Weekend Planner: Best Weekend Events for Families (February 8-10)

X (2019), Reddymade’s winning design for the eleventh annual Times Square Valentine Heart Design Competition, explores how love emerges within communities where difference meets equality. An “X” evokes many expressions of interpersonal and civic love, including the written symbol for a kiss, and even the mark of a vote. People from all backgrounds cross paths in Times Square, and Reddymade’s design offers them a meeting point for further exchange and connection. X takes its titular form with two crossed aluminum planes, creating a passageway through or a snug meeting place within the 18-foot-tall structure. Round openings at the centers of the planes combine into heart shapes when viewed from different angles. X will be up in Times Square throughout the month of February.

The Children’s Museum of Manhattan is hosting a Valentine’s Day workshop where kids of all ages can learn to sew, stitch back together a well-worn stuffed animal or create a gift for a special someone. If your child wants to learn to sew, stitch hearts, or curate a heartfelt present, this place is for you.

Though it may be starting to look and feel more like winter everyday here in New York City, it’s actually the perfect time to start thinking of sunnier days — especially if you’re a city parent planning to send your child to summer camp in 2019. With so many options — sleepaway camps, day camps in the city, day camps out of the city, and specialty camps, to name a few broad categories — the search process can be overwhelming, especially for parents new to the process. New York Family’s signature Camp Fair series — presented in partnership with the American Camp Association, New York & New Jersey (ACA NY-NJ) — aims to help local parents connect with scores of ACA-accredited camps for children of all ages.

The Camp Fair series runs from December through April, with the next Fairs of the season slated for February 9 (Cobble Hill, Brooklyn) and February 10 (Park Slope); all Fairs run from 12-3pm. All Fairs are free and open to the public (though pre-registration is encouraged), family-friendly, and feature a mix of 30-50 different camps (exact camps vary by date and location).

Celebrate the Year of the Pig! Asia Society rings in the Year of the Pig with performances and traditional craft activities inspired by Lunar New Year traditions across Asia. Activities will include a Lion Dance and kung fu demonstration, musical performances, and more.

Ring in the Lunar New Year with a family-friendly performance presented by Arts Brookfield in partnership with the New York Chinese Cultural Center. The afternoon begins with a festive Lion Dance (1:40pm) that will move from the Oculus Westfield World Trade Center through Brookfield Place and into the Winter Garden. At 2pm, the mainstage performance begins with traditional Chinese dance and music, a martial arts demonstration, and theatrical players in full traditional make-up and regalia.

New York Theatre Ballet presents this timeless tale, complete with a Dancing Clock, wacky Stepsisters and everyone’s favorite princess. Ballet runs one hour. 11am, 1pm, 3:30pm Feb. 9 and 10. Recommended for ages 3 and up. $26. Reservations required. Florence Gould Hall, 55 E. 59th St., New York. 212–355–6160. nytb.org. 

The Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) is excited to announce MOCA FEST 2019, an 8-week Lunar New Year celebration at MOCA to welcome the Year of the Pig and the start of year 4717 on the Chinese calendar. Festivities will include the launch of MOCA’s new shop in partnership with Pearl River Mart; Lunar New Year-themed programs, speakers, and children’s activities; MOCA’s popular Night Market showcasing cuisine from famed Asian American chefs; a Family Festival; and a glamorous Lunar Soiree. The Museum invites people of all ages to take part in its uniquely designed celebration aimed at providing a genuine and deep understanding of this famed holiday and what it means in American society. All proceeds go towards supporting the Museum of Chinese in America, the largest institution of its kind. Through its critically acclaimed exhibitions and collection of over 65,000 artifacts, the Museum provides an immersive approach to learning about the multi-faceted identity and untold stories of Chinese people in America and their contributions to the American historical and cultural narrative.

Children’s Museum of the Arts (CMA) is pleased to announce A Way With Words: The Power and Art of the Book, an exhibition that presents artworks which draw attention to the long and remarkable history of the book, on view from November 29, 2018 to April 29, 2019. The invention of the printing press in the 1440s launched the book into the industrial age, increasing the production and distribution of the written word, and with it, knowledge and literacy. Today, our libraries are filled with millions of books, and the digital age allows us to access literature instantly in the palm of our hand. Because the book has been produced around the globe, it has become a versatile and creative source of artistic inspiration.

Including works by Cara Barer, Doug Beube, Long-Bin Chen, Casey Curran, Brian Dettmer, Ann Hamilton, Andrew Hayes, Lisa Kokin, Guy Laramée, Mike Stilkey, and Robert The, A Way With Words will show the transformation of everyday books into expressions of identity, community, environmentalism, memory, and reconstructed narratives. Families will see unconventional treatments such as cutting, weaving, tearing, burning, and shredding, as artists transform books into sculptures, animation, drawings, and paintings that capture the book’s significant history and power to inform the public. Children and their families will also create their own artworks inspired by the exhibition.

Bring the kids to this futuristic rock musical set in the world 2211. There are no adults, technology, or running water in this world for Aurora and her friends. Meanwhile, a girl named Claire wonders if there’s anyone else out there on the planet. Runs through February 24: Fridays at 7pm, Saturdays and Sundays at 2pm and 4pm. $15 kids, $30 adults. TADA! Youth Theater, 15 W 28th St. 212-252-1619. tadatheater.com.