Weekend Planner: Fun Family Activities In NYC (December 4-6)

As the winter holiday season kicks into high gear with the start of Hanukkah on Sunday, take the weekend to indulge in some of the holiday fun, like Dan Zanes’ seasonal sing-a-long at City Winery, or the 92Y and Jewish Museum’s Hanukkah celebrations for the whole family. Plus, don’t miss the Little Orchestra Society’s newest concert for youngsters, or the wild, wheel-fueled circus opening at the New Victory Theater. Enjoy!

19th Annual Dana Holiday Lighting in Central Park
The Central Park Conservancy will light up a floating dock of more than 20 trees on the Harlem Meer as part of its free annual holiday celebration. Families can sing with carolers, watch an ice carving demonstration, and enjoy free cookies and hot cocoa. Snacks and photos with Santa will begin at 5:30 pm followed by caroling at the lighting ceremony at 6 pm.The Central Park Holiday Lighting is made possible by founding sponsor Con Edison and organized by the Women’s Committee of Central Park Conservancy. (Thursday) (Image via centralparknyc.org)
Keith Michael's "The Nutcracker" at Brookfield Place
Catch this beloved holiday ballet for free with the New York Theatre Ballet’s kid-friendly performance. Set in Art-Noveau style circa 1907 and choreographed by the NYTB’s Keith Michael, this hour-long performance is perfect for ages 3 and up. (Friday-Saturday) (Image via brookfieldplaceny.com)
"Pedal Punk" at the New Victory Theater
Las Vegas’ Cirque Mechanics will arrive at the New Victory Theater this Friday to begin the run of its new show “Pedal Punk.” Families with children ages 5 and up will be treated to death-defying aerial trampoline stunts, a pole drop, and acrobatics performed on bikes and other pedal-powered apparatuses during this two-hour show. (Opens Friday) (Photo by Zach Mahone)
"Peter & The Wolf" at the Guggenheim
Join the Guggenheim for its annual presentation of Sergei Prokofiev’s orchestral piece, “Peter & the Wolf.” Fashion designer extraordinaire Isaac Mizrahi will narrate this half-hour performance by Ensemble Signal. Originally composed to teach children about the instruments of the orchestra, “Peter & the Wolf” is a fantastic introduction to the world of classical music. (Starts Saturday)
The Little Orchestra Society: "Dvořák: Exploring the New World” at The Kaye Playhouse
The Little Orchestra Society is well-known for its family concerts, music education, and community engagement programs. Its core belief is that access to live classical music should be readily available to all members of the community. In its inaugural season, LOS Kids, a new concert series for 3-7 year-olds, introduces youngsters to some of the classical greats. This weekend’s concert, “Dvořák: Exploring the New World,” will focus on the work of the legendary Czech composer Antonin Dvořák. (Saturday-Sunday) (Image via The Little Orchestra Society)
Nutcracker Suite at Symphony Space
Introduce your entire family to this classic Christmas tradition by attending the Dance Conservatory performance of Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker Winter Suite,” featuring classical ballet dancing and festive music.(Saturday) (Image via Symphony Space)
Winter Con at Resorts World Casino NY
Whether you’ve dreamed of showing off your inner superhero or would simply like a more intimate setting in which to meet your favorite stars, authors, and comic book celebrities, then make sure you attend this year’s Wintercon! With an artist alley, costume contests, kid events and even an after-party, this two-day event is sure to brighten up your holiday season! (Saturday-Sunday) (Image via nywintercon.com)
Be a Good Cookie Family Fun Day at Metropolitan Pavilion
Join Cookies For Kids’ Cancer, Babyganics, and Milkbar’s Christina Tosi in raising funds to develop pediatric cancer treatments at Be A Good Cookie Family Fun Day! The event will feature tastings from renowned bakers such as Jen Yee of Lafayette, Eleni Gianopulos of Eleni’s New York, and Sarah Sanneh of Pies ‘n’ Thighs, plus live kids’ entertainment from DJ Fulano and songs for seeds, cupcake decorating, and more! (Saturday) (Image via Cookies For Kids' Cancer)
5th Annual Sing-a-Long with Dan Zanes & Friends at City Winery
Get ready for Dan Zanes’ annual Holiday Sing-A-Long! This year, Zanes is inviting some of his musical friends to City Winery in SoHo for his fifth annual holiday show. The Grammy award-winning children’s singer blends folk, early rock, and English music hall numbers together to create his unique, kid-friendly songs that even grown-ups will love. (Sunday) (Image via citywinery.com)
Hanukkah Family Day at the Jewish Museum
Gather the whole family and head over to the Jewish Museum for a festive celebration, featuring a reading by actress (and past NYF cover mom) Amanda Peet and Andrea Toyer from their new Hanukkah-themed children’s book, "Dear Santa, Love Rachel Rosenstein"; performances by storyteller and illustrator Jeff Hopkins and musician ShirLaLa; and lots of arts and crafts! (Sunday) (Image via thejewishmuseum.org)
Winter Family Fair at the Morgan Library & Museum
The Morgan Library & Museum is hosting a magical Winter Family Fair, featuring a performance of the puppet show “The Steadfast Tin Soldier,” an ornament workshop, a special reading of "A Christmas Carol," and more! (Sunday)
Chanukah Festival: Light Up Your Life! at 92Y
Celebrate the start of Chanukah at the 92Y! Play dreidel, make Menorahs and holiday cards, and enjoy special activities and games.Those attending should bring an unwrapped, unopened gift for the Chanukah gift drive. (Sunday) (Image via 92Y)
10 Great Events for December
“ELF The Musical,” Unsilent Night, “A Charlie Brown Christmas” at Carnegie Hall, and more!
2015 Holiday Fun Guide
It's the most wonderful time of the year! Make spirits bright with our guide to a classic New York holiday. (Image courtesy of Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park)

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.

Child's Play NY Virtual Classes

<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Child's Play NY is a Brooklyn-based company founded in 2009, committed to offering a diverse array of theater arts classes for children. They believe studying the art of acting encourages kids to be even more creative, collaborative and compassionate human beings. Since its inception, Child's Play NY has touched the lives of hundreds of students, worked inside dozens of schools and is consistently ranked as among the top theater arts programs. It is the 2019 winner of Brooklyn Family's Choice award for Best Performing Arts Class. &nbsp; <span style="color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fall/Winter 2020-21 Virtual Class Guide<span style="color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: &nbsp; <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: underline; text-decoration-skip: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Make a Movie Class <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Experience creative fulfillment and movie magic with Child&rsquo;s Play NY! Kids get to make and star in their own film, with professional actors, directors and designers. From development to design to editing choices too, kids can take ownership over the creative process. Their friends and family get to celebrate their accomplishments at a final watch party premiere! Deep project-based learning and peer-connection is at the heart of this 9-week experience which can be done remotely or in-person. &nbsp; <span style="color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: underline; text-decoration-skip: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fall and Winter Virtual Classes &nbsp; <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hogwarts School (grades 1-3): Come get sorted into your favorite house, jump on your Firebolt and let&rsquo;s make some magic! Class culminates in a movie montage featuring our original scripted work from the session. &nbsp; &nbsp; <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: underline; text-decoration-skip: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Create Your Own Class <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Make your own custom group to support social-emotional growth and play. Child&rsquo;s Play NY provides a dynamic teacher and their lauded curriculum that puts peer-interaction at the front and center. Custom classes are a special way to nurture what your child loves most and share that excitement with their friends, in-person or online. &nbsp; <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Playwriting (Grades 4-6)</div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Students will use their creativity, compassion and confidence to build a story they can carry with them for the rest of their lives. Individually, each student will craft a play, and together they will workshop their scenes, exercising their acting, directing, and most importantly, imagination skills. Over the course of the sessions, students will learn the basics of playwriting and be able to present any and all parts of their theatrical story. All classes will include individual assignments and collaborative opportunities. Each day will be structured so that all participants have the chance to learn and study other writers&rsquo; work, write for 10-15 minutes and share their words with each other. By the end of the semester they will have used their bodies, intellect and imagination to come up with an original play. By being confident, vulnerable and creative with each other and actively supporting and encouraging each other&rsquo;s work, students will emerge with meaningful connections to each other and a strong sense of their writing and collaborative abilities. Class culminates in a montage and packet of students&rsquo; original work. </div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">&nbsp;</div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Musical Theater Lab (Grades 4-6)</div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Learn how to be a triple threat in this dynamic class for budding performers with Child&rsquo;s Play NY. Students focus on songs, dances and characters from Broadway&rsquo;s most celebrated and kid-friendly shows. They work alongside professional performers with years of experience bringing their passion to children. Class culminates in a movie showcase of scenes and songs. Join for the full session, or enroll as a drop-in! </div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">&nbsp;</div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shakespeare Scene Study (Grades 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12)</div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Young people become confident with Shakespeare&rsquo;s world, language and characters as they learn how to interpret a role with technique and courage. Classically trained professional actors assist the players in their physical, vocal and emotional transformations. All Shakespeare teaching artists are classically trained professional actors and have performed Shakespeare both on and off Broadway and in regional theaters across the country.</div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Students jump into the worlds of Shakespeare in this robust mash-up of improvisation and classic text scene study class. After learning the plot and characters from several plays, they rehearse and memorize scenes from the original text. New material, devised by the cast, adds a contemporary through-line to their show and highlights the universality of Shakespeare&rsquo;s themes. Class culminates in a movie showcasing their work.</div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">&nbsp;</div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Big Twist: A New Musical (Grade 1-4)</div> &nbsp; <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In this acting class, students get to perform a brand new musical based on The Wizard of Oz. The Wicked Witch of the South wants to return Oz to a time when WITCHES reigned supreme, and all was evil. Summoning a dark magic Tornado, the Wicked Witch of the South sends Oz hurtling into an alternate Oz. With the Yellow Brick road destroyed, the Wizard left powerless, and the citizens of Oz scattered to the Wind, our heroes are forced into unlikely partnerships to stop the Witch and restore the world to order. The Wizard of Oz meets The Tempest. &nbsp;Class culminates in a premiere of a movie starring the students, filmed over the last few days of the session.</div> &nbsp; &nbsp;

Young Actors at Strasberg

Young Actors at Strasberg&nbsp;offers a comprehensive array of acting programs for students in grades 2 &ndash;&nbsp;12. Classes provide kids and teens with a foundation in Lee Strasberg's Method Acting and the tools to succeed in the professional industry &ndash;&nbsp;all while maintaining a fun and playful environment. Programs are tailored to encompass students at all levels, from those just beginning their acting journey to Broadway veterans and professional child actors. Young Actors at Strasberg alumni include Lady Gaga, Sophia Lillis, Angelina Jolie, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson and Rosario Dawson! Young Actors&nbsp;Programs are available online and in-person at our New York Campus, located in Union Square. Saturday, After-School and Online classes are offered during the traditional school year (Fall, Winter, and Spring) and Monday through Friday day camps and intensives are held in&nbsp;July and August. About The Lee Strasberg Theatre &amp; Film Institute: Founded in 1969 by Lee and Anna Strasberg, The Lee Strasberg Theatre &amp; Film Institute is the only school that teaches Lee Strasberg's work in its complete and authentic form. The Institute's goal is to provide students with a craft that will help them create a reality and respond truthfully in imaginary circumstances, regardless of the style or form of material being used. LSTFI is proud to have award-winning alumni from around the world working as writers, directors, and actors in all mediums.