Enjoy cold weather fun outside and warm, fuzzy frolicking inside. Indoor and outdoor activities and adventures alternate throughout the Pajama Pop-in. Admission to the grounds is free all weekend, thanks to the support of Target. January 21-22. 10am-4:30pm.
Wave Hill, 675 West 252nd Street, Bronx. 718-549-3200. www.wavehill.org.
High-Enery Entertainment
Entertainer and kid-favorite Graham Clarke brings music, humor, stories, games, and his special brand of silliness to the John Jay Middle School Theater in Cross River on January 28. 4:30pm. $10.
40 North Salem Road, Cross River. 914-329-3152. www.grahamclarke.com.
Pee-yew!
In The Stinky Cheese Man, Jack has to use his wits to save himself from the terrible Giant, but a host of familiar fairytale characters keep messing up his plans. And then there’s that annoying Stinky Cheese Man himself! Characters slide in and out of stories and nothing is quite the same as you remember it from classic fairytales in this stage adaptation of the book by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith. Suitable for ages 4 and older. $18; $13 ages 12 and younger. January 28. 11am and 1:30pm.
The Emelin Theatre, 153 Library Lane, Mamaroneck. 914-698-0098. www.emelin.org.
