Things to Do with Kids in NYC this Weekend

Plan your kids' best weekend yet in Manhattan!

By NYMetroParents Staff March 1, 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. https://vimeo.com/ondemand/feathersoffire.

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. https://statuecruises.com/cruises/new-york-reserve/.

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. newvictory.org.

IN PERSON Ice Skating at the Bank of America Winter Village
WHEN: Oct. 31 - Mar. 7, 8am-10pm, daily
WHERE: Bryant Park, 40th Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues, Midtown, NY
AGES: All
WHAT:

Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park is Manhattan’s winter wonderland where you can enjoy New York City’s only free admission ice skating rink. The whole family will enjoy skating outdoors! Advanced reservations are required.

WANT TO GO? Admission is free; $21-$36, skate rental. 212-768-4242. https://bryantpark.org/?/amenities/bank-of-america-winter-village-at-bryant-park.

IN PERSON The Rink at Brookfield Place
WHEN: Nov. 10 - Apr. 4, Mondays-Fridays, 2-9:15pm; Saturdays-Sunday and Holidays, 9am-10pm
WHERE: Brookfield Place, 230 Vesey St. , Financial District, NY
AGES: All
WHAT: Skate on the 7,350 square-foot outdoor rink while enjoying the breathtaking views of the Hudson River and cityscape. WANT TO GO? $15 per hour; $5 skate rental; see website for more options. 212-978-1673. https://therinkatbrookfieldplace.net/.

IN PERSON Wollman Rink
WHEN: Nov. 30 - Mar. 31, Mondays and Tuesdays, 10am-2:30pm; Wednesdays-Saturdays, 10am-10pm; Sundays, 10am-9pm
WHERE: Central Park, 830 5th Ave., 59th Street and 6th Avenue, Upper Manhattan, NY
AGES: All
WHAT:

Situated in the heart of Manhattan at 59th Street and Sixth Avenue, the iconic Wollman Rink offers spectacular views of the NYC skyline and programs that cater to the entire family—ideal for visitors and local skating enthusiasts.

WANT TO GO? $19 weekends and holidays; $12 weekdays; $9 seniors weekends; $6 ages 11 and younger; $5 seniors weekdays; $10 skate rental. 212-439-6900. https://wollmanskatingrink.com/.

IN PERSON and ONLINE 'Hollywood Dogs' Exhibit
WHEN: Jan. 6 - Apr. 11, Wednesdays-Sundays, 11am-6pm
WHERE: American Kennel Club Museum, 101 Park Ave, Midtown, NY
AGES: All
WHAT: Take a closer look at your favorite Hollywood dogs at this exhibit. WANT TO GO? $15; $10 seniors 65 and older, students 13-24, and active military; $5 children younger than 12; free for virtual tour. 212-696-8360. https://museumofthedog.org/.

IN PERSON Meet & Greet With The Animals
WHEN: Jan. 27 - Apr. 2, Mondays, 11:30am and 12:30pm; Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, 11:30am; Wednesdays, 12:30pm
WHERE: The Art Farm, 403 E. 91st Street, 4th Floor , Upper East Side, NY
AGES: Newborn-5
WHAT:

Join The Art Farm for arts and crafts, limited playtime, storytime, and…live animals! Advanced registration required.

WANT TO GO? $25 per session includes 1 adult per child. 917-757-7366. https://theartfarms.com/.

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. https://bryantpark.org/programs/juggling.

ONLINE New Victory Arts Break: Africa FREE
WHEN: Feb. 12 - Mar. 6, Any time (pre-recorded)
WHERE: New Victory Theater, 229 W42nd Street, New York, NY
AGES: 3-12
WHAT:

Explore the arts at home! New Victory Arts Break offers ideas for families and teachers to incorporate performing arts into their online learning. Each week will focus on a different art form with a series of free activities for kids guided by New Victory Teaching Artists. From percussion and playmaking to magic and movement, Arts Breaks have explored a huge variety of art forms these past few months. For this season's final Arts Breaks, take a tour of performing arts around the world and celebrate a handful of the many nations whose artistic traditions have graced the New Victory stage. So, pack your suitcase, buckle that seatbelt and prepare for dep-art-ure! From Feb. 13 to March 6, you will be exploring the continent of AFRICA.

WANT TO GO? 646-223-3010. newvictory.org.

ONLINE Isle Full of Noises FREE
WHEN: Feb. 18 - Mar. 6, Thursdays, 7pm; Saturdays, 1pm
WHERE: Emit Theatre, , New York, NY
AGES: 5-12
WHAT:

Shakespeare and his band of merry players are back again to create some theatre magic with you from home! Adapted from Shakespeare's The Tempest, Emit Theatre's production of Isle Full of Noises allows families to enjoy this classic story retold with a contemporary audience in mind right from the comfort of your own home. This story begins when the magician Prospero creates an enchanted storm to bring a ship filled with his enemies to the island where he and his daughter have been stranded. Along with his fairy helper Ariel and other island spirits, Prospero creates a wild adventure for everyone on the island. As his plans come to pass, he must not only confront his past but also reckon with his own actions. He especially must confront his treatment of the half-human, half-fish Caliban to whom the island actually belongs to. Attendees who RSVP will receive Zoom access details the day before the performance. All performances feature live CART captioning. Audio descriptions of characters are included in the performance dialogue. For more information on accommodations, see our Accessibility page at emittheatre.org/accessibility. The theater recommends viewing this performance on a laptop if available. A tutorial of basic Zoom functions, including the optional use of Snap Camera filters, is available on their website at emittheatre.org/virtual-play-along-series.

WANT TO GO? 917-719-6766. emittheatre.org.

IN PERSON STUDIO BFPL: LUNAR NEW YEAR FREE
WHEN: Feb. 19 - Mar. 14, Fridays, 5-7pm; Sundays, 1-4pm
WHERE: Brookfield Place, 230 Vesey St. , Financial District, NY
AGES: All
WHAT:

Studio BFPL returns in partnership with New York Chinese Cultural Center. Experience intimate, one-of-a-kind, live performances that are socially distant, within the indoor spaces of Brookfield Place. Up to six people who have traveled together can expect to be entertained for up to 15 minutes. Registration opens on the Monday before each show at 10 AM. Friday performances features the Dance China NY performers and Sundays feature singers Sun Wei, the principal performer of Guzheng of the Chinese National Orchestra in New York and Yang Wang, who plays the erhu and has performed at Lincoln Center, New York Carnegie Hall, and the Chinese National Center for Performing Arts.

WANT TO GO? 212-978-1673. https://bfplny.com/studiobfpl/.

ONLINE Thunderbird American Dancers Dance Concert and Pow Wow
WHEN: Feb. 20 - Mar. 7, Premiers 2/20 at 7pm
WHERE: Theater for the New City, 155 First Ave., East Village, NY
AGES: All
WHAT:

Theater for the New City will present its 46th annual Thunderbird American Dancers Dance Concert and Pow Wow live-streamed from the Johnson Theater. This “virtual Pow-Wow” will be accessible from TNC’s website and available there on-demand until February 28, 2021. There will be dances, stories, and traditional music from Native Peoples of the Northeast, Southwest, and Great Plains regions. The event, emceed by Bessie-winner Louis Mofsie (Hopi/Winnebago), has become a treasured New York tradition for celebrating our diversity by honoring the culture of our first Americans. TNC donates all proceeds from this event to college scholarship funds for Native American students.

WANT TO GO? $5. 212-254-1109. https://theaterforthenewcity.net/shows/thunderbird-american-indian-dancers-dance-concert-and-pow-wow/.

IN PERSON Weekends with the Animals
WHEN: Feb. 27 - Mar. 20, Saturdays, 9:30-10:15am and 10:30-11:15am
WHERE: The Art Farm, 403 E. 91st Street, 4th Floor, Upper East Side, NY
AGES: Newborn-5
WHAT:

The Art Farm is offering a new, fun, safe, and interactive way to see the animals on the weekends! Reservations Required. Limited Capacity (10 children & 1 Adult per child).

WANT TO GO? $25 per child; $5 adult . 917-757-7366. https://theartfarms.com/.

IN PERSON Brave Art NY Creative Movement Dance Class
WHEN: Feb. 27 - Mar. 27, 10am, ages 3 and 4; 11am, ages 5 and 6
WHERE: Born Star Training Center, 213 W 177th St., East Harlem, NY
AGES: 3-8
WHAT:

This class is a mix of dance and movement fundamentals across genres. Students will learn dance class etiquette such as dancing in their spot, mirroring the teacher, and taking turns. Students will participate in a warm-up, a simple stretch, practice pointing and flexing the feet, and play movement games. Students will develop coordination, balance, and flexibility while working on gross motor skills. Students will also have the opportunity to build friendships through circle activities that open and close class. Covid-19 Safety Measures in place.

WANT TO GO? $20. 443-440-2784. braveartnyc.org.

ONLINE Sketch with Jeff FREE
WHEN: Feb. 27 - Mar. 27, Saturdays, 3pm
WHERE: Guggenheim Museum, 1071 5th Ave, New York, NY
AGES: All
WHAT: Each segment of Sketch With Jeff will feature Jeff sketching stories followed by a prompt to create drawings of your own at home. WANT TO GO? 212-423-3500. https://guggenheim.org/event/sketch-with-jeff?utm_medium=Email&utm_source=ExactTarget&utm_campaign=PO_SYF_MonthlyMediaAlert_.

ONLINE Little New-Yorkers @ Home: Two Friends FREE
WHEN: Mar. 2 - 5, Tuesday and Friday, 3:30pm
WHERE: DiMenna Children's History Museum at New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park W., Upper West Side, NY
AGES: 3-8
WHAT:

This program includes a special Little New-Yorkers hello song, silly dances and songs, a story book reading, and a craft to do at home. Celebrate Women’s History Month and talk about amazing friendships! Discuss your favorite friends and read about the camaraderie between Fredrick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony in the book Two Friends written by Dean Robbins and illustrated by Sean Qualls and Selina Alko. Following storytime, create friendship bracelets to share with someone you love. Advanced registration required.

WANT TO GO? 212-873-3400. https://nyhistory.org/programs/little-new-yorkers-home-45.

ONLINE Virtual: Saez-Velez Family
WHEN: Friday, Mar. 5, 6pm
WHERE: Tenement Museum, 103 Orchard Street, New York, NY
AGES: All
WHAT:

Visit the 1960's home of the Saez Velez family, who migrated from Puerto Rico and lived at 103 Orchard Street on the Lower East Side. Like on the Under One Roof building tour, you'll explore the stories of Ramonita Rivera Saez and her sons Jos and Andy through photographs, objects, and oral histories. How did they establish themselves in New York, and what opportunities and challenges did they face migrating as US citizens? How did they meet those challenges to help make a more inclusive city? Hear directly from members of the family and from scholars of Puerto Rican history as we explore these questions and more. Advanced registration required.

WANT TO GO? $10 per device; free for members. 877-975-3786. https://tenement.org/tour/virtual-saez-velez-family/?tour_date=2021-03-05.

ONLINE Astronomy Online: Grand Tour of the Universe FREE
WHEN: Friday, Mar. 5, 1pm
WHERE: The American Museum of Natural History, 200 Central Park W., Upper West Side, NY
AGES: All
WHAT:

We all know we live on the third planet from the Sun, but where are we in the universe? Blast off from Earth and take a grand tour to the farthest reaches of the observable universe with Assistant Director of the Hayden Planetarium Brian Abbott and astrophysics educator Irene Pease. Along the way, explore the nearby exoplanets, see where Earth is located in the Milky Way Galaxy, and discover why as we look farther out into space, we see further back in time to earlier epochs of the universe. Watch on AMNH’s YouTube channel.

WANT TO GO? 212-769-5100. https://amnh.org/calendar/grand-tour.

ONLINE Oh Manhattan!
WHEN: Mar. 5 - 6, 8pm
WHERE: Arc Stages, 147 Wheeler Ave, Pleasantville, NY
AGES: 13 and older
WHAT:

Oh Manhattan! is an urban musical fable about life, love, and dogs on the saucy island of Manhattan. Come see what happens when two adorable New Yorkers find love at the dog-run, and learn several semi-valuable lessons along the way. It's gonna be some enchanted evening!

WANT TO GO? $20. 914-747-6206. http://arcstages.org/.

ONLINE Reading into History @ Home: “The Beloved World of Sonia Sotomayor” FREE
WHEN: Sunday, Mar. 7, 2-3pm
WHERE: DiMenna Children's History Museum at New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park W., Upper West Side, NY
AGES: 9-12
WHAT:

WANT TO GO? 212-873-3400. https://nyhistory.org/programs/reading-history-home-beloved-world-sonia-sotomayor.

ONLINE WAKEFUL WANDERINGS FAMILY SUNDAYS FREE
WHEN: Sunday, Mar. 7, 1-2pm
WHERE: Rubin Museum of Art, 150 W 17th St, New York, NY
AGES: 3-8
WHAT:

Sundays are for families! Join the Rubin Museum live on Zoom every first Sunday of the month from the comfort of your own home for an afternoon of activities both kids and grownups will enjoy. March Family Sundays: Wakeful Wandering The mandala is one of Himalayan art's most common symbols and is used for meditation. During the journey through the maze of the mandala, people consider common difficulties and struggles- like ego, greed, and fear- and take some time to self-reflect and be mindful. Inspired by the mandala, learn how to make your own maze out of paper and take a pause from everyday life to wander through! Materials List: Post-It Notes or pieces of paper Cardboard or paper for a base Pencil Scissors Tape or glue. At Home Art-Making Ages 3 and older with accompanying adults. Advanced registration required.

WANT TO GO? 212-620-5000. https://rubinmuseum.org/events/event/wakeful-wanderings-family-sundays-online-03-07-2021.

ONLINE Yoga Sing-A-Long
WHEN: Sunday, Mar. 7, 10-10:45am
WHERE: Karma Kids Yoga, 16 Madison Square West, NY, NY
AGES: 3-8
WHAT:

Join Karma Kids Yoda for a Yoga Sing-A-Long! We'll be sure to include your favorite songs and poses! We'll move, groove and sing our hearts out. Advanced registration required.

WANT TO GO? $15 per child. 646-638-1444. https://karmakidsyoga.com/events_workshops.html.

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