Things to Do with Kids in NYC this Weekend

Plan your kids' best weekend yet in Manhattan!

By NYMetroParents Staff April 12, 2021

Enjoy these fun things to do with your kids in New York City this weekend. Start planning your weekend now with our editorially curated list of happenings for kids and families.

*Be sure to call venues ahead of time to make sure events are still happening in the wake of COVID-19 concerns.*

There’s a lot to do this weekend with your family, whether you're planning a day trip that's close to New York City or are looking for the best things to do with kids in Manhattan this weekend. After all, weekends are the best because you get to spend time with your kids, so make the most of your time together and check out our picks for the best kid-friendly activities in Manhattan! From storytimes and concerts to museum exhibits, crafts activities, seasonal events, and more, you're sure to find something to do that keeps everyone happy and having fun. Look no further for ideas and plan your weekend in New York City with our guide that highlights the best family-friendly (virtual and in-person) events happening in and around your neighborhood, including family fun in Central Park, the Lower East Side, the Upper West Side, Harlem, Midtown, the Upper East Side, Greenwich Village, Battery Park, Bryant Park, Tribeca, the Bronx, and Lower Manhattan. You can also find weekend fun in ourBrooklyn, Queens, Long Island, Westchester, and Rockland—and check out our Manhattan calendar for hundreds of things to do each month!

ONLINE Feathers of Fire--The Movie

WHEN: Jun. 4 - 4, Anytime
WHERE: Vimeo, 155 First Ave., New York, NY
AGES: All
WHAT:

"Feathers of Fire--The Movie" is an ingenious production of theater-on-film, conceived and directed by Hamid Rahmanian. It is intended for audiences aged 5 to 105. This film is a video version of "Feathers of Fire," the most elaborate shadow theater experience ever created, which was presented by BAM and other venues worldwide from 2016-2018 and won the UNIMA USA award for excellence in live performance and design. The plot is an action-packed tale of two star-crossed lovers of old Persia, based on a story from Shahnameh (the Persian Book of Kings). Zaul, an outcast albino boy, is brought up by a bird-goddess and grows up into a wise ruler. He enters into a forbidden love with Rudabeh, a princess who is the granddaughter of the dreaded Serpent King. Their young, impetuous romance survives many precarious adventures before they finally receive blessings for their union. When they ultimately have a child, it is Rostam, "the Hercules of Iran." Aspects of the story are reminiscent of "Romeo and Juliet," "Rapunzel," "The Firebird" and "Jungle Book." The piece is created and directed by Hamid Rahmanian, a 2014 Guggenheim fellowship-winning filmmaker/visual artist living in Brooklyn. It is endorsed by Francis Ford Coppola, who called the production "Fantastic! One of the greatest epics of all time and my favorite Shahnameh brought to life in a spectacular fashion by Hamid Rahmanian with shadow puppets design and cinematic wizardry."

WANT TO GO? $4.95. 212-924-0496.
Click Here for More Information.

POST-PAUSE Cruises

WHEN: Aug. 11 - 11, 8:30am-5pm, daily
WHERE: Castle Clinton, Battery Park, New York, NY
AGES: All
WHAT: A trip on Statue Cruises to Liberty Island allows individuals to enjoy Liberty Island with plenty of outdoor space to safely explore the island and the spectacular views of New York Harbor. WANT TO GO? $19.25; $14 seniors 62 and older; $9 children 4-12 years; free for children three years and younger. 877-523-9849.
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ONLINE New Victory Arts Break: Explore a World of Arts [VIRTUAL] FREE

WHEN: Oct. 19 - May. 1, Any time (pre-recorded)
WHERE: New Victory Theater, 229 W42nd Street, New York, NY
AGES: 5-8, Adult
WHAT:

Explore the arts at home! New Victory Arts Break offers ideas for teachers and families to incorporate performing arts into their online learning. Each week will focus on a different art form with a selection of free activities for kids guided by New Victory Teaching Artists. In the special "Explore a World of Arts" series, New Victory travels from continent to continent, visiting the international artists who have appeared on the New Victory stage to see what creativity, culture and community look like where they live.

WANT TO GO? 646-223-3010.
Click Here for More Information.

IN PERSON Juggling FREE

WHEN: Feb. 3 - May. 22, Wednesdays and Saturdays, 12pm
WHERE: Bryant Park, 40th Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues, Midtown, NY
AGES: All
WHAT: Join the Bryant Park Jugglers throughout the year for a free juggling lesson! WANT TO GO? 212-768-4242.
Click Here for More Information.

ARTECHOUSE NYC

WHEN: Mar. 1 - Sep. 6, 10am-10pm, daily
WHERE: ARTECHOUSE, 439 W 15th Street, Chelsea, NY
AGES: All
WHAT: ARTECHOUSE presents large-scale exhibitions and installations that inspire wonder, awe, curiosity, and connection. WANT TO GO? $24; $20, Students, Seniors (65+), Military & First Responders; $17 children 4-15; free for children younger than 4.
Click Here for More Information.

IN PERSON Volcanoes: The Fires of Creation

WHEN: Mar. 10 - Jun. 30, 10:15am, 11:30am, 12:45pm, 2pm, 3:15pm, 4:30pm
WHERE: The American Museum of Natural History, 200 Central Park W., Upper West Side, NY
AGES: All
WHAT:

The Museum’s LeFrak Theater has reopened at a limited capacity! Now screening is the giant-screen film Volcanoes: The Fires of Creation. Go on an adrenaline-filled trip across the globe, from Hawaii’s recent Kilauea eruption to the archaeological ghost town of Pompeii, to discover how volcanoes have created extraordinary ecosystems and wildlife habitats. Did you know? More than half of the world's named volcanoes occur around the Ring of Fire, along the Pacific Ocean. Learn more fascinating volcano facts in Volcanoes: The Fires of Creation. Timed-entry tickets must be reserved in advance.

Photo: SK Films

WANT TO GO? Included with admission: $28; $22.50 for seniors and students; $16.50 for children. 212-769-5100.
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A-Maze-ing Math FREE

WHEN: Apr. 3 - 25, Sundays, 11am
WHERE: Museum of Mathematics, Flatiron South Public Plaza at Broadway between 22nd Street and 23rd Street, adjacent to the Flatiron Building, NoMad, NY
AGES: All
WHAT:

Navigating a maze can be trickier than it appears! Come walk a human-scale maze and experience firsthand the way math can help us understand complex structures in a simpler way. Then, count your steps and “Pythagorize” the Flatiron: explore the famous right-triangle theorem in action as you march around this famous NYC landmark. Join this outdoor event just steps from the Museum, on New York’s iconic Flatiron South Public Plaza, in honor of Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month. No registration is needed.

WANT TO GO? 212-542-0566.
Click Here for More Information.

IN PERSON New York LIFT Lab Live at St. Marks's Church-in-the-Bowery

WHEN: Apr. 7 - May. 1, Wednesdays and Fridays, 8pm; Saturdays, 7pm
WHERE: St. Mark's Church, 131 East 10th Street, entrance on 11th Street, 2nd floor, East Village, NY
AGES: All
WHAT:

New York Theatre Ballet presents the second installment of LIFT Lab Live, an in-house live performance series that provides emerging and established choreographers with a safe space to create and offers audiences a safe space to experience live music and live performances of new choreography. Tickets must be purchased in advance online and will not be sold at the door.

Audience will be limited to 10 guests per performance to allow for proper social distancing. NYTB utilizes hospital grade IQAir filters, seats will be separated by clear partitions, and doors and windows will remain open for added ventilation. Masks are required to be worn at all times by everyone, including dancers. Each performance will run approximately 45 minutes with no intermission. Please make sure to arrive on time. Guests will not be admitted once the performance begins.

WANT TO GO? $20. 646-765-4773.
Click Here for More Information.

ONLINE Virtual Museum Storytime: Find the Bunny FREE

WHEN: Apr. 16 - 19, 11:30am-12pm
WHERE: Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden, 421 East 61 Street, New York, NY
AGES: 3-8
WHAT:

Join the Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden for a virtual museum storytime. They'll read picture books to celebrate the spring season. Afterwards, play a virtual scavenger hunt game to find the toy bunnies hidden around the Museum.

WANT TO GO? 212-838-6878.
Click Here for More Information.

ONLINE Wizard School Virtual Scavenger Hunt

WHEN: Saturday, Apr. 17, 4pm
WHERE: Watson Adventures, , New York, NY
AGES: 9 and older
WHAT:

Grab your magic wands for a wizarding adventure that takes you to museums across America in search of art that echoes characters, places, and magical objects in the famed Harry Potter books and movies, all without leaving your home. You'll track down slithering serpents, Hagrid-like giants and eerie figures as scary as any Dementor. This hunt references the books and provides a surprising bridge to many strange and wonderful works of art. For ages 10 and up. This game can be played either together or remotely with up to six players per team. Each team must have one adult. Advance booking is required.

WANT TO GO? $19 per person. 877-946-4868.
Click Here for More Information.

ONLINE Open Studio From Home: Lenore Tawney FREE

WHEN: Saturday, Apr. 17, 11am
WHERE: Whitney Museum of American Art, 99 Gansevoort St., Meatpacking District, NY
AGES: All
WHAT:

Julie Mehretu makes large-scale artworks that are built up through layers of paint, pencil, pen, and ink. She takes her visual vocabulary from maps, urban planning grids, and architectural forms. These are combined to make dynamic works that blur the line between abstraction and figuration.

Together, we will gather unique materials from around our homes. Then, we will create our own layered compositions!

Materials:
––Clear plastic wrap, sheets of tracing paper, or clear acetate
––Sharpie markers
––Masking tape
––Optional (Acrylic paint, Nail polish)

Advanced registration required.

WANT TO GO? 212-570-3600.
Click Here for More Information.

ONLINE American Girl Doll Yoga on Zoom!

WHEN: Sunday, Apr. 18, 10-10:45am
WHERE: Karma Kids Yoga, 16 Madison Square West, NY, NY
AGES: 9-12
WHAT:

Bring your favorite American Girl doll along for this special yoga class! Explore pint-sized poses, mini-mudras, bitsy balances, and teensy twists as you help your American Girl dolls into yoga poses, partner poses and challenging poses. Meet other American Girl dolls through playing fun yoga games! For ages 6 and up. Advanced registration required.

WANT TO GO? $15 per child. 646-638-1444.
Click Here for More Information.

Looking for more events in your area? Search our comprehensive events calendar.

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