Best Weekend Events for Kids in Brooklyn

By NYMetroParents Staff December 3, 2018

Plan your best weekend yet in Brooklyn, NY.

Weekends are the best to spend quality time with your kids, whether you are planning a huge outing or are staying close to home. There’s lots to do this weekend with your family, from concerts and performances to museum exhibits, shows, crafts activities, seasonal events, parades, and more. Look no further for ideas and plan your weekend in New York with our guide that highlights the best family-friendly events happening in and around your neighborhood. Check out our picks for kids' activities in Brooklyn. Also see our guides for weekend fun in Manhattan, Queens, Nassau and Suffolk counties and Westchester, Rockland, and Bergen counties.

FREE Movies Under the Stars: 'Paddington 2'
WHEN: Friday, Dec. 7 , 7-8:45pm
WHERE: Metropolitan Recreation Center, 261 Bedford Ave. , Williamsburg
AGES: All
WHAT: Hoping to buy a present for his Aunt's birthday, Paddington takes odd jobs. But, when the gift is stolen he sets out to unmask the thief and get the present back.
WANT TO GO? 718-599-5707. nycgovparks.org.

FREE Pajama Story Time and Activities Featuring 'The Polar Express'
WHEN: Friday, Dec. 7 , 7pm
WHERE: Barnes & Noble - Court Street, 106 Court St., Downtown Brooklyn
AGES: All
WHAT: A young boy goes on a magical trip to the North Pole to make his Christmas wish. Get free hot chocolate and a cookie, and wear your favorite cozy pajamas.
WANT TO GO? 718-246-4996. bn.com.

FREE Family Workshop: Upcycled Wearables
WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 8 , 11am-2pm
WHERE: BRIC House, 647 Fulton St., Fort Greene
AGES: 5 and older
WHAT: Create your own original wearable pieces from recycled e-waste, objects, craft supplies, and LED lights.
WANT TO GO? 718-683-5600. bricartsmedia.org.

Con Edison Second Saturday Science! Pixelate Me!
WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 8 , 12-1pm
WHERE: Staten Island Children's Museum, 1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island
AGES: 3-12
WHAT: Learn about the use of pixels to create game images and make your own pixel-inspired artwork.
WANT TO GO? $8. 718-273-2060. sichildrensmuseum.org.

Photos with Santa!
WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 8 , 10am-12pm
WHERE: The Old Stone House, 336 3rd St., Park Slope
AGES: All
WHAT: Get your family photos taken with Santa!
WANT TO GO? $10. 718-768-3195. theoldstonehouse.org.

Tiny Tots Yoga Workshop
WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 8 , 1-2pm
WHERE: Bend + Bloom Yoga, 708 Sackett St., Park
AGES: Newborn to 2
WHAT: This event focuses on baby-centered activities, language-building games, and fun!
WANT TO GO? $30 per pair, $10 additional parent . 347-987-3162. bendandbloom.com.

FREE Brick Oven Brooklyn Meet Up – Community Baking Day!
WHEN: Sunday, Dec. 9 , 12-4pm
WHERE: The Old Stone House, 336 3rd St., Park Slope
AGES: All
WHAT: Bring something to bake in the wood-fired oven. This event is outdoors, so dress warmly.
WANT TO GO? 718-768-3195. theoldstonehouse.org.

Spellbound Theatre Presents: 'A Book of Hours'
WHEN: Sunday, Dec. 9 , 10am and 11:15am
WHERE: The Old Stone House, 336 3rd St., Park Slope
AGES: All
WHAT: A larger-than-life book leads children through familiar daily events using nursery rhymes, treasures, puppets, and songs to tell the story.
WANT TO GO? $15. 718-768-3195. theoldstonehouse.org.

Get Kinetic!

WHEN: Through Dec. 9, Saturday-Sunday, 10:30am-12pm
WHERE: New York Transit Museum, 99 Schermerhorn St. , Brooklyn Heights
AGES: All
WHAT: Inspired by Rube Goldberg devices, teams will be assembled to plan and construct wacky, winding machines!
WHY WE LOVE IT: Kids will get a fun and hands-on lesson in the true forces of nature in this physics class.
WANT TO GO? $10; $5 children ages 2-17. 718-694-1600. nytransitmuseum.org.

FREE 'The Largest Menorah in Brooklyn' Lighting and Chanukah Celebration
WHEN: Through Dec. 9, 4:30pm
WHERE: Grand Army Plaza , Flatbush Avenue, Eastern Parkway, and Prospect Park West , Prospect Heights
AGES: All
WHAT: The festivities will include a live concert on the first night, plus more music, fresh latkes, and gifts for children on every subsequent night of Hanukkah.
WANT TO GO? 646-298-9909. chabadparkslope.com.

Game Show
WHEN: Through Dec. 10, 1pm, 2pm, and 3pm
WHERE: Jewish Children's Museum, 792 Eastern Parkway, Crown Heights
AGES: All
WHAT: Visitors can compete against each other to answer questions on Jewish life in a game show setting.
WANT TO GO? $13; $10 seniors; free for children younger than 2 . 718-467-0600. jcm.museum.

Family Festival

WHEN: Through Dec. 10, 12-4pm
WHERE: Jewish Children's Museum, 792 Eastern Parkway, Crown Heights
AGES: All
WHAT: Create your own one-of-a-kind Hanukkah treat at the doughnut bar, roll, shape, and decorate a dreidel made out of actual clay, and make a painted "stained glass" masterpiece.
WANT TO GO? $1. 718-467-0600. jcm.museum.

'A Christmas Carol' by Charles Dickens

WHEN: Through Dec. 16 , Friday-Saturday, 8pm; Sunday 2pm
WHERE: The Heights Players at The John Bourne Theater, 26 Willow Place, DUMBO
AGES: All
WHAT: Scrooge is visited by four spirits, including his old business partner Jacob Marley and the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future.
WANT TO GO? $20. 718-237-2752. heightsplayers.org/theater/.

FREE Environmental Education Center
WHEN: Through Dec. 16: Tuesday and Thursday, 3-5pm; Saturday-Sunday, 1-5pm
WHERE: Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 1,
AGES: All
WHAT: Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy's Environmental Education Center is a year-round space open to families and park visitors. The Ed Center offers multiple interactive elements and a reading corner. The two signature exhibits are a discovery station and an aquarium. The Nancy Bowe Discovery Station is a 10' scale model of Brooklyn Bridge Park, featuring interactive modules that offer an in-depth look at the park's ecology, history and sustainable design. The Ed Center's 250-gallon aquarium showcases fish and invertebrates from the East River that have been caught during the Conservancy's popular seining program. A child-friendly touch tank offers visitors an opportunity to gently interact with marine animals, which are carefully monitored and regularly released back into the river.
WANT TO GO? 718-407-6388. brooklynbridgepark.org.

'The Snow Queen' and 'The Emperor's New Clothes'
WHEN: Through Dec. 16: Saturday-Sunday, 12:30pm and 2:30pm
WHERE: Puppetworks, 338 6th Ave., Park Slope
AGES: All
WHAT: Enjoy two of Hans Christian Anderson's classic fairy tales, as adapted for marionettes by puppeteer Nicolas Coppola.
WANT TO GO? $11; $10 children. 718-965-3391. puppetworks.org.

FREE Intro to Birdwatching
WHEN: Through Dec. 29: Saturdays, 12-1pm
WHERE: Prospect Park Audubon Center, Lincoln Road and Ocean Avenue, Flatbush
AGES: All
WHAT: Look! Up in the sky, it’s a bird! But what kind of bird is it? Join Prospect Park Alliance to take a tour and learn about the magnificent array of birds that call Prospect Park home. Led by Brooklyn Bird Club.
WANT TO GO? 718-287-3400. prospectpark.org.

Weekend Art Studio: Pop-Up Holiday Cards
WHEN: Through Dec. 30, Saturday-Sunday, 12-4pm
WHERE: Staten Island Children's Museum, 1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island
AGES: 3-12
WHAT: Create pop-up cards inspired by snowy days.
WANT TO GO? $8. 718-273-2060. sichildrensmuseum.org.

FREE Nature Exploration
WHEN: Through Dec. 30: Thursday-Saturday, 12-4pm; Sunday, 10am-1pm
WHERE: Prospect Park Audubon Center, Lincoln Road and Ocean Avenue, Flatbush
AGES: All
WHAT: Join the Prospect Park Alliance for nature education programs at the Prospect Park Audubon Center including animal encounters and guided tours and litter cleaning projects.
WANT TO GO? 718-287-3400. prospectpark.org.

Happy Zoo Year
WHEN: Through Dec. 30, Saturday-Sunday, 10am-4:30pm
WHERE: Prospect Park Zoo, 450 Flatbush Ave., Prospect Park
AGES: All
WHAT: Take part in science experiments based on the exciting things WCS researchers are doing around the world and find out how you can make a difference.
WANT TO GO? $10; $7 children ages 3-12; free for children 2 and younger. 718-399-7339. prospectparkzoo.com.

Train Operators Workshop
WHEN: Through Dec. 30: Saturday-Sunday, 3:30-4:30pm
WHERE: New York Transit Museum, 99 Schermerhorn St., Brooklyn Heights
AGES: 11 and older
WHAT: Drop by the Computer Lab to take control of a NYC subway car and operate it over virtual miles of track in an incredibly realistic game.
WANT TO GO? $10; $5 children ages 2-17. 718-694-1792 .nytransitmuseum.org.

Touch Tank
WHEN: Through Dec. 31: Saturday-Sunday, 12:30-1pm
WHERE: Brooklyn Children’s Museum, 145 Brooklyn Ave., Crown Heights
AGES: All
WHAT: Meet and touch real, live sea creatures such as starfish and sea urchins.
WANT TO GO? $11; free for children younger than 1. 718-224-5863. brooklynkids.org.

FREE Winterfest

WHEN: Through Dec. 31: Check schedule for details
WHERE: Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn
AGES: All
WHAT: Winter Wonderland features winter activities, holiday shopping from local and international vendors, and cultural programs.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Don't miss an enchanted tree maze, an interactive chocolate dome, a giant snowglobe, Santa Land, and much more!
WANT TO GO? 718-344-8962. winterfestbrooklynmuseum.com.

Sensory Room Family Hours
WHEN: Through Dec. 31: Thursday and Saturday-Sunday, 2-4:45pm
WHERE: Brooklyn Children’s Museum, 145 Brooklyn Ave., Crown Heights
AGES: All
WHAT: In this inclusive space, children of all abilities can explore their senses. The Sensory Room is a welcoming environment for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
WANT TO GO? $9; $1 for children ages 1 and younger. 718-224-5863. brooklynkids.org.

Live Animal Adventure
WHEN: Through Dec. 31: Saturday-Sunday, 4:15pm
WHERE: Brooklyn Children’s Museum, 145 Brooklyn Ave., Crown Heights
AGES: 4 and older
WHAT: Enjoy an interactive animal show and meet real reptiles from the museum's Live Collection.
WANT TO GO? $11; free for children younger than 1. 718-224-5863. brooklynkids.org.

The Buttons Sing-Along
WHEN: Through Dec. 31: Fridays, 11am; Sundays, 12pm
WHERE: Elk Café, 154 Prospect Park Southwest, Windsor Terrace
AGES: All
WHAT: Join this sing-along for sweet, silly original kids music geared towards kids of all ages.
WANT TO GO? $8 per family. 718-853-5500. elkcoffee.com.

Holding History
WHEN: Through Dec. 31: Sundays, 11am
WHERE: Brooklyn Children’s Museum, 145 Brooklyn Ave., Crown Heights
AGES: 2-8
WHAT: What makes an object “historical?” Why do museums keep objects behind glass? Children will ponder these questions while holding, touching, and feeling historical artifacts from the museum's collection. They will learn about the history of those objects through this tactical investigation and by relating these historical artifacts to their own lives.
WANT TO GO? $11; free for children younger than 1. 718-224-5863. brooklynkids.org.

Waterfront Exhibition
WHEN: Through Dec. 31: Tuesday-Sunday, 11am-6pm
WHERE: Brooklyn Historical Society Dumbo, 55 Water St., Dumbo
AGES: All
WHAT: Step back in history! Waterfront is an exhibition and multimedia experience for all ages that brings to life the vibrant history of Brooklyn’s coastline through stories of workers, artists, industries, activists, families, neighborhoods, and ecosystems. Waterfront is on view at BHS’s second location in Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Empire Stores.
WANT TO GO? $10; $6 seniors and teachers; free for members and students. 917-775-4636. brooklynhistory.org/dumbo.

Friday/Saturday Drop-In
WHEN: Through Dec. 31: Friday-Saturday, 6:30-9:30pm
WHERE: Brooklyn Game Lab, 310 7th Ave., Park Slope
AGES: Friday: 8 and older; Saturday: 12 and older
WHAT: Drop off the kids for Friday drop-in, role-playing game night. Brooklyn Game Lab run great D&D campaigns for new and highly experienced RPG-players. Saturday nights are geared towards our Teen Pass members, but all older kids are welcome to participate. Play sophisticated RPGs with complex campaigns and awesome characters, plus get some DM training.
WANT TO GO? $48. 718-788-1122. brooklyngamelab.com.

Donald Zucker and Barbara Hrbek Zucker Ocean Wonders: Sharks!
WHEN: Through June 30, 2019: Daily, 10am-6pm
WHERE: New York Aquarium, 602 Surf Ave., Coney Island
AGES: All
WHAT: Explore the coral reef, wander through a shipwreck, and peer over the Hudson Canyon in this brand new exhibit all about sharks, open year-round. More than 115 species, including sand tiger sharks, sandbar sharks, and loggerhead sea turtles, live in this state-of-the-art exhibit.
WANT TO GO? $12; free for children ages 2 and younger. 718-265-3474. nyaquarium.com

FREE Saturday Author Story Time
WHEN: Through March 17, 2020: Saturdays, 11:30am and 1:30pm
WHERE: Greenlight Bookstore, 686 Fulton St., Fort Greene
AGES: 3-8
WHAT: Authors and illustrators of picture books often visit on Saturdays to read from their new books, and neighborhood performers or the Greenlight staff sometimes read as well. There are always great stories and often activities and crafts too! Check the Events Calendar for an updated schedule of featured authors. Saturday Story Time is geared toward kids who are old enough to enjoy listening to a story, asking questions, and working on crafts.
WANT TO GO? 718-246-0200. greenlightbookstore.com.