Best Things to Do with Kids in Queens – November 2011

Looking for fun and low-cost things to do with kids in Queens this November? We’ve hand-selected the best November events in the borough from our calendar of kids events, including some fun holiday shows and activities that are ringing in the season early, fall-themed nature projects at nearby Wave Hill, and a rousing cultural performance by Calpulli Danza Mexicana.
For even more upcoming kids’ events in Queens and the NYC area, go to our full, searchable calendar of events.

 

A Christmas CarolHappy (Early) Holiday

Families haven’t even sliced into their Thanksgiving turkeys or stuffed themselves full of pumpkin pie, but many Queens venues are already thinking ahead to the winter holidays. Before the madness of shopping, caroling, and decorating sets in, enjoy a lower-key event this month. Below is a list of our top picks:

Kick off the festivities with a family craft at the Bayside Historical Society (BHS). In the Victorian Ornaments Family Workshop, kids and their parents make a colorful decoration for the BHS tree. And the two-hour craft time slot gives kids plenty of opportunity to make a second ornament for their own tree. Materials will be provided. November 12. 12-2pm. $5.

Bayside Historical Society, 208 Totten Avenue, Fort Totten Park, Bayside. 718-352-1548. www.baysidehistorical.org.

Although it’s easy to forget about the other winter holidays when anxiously anticipating your own celebrations, expose your kids to the music, drama, and history of another culture’s celebration. At the East Elmhurst JazzKids’ Annual Music Worshop, kids learn about Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. November 17. 4pm. All ages. FREE.

Sign up at the East Elmhurst branch of the Queens Library, 95-06 Astoria Boulevard, East Elmhurst. 718-424-2619. www.queenslibrary.org.

What would the holidays be without a few fun holiday-themed shows? On November 25, while the stuffing and mashed potatoes are still settling in, families have a few entertainment options. No matter which holiday you celebrate or which event you choose, the message of giving shines through. If a live production is more your style, head to Queens Theatre’s musical version of A Christmas Carol. This classic story about a crotchity old man who learns about generousity is a must-see. 1pm and 3pm. All ages. $14.

Queens Theatre in the Park, 11101 Corona Avenue, Corona. 718-760-0064. www.queenstheatre.org.

For film-favoring families, the Museum of the Moving Image is showing Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas. Originally a television special produced by Jim Henson, the man behind the Muppets, the story follows Ma Otter and her son Emmet as they each secretly enter a talent contest to earn enough money for each other’s holiday gift. 1pm and 3pm. All ages. $12; $9 seniors and students with ID; $6 ages 3-18; free children younger than 3.

Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Avenue, Astoria. 718-784-0077. www.movingimage.us.

 

  

Wave Hill fall activitiesEmbrace the Season

Celebrate autumn at Wave Hill with these fun family activities:

Gather up a bit of nature to use while creating your own cornhusk doll. Celebrate the gift of corn and of the harvest as Paul Betancourt, a member of the Seneca Nation of Indians, tells the story of how the first cornhusk doll came to be. Then kids can tie, weave, and decorate their very own cornhusk dolls. November 19-20, 10am and 11:30am.

Then, if you have some extra pinecones left over from your cornhusk doll, continue celebrating the fall harvest with a decorative wall hanging art project, November 26-27, 10am-1pm.

Admission: $8; $4 students and senioirs; $2 children; free children younger than 6. Wave Hill, 675 West 252nd Street, Bronx. 718-549-3200. www.wavehill.org.

 

 

Calpulli Mexican Dance CompanyFall Into Dance

Whether you share some Mexican roots or the closest you come to Mexican culture is Taco Bell, the whole family will enjoy Calpulli Danza Mexicana‘s fall dance production at Queens Theatre. Under the direction of interim artistic director Noemy Hernandez, this brand new program remains dedicated to showcasing Mexican traditions through dance. The new show adds a stronger contemporary dance influence to the ongoing emphasis on theatrical performance and cultural expression. Young children will enjoy the colorful costumes and creative movement while adults will appreciate the diversity of classical and contemporary Mexican dance styles. November 26-27. 8pm. All ages. $28; $25 seniors; $20 students.

Queens Theatre, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Flushing. 718-760-0064. www.queenstheatre.org.