Weekend Planner: Fun Family Activities In NYC (May 15-18)

"Far, Far Away..." at CMA

The Children’s Museum of the Arts’ latest exhibit, “Far, Far Away…” explores the possibility of other worlds, dreamscapes, and imagined places. Adventures begin and fantasies run wild in the displayed works which focus on the artists’ processes of manipulation, while demonstrating the storytelling power of visual art. Some of the pieces on display by the five featured artists—Meghan Boody, Joe Fig, Julie Heffernan, Gail LeBoff, and Ethan Murrow—represent dream-like fantasies, while others address changing identities, such as the transition from childhood to adulthood. Viewers are encouraged to identify with both the familiar and alien as they journey into the unknown. (Opens Thursday)

9th Annual Dance Parade and Festival

Get ready to boogie down Broadway at the 9th Annual Dance Parade and Festival! More than 10,000 dancers will hula, salsa, tango, swing, Irish step, and more, starting at Broadway and 21st Street. The parade will culminate at Tompkins Square Park, where the dancers and spectators will groove together at DanceFest—an afternoon of free performances, dance lessons, and, of course, a dance party. (Saturday)

Whitney Kids Opening

Opening festivities continue this week at the Whitney’s new location on Saturday, May 16 during its Kids Opening. Take a family tour of the new building, check out the museum’s current exhibit “America is Hard to See,” participate in an art-making workshop, and receive a Whitney Kids Activity Guide! (Saturday)

The New York Baby Show

With much enthusiasm and appreciation, we invite you to the 2015 New York Baby Show, coming up on the weekend of May 16 and 17, at Pier 92 in NYC. In a very nice and family-friendly way, the event is the loving lollapalooza of Baby Shows, where families from New York City and the Tri-State area get to chat with a great variety of over 150 maternity, baby, and toddler brands; test-drive many of the best stroller brands in the world; and listen to expert speakers (including from the “TODAY” show) tackle everything from maternal wellness to nursery shopping to adjusting to life with a baby. Kiddie entertainment, parent-and-me classes, and awesome raffles (like a $5,000 Dream “Green” Nursery) round out the fun. From the moment the “TODAY” show’s Erica Hill and Sheinelle Jones help us cut the ribbon and begin the event, the New York Baby Show will be (as always) a wonderful, informative, and helpful experience for anyone who is pregnant or in the early years of parenthood. (Saturday-Sunday)

"Frida Kahlo: Art, Garden, Life" Opening Weekend at the New York Botanical Garden

This exciting new exhibition at the New York Botanical Garden is the first to examine Frida Kahlo’s appreciation for the beauty and variety of the natural world. Celebrate opening weekend with concerts by the Villalobos Brothers, a dance performance by Calpulli Danza Mexicana, Lucrecia Nova’s giant puppets, along with art workshops, cooking demos, and more! (Saturday-Sunday; exhibition open through November 1)

9th Avenue International Food Festival

Come hungry! Join Hell’s Kitchen and Ninth Avenue merchants and restaurateurs for two days of gastronomical goodness. (Saturday-Sunday)

The Kings County Fair of Brooklyn at Aviator Sports

Celebrate spring with the family at the Kings County Fair! The kids will love the rides, games, and traditional fair treats, like funnel cakes and cotton candy. (Ongoing through May 25)

"Bleu!" at BAM

Italian theater company Compagnia T.P.O invites young audiences along on an underwater adventure in “Bleu.” As they follow the actors into the depths of the Mediterranean, children will learn about the ocean’s might and biodiversity, and have the experience of riding waves in a storm, navigating using the night sky, and encountering a variety of animals, shells, and stones along the way. The combination of environmental performance with immersive technology will enchant young audiences. (Saturday-Sunday)

Senses of Springtime: Celebrate India at the Metropolitan Museum

Check out the exhibit “Sultans of Deccan India, 1500–1700: Opulence and Fantasy,” and bring the kids to experience sights and sounds from India and the Islamic world, with performances, storytelling, a scent demonstration, artist-led workshops, and other interactive gallery activities, such as a 3D architecture workshop with the Children’s Museum of Manhattan! (Sunday)

Songs for Unusual Creatures at the New York Hall of Science

Join author and composer Michael Herst for a fun, interactive music and video investigation through the kingdom of weird animals such as blobfish, elephant shrews, and giant Chinese salamanders. (Sunday)

Revolution of the Eye Family Day at the Jewish Museum

Celebrate the new exhibition ” Revolution of the Eye: Modern Art and the Birth of American Television” at the Jewish Museum with “Illustrate a Superhero” drop-in workshops, a Gustafer Yellowgold concert, and family tours, and more. (Sunday)

The Happening: Church Street School's 25th Birthday Celebration

Celebrate 25 years of the Church Street School at this birthday bash, featuring interactive art and music experiences for the entire family! The event will feature pony rides, a bouncy house, carnival games, large-scale art installations and collaborative projects, live performances, refreshments, and much more! Plus: win a play date with your favorite teacher at the Teacher Raffle, and check out the Silent Auction, which will feature a great variety of items donated by local businesses. (Sunday)

Green Ivy Summer Activities Fair at Pine Street School

Join Green Ivy Schools for a day of fun with the best in New York kids’ programming. Toddlers to tweens will experiment with arts, sports, cooking, science, music, robotics and more! (Sunday)