HOT OFF THE BLOG
Feeling the heat this summer? Take the whole family for a dip in one of NYC’s awesome free public pools. Dive In!
Long Beach is on the rise! For families looking for a beach locale within commuting distance, Long Beach–with its combination of family-friendly restaurants, stores, and sights–is a perfect pick. By The Sea!
More than just a novelty elevated walkway, the High Line offers plenty of fun happenings for families.Walk On!
WEEKEND PLANNER
FRIDAY
Kick off your weekend with a Bubble Party at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan. Ages 4 and under can pop tons of bubbles while playing in the PlayWorks Lab. Bubbles, bubbles everywhere! (Friday)
Have you ever wanted to learn how to make ice cream? Well, kids ages 3 and up can get the scoop during New York Hall of Science’s Ice Cream, You Scream workshop. During this Little Makers program, participants will create their own unique flavor of ice cream and freeze it using a special shaker. Come and get it! (Friday and Sunday)
Celebrate the release of Dan Zanes’ new greatest hits album, Get Loose and Get Together!: The Best of Dan Zanes, at Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park on Coney Island. After the concert, visitors can enjoy the park’s rides and watch a free fireworks show. Sing along! (Friday)
SATURDAY
Enjoy some fun, fast-paced and free family bonding at the Family Adventure Race in Queens’ Flushing Meadows Park. Parents and children will participate in such activities as a javelin throw, a jump rope competition, a basketball free-throw race, a hurdles course and more to complete the race and cross the finish line. Get in it to win it! (Saturday)
Play, run, bike, or walk along seven miles of Park Avenue, from Central Park to the Brooklyn Bridge, during Summer Streets. Families can participate in free arts and crafts workshops, enjoy live musical performances, learn to salsa dance, ride a zip line, climb a climbing wall, and more. Stay active! (Saturday)
Sweet Spot Festival, a free family-friendly event series that promotes the music, culture, art, and commerce of Harlem, is hosting a Jamaican Indepen-Dance Cooler Fete at the West Harlem Pier! Enjoy a live performance from Nardo Ranks and the musical stylings of Rice & Peas and Herbert Holler. Turn the music up! (Saturday)
Pirate Pete has lost his pet parrot Polly! Join him as he searches for his pancake-loving bird during Richard Mazda’s musical production of Pirate Pete’s Parrot at the Secret Theatre in Long Island City. Hoist the sails! (Saturday)
During Wave Hill’s Handmade River Rafts workshop, little crafters can make their own rafts or boats out of buoyant materials including reeds, modeling clay, and recycled foam trays. Watch it float! (Saturday and Sunday)
Fans of the hit television show Peppa Pig will want to prance on over to the Bronx Zoo this weekend to meet Peppa. Children will also have the opportunity to create piggy masks and take home Peppa coloring sheets, DVDs, and more. Have an oinktacular afternoon! (Saturday and Sunday)
SUNDAY
Listen to the soulful sounds of Shine & the Moonbeams in Brooklyn Bridge Park this Sunday. Comprised of singer/songwriter Shawana Kemp and guitarist John Heagle, Shine & the Moonbeams’ R&B grooves will have children of all ages dancing by the afternoon’s end. Plus, don’t miss the art activities following the concert. Shine on! (Sunday)
Help the Prospect Park Alliance clean 19th century reproduction clothing and cool off in the summer heat during Wash Day! Participants will do laundry the old-fashioned way without electricity, with the aid of tubs, washboards, and bar soap. Suds it up! (Sunday)
Grab a helping of Super Sprowtz this Sunday at the South Street Seaport. Meet Brian Broccoli, Erica Eggplant, Colby Carrot, and the rest of their veggie friends during this free two-hour, interactive musical show that teaches children the importance of incorporating fresh vegetables into their daily diet. Eat your veggies! (Sunday)
Astoria Park’s Shore Fest, which is meant to showcase the potential of Shore Boulevard in Astoria, is throwing a “We Like to Move It” party. All ages can enjoy physical fitness activities and games! Stretch, bend, move, and learn with the Manhattan skyline in the background. Make it a summer sizzler! (Sunday)
Take a trip to the Rockaways this Sunday with the New York Transit Museum. Travelers will ride the museum’s post-WWII train to Rockaway Beach where they can soak up some rays, grab a bite to eat, and enjoy all that the area has to offer. Don’t miss out on the last Nostalgia Ride of the summer. All aboard! (Sunday)
