Tribeca Kids Neighborhood Guide

In our melting pot of a city, kids are exposed to lots of different languages, and the summer is a great time for children to try to pick up a new one. Whether your child yearns to master Chinese, French, German, Italian or Spanish, New York City is home to lots of language immersion summer camps. No textbooks at these programs. Instead, kids experience the usual seasonal fun—swimming, sports, arts—in their non-native tongue. The instructors and counselors are all fluent and not only teach kids the language, they expose them to the culture, too. Here are 10 language immersion summer day camps that will have your kids saying hola, bonjour or ciao in no time.

In our multicultural society, NYC kids are exposed to lots of different cultures. In fact, it's not uncommon for children of all backgrounds to want to celebrate Hanukkah, Kwanza, Christmas, Purim and Lunar New Year, and, perhaps, even teach their parents how it's done.

Exploring various ethnic traditions at school and with friends is fun, but there are also many New York City institutions where you can learn about different cultures in more depth. We've written about museums that focus on Himalayan and Chinese cultures, and now with Passover coming up this month, we thought it was a great time to highlight local institutions where children can learn about Jewish culture.

One thing to keep in mind when visiting a Jewish museum is that an exhibition of hand-crafted menorahs may be right around the corner from a huge sculpture commemorating the Holocaust, prompting kids to ask a bunch of difficult questions. For children who are ready, some of these institutions explore the the Holocaust in an appropriate way. Visiting spots like the Museum of Jewish Heritage and the Anne Frank Center are a lot more engaging than reading a dry text book but also less scary than watching graphic newsreel footage or looking at archival photos.

Here are five great NYC spots where kids can learn about Jewish culture, traditions and history.

You don't have to be Jewish to enjoy Purim. Often called the Jewish Halloween, Purim is a super-fun holiday when kids can do some of their favorite things, like dress up, play games, eat treats and make lots of noise.

Inspired by the great biblical tale of Queen Esther, who saved the Jews from annihilation by standing up to her husband's evil adviser Haman, Purim is celebrated by reading the Megillah (Esther's story), noshing on hamantaschen (triangular fruit-filled pastries meant to represent Haman's ears—gruesome but tasty) and rejoicing in a carnival-like atmosphere.

This year, Purim officially begins on the evening of Saturday, February 23 and ends at sundown the next day, and most Jewish cultural institutions are marking the holiday that weekend. We've rounded up the top 10 Purim celebrations in New York City, including colorful carnivals, holiday performances and even costume parades.