Long Island Kids' Activities April 27 & 28: Merrick Kids Festival, Heckscher State Park Festival, Sunjata Kamalenya

4/24/13 - By Jill Wolfson

This weekend, head on over to the Merrick Chamber Of Commerce Annual Kids Fest at the Merrick LIRR Train Station, where you'll enjoy crafts, rides, games, and festival foods.  At the Heckscher State Park Spring Festival in East Islip, you'll learn about water and boating safety from The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary.  The festival also features environmental displays, animals, arts and crafts, and more.  In Garden City at the Long Island Children's Museum, McCarter Theatre Center Presents Sunjata Kamalenya, one of the greatest legends of West African Mandé tradition brought to the stage with traditional music, costumes, and scenery.  Ballet Long Island in Ronkonkoma is hosting their Princess Tea Party where you'll see performances of Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, and more.  After the show you'll meet the characters and enjoy a tea party.  Also on tap: Ready, Set, Grow at Benner's Farm in East Setauket, and the World's Softest Teddy Bear Challenge at Roosevelt Field Mall in Garden City.  As always, check out our events calendar every day for fun activities for the family!

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Saturday

Pet Adoption Fair
Emma S. Clark Memorial Library
Setauket
10:00am to 2:00pm
All ages
Free admission
631-941-4080
Featuring various animal rescue organizations and animal advocacy associations. Come pick out a new member for your family to love. Donations of pet food will also be accepted. Raindate May 4.

Princess Tea Party
Ballet Long Island
Ronkonkoma
1:00pm to 2:30pm
Ages 2 and up
$19 per guest, $32 for 2 guests
631-737-1964
Performing live on stage Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, and more. Bring your camera to take your own photos with the characters. After the performance join the Princesses and their friends for a tea party complete with cupcakes, cookies, juice, water, coffee, and tea.

Ready, Set, Grow
Benner's Farm
East Setauket
10:00am to 12:00pm
Ages 7 and up
$35
631-689-8172
Children will discover how seeds germinate, the process of photosynthesis, and the importance of plants in our world. As soil sleuths, we’ll discover living organisms which help plants grow. Children will make several seed related projects.

Sunday

Our Feathered Friends: Discovering Birds For Kids
Bailey Arboretum
Locust Valley
10:30am
Ages 5 and up
Free
516-695-0763
How are birds different from other animals? How are they the same? Why do the males and females sport different coloration from each other? How far can a bird really fly? After a lively lesson on what makes a bird a bird, we will turn crafty and make a springtime bird craft. While the glue dries, we will head outside to see how many birds we can spot. Registration required.

Upcycle Everyday Craft Project
Wit & Whim
Port Washington
2:00pm to 4:00pm
Ages 6-10
Free
516-944-9200
We need your children’s small broken toy parts and game pieces!  We will be collecting 30 pounds of small broken toy parts and game pieces throughout April, culminating on April 28th for this craft activity. Volunteer artisans will help design and create our May window display. Kids will receive an eco-friendly goody bag. RSVP required.

Martha Speaks
Landmark on Main Street
Port Washington
2:00pm
Ages 3 and up
$18
516-767-1384
Martha's clever way with words saves the day in this funny new musical based on the series of books by Susan Meddaugh.

Saturday & Sunday

Merrick Chamber Of Commerce Annual Kids Fest
Merrick LIRR Train Station
Merrick
Saturday at 11:00am - 10:00pm, Sunday at 11:00am - 7:00pm
All ages
Free admission. Rides POP $30
631-499-6824
Crafts, rides, games, international and festival food court.

McCarter Theatre Center Presents Sunjata Kamalenya
Long Island Children's Museum
Garden City
Saturday and Sunday at 1:00pm and 3:00pm
Ages 5 and up
$8 with museum admission, $12 theater only
516-224-5800
One of the greatest legends of West African Mandé tradition is brought to life in an interactive experiential theater production. Traditional music, costumes, and scenery set the stage.

Heckscher State Park Spring Festival
Heckscher State Park
East Islip
Saturday and Sunday at 11:00am - 4:00pm
All ages
Free admission. Parking $8
631-581-2100
The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary invites you to join them at the annual Heckscher State Park Spring Festival. Be sure to visit the Coast Guard display and have fun with “Coastie the Safety Boat” and “PDF Panda” as they interact and teach boating and water safety. The festival will be filled with children's events, environmental displays and presentations, animals, arts and crafts, and more.

World's Softest Teddy Bear Challenge
Roosevelt Field Mall
Garden City
Saturday and Sunday 12:00pm - 6:00pm
All ages
Free
516-742-8001
Do you know which is the world's softest teddy bear? Take the challenge to find out for yourself. There will be activities and prizes, including a teddy-covered photo wall.