Free Weekend Events in New York City for Kids, March 20-21

We live in a great big city full of exciting and interesting things to do.  And this weekend is no different; it will be a weekend that reminds you why you love it here and why the kids should, too. Start off with the Children’s Museum of Manhattan's free day . If you 've bever been – admission is free on Saturday – and there are a lot of special activities planned. You could also take the 7 to Queens and visit the Math Midway at the NY Hall of Science or get your brood to Prospect Park for a family bike ride that is sure to be lots of fun.

There are also lots of great performances this weekend. On Saturday there is a choice of two classics, Shakespeare in midtown or Mozart on the Upper West Side. Or you can relive a favorite from your childhood on Sunday with the fun and funky Paper Bag Players in a show uptown.  If you are looking to catch some tunes, head to Midtown for a concert at the Turtle Bay Music School, or to SoHo for a rocking good time at The Housing Works Bookstore and Café.

But wait, there's more: a new green library in Battery Park City, unique story telling events, fun for older kids, tons of Easter Egg hunts and events for Passover.  And, who says New York City has to be expensive, the best part of this weekend – most of it is all free. Read on for lots more events. And, enjoy!

Saturday:

FREE Admission Day - Children’s Museum of Manhattan – Upper West Side:
Ser Padres Magazine is celebrating their 20th Anniversary but you get the gift. Free admission to the museum all day and some special activities, too.  Get your groove on with Baby loves Salsa, visit with Big Green Rabbit and make some birthday hats or decorate a picture of a cake for Ser Padre, plus lots more.  FREE

“What is Improvisation?” Family Concert – Midtown East
If you were planning on taking the family to one of the Turtle Bay Music Schools free family concerts, you had better hurry. This is the last one for the season. In this installment, you will interact with faculty members, Anna Povich de Mayor and Pablo Mayora, to improvise and create brand new music on the spot.  The concert is FREE but reservations are required.

Opening Reception: How Does a Bird Imagine? What Does a Tree Know? – Battery Park City
Visit the Poet House and be among the first to see their new exhibition, 9 years in the making. The East Village Community and Children’s Workshop Schools worked together to create outdoor poetic spaces.  Find out what they did through photos, sculpture and a poem installation. FREE.

The Magic Flute – Upper West Side
Expose the family to Mozart at this fun, interactive, created just for modern kids opera performance by Opera on Tap jr. Kids are whisked away to the country of Operaland and guided through the entertaining opera by an educational airline attendant who stamps their passport when they leave.  Stick around for a workshop with the singers after the performance. FREE

Shakespeare for Kids - Midtown East
The plays the thing and no one knows that better than the Bard.  Travel to Elizabethan England to sit in as Shakespeare creates some of his famous characters.  Sword fighting, and period costumes are just some of what is in store for you in this exciting two actor play presented by The Hampstead Stage Company. FREE.

Also:

Rabbits, Spiders and Pigs-Oh My! – TriBeCa
The Tribeca Cinema’s Kids Club is screening two films for animal lovers.  The first, just for the little ones is the Big Green Rabbit.  After the film stick around for a meet and greet with the bunny.  The afternoon’s screening is the classic Charlotte’s Web musical cartoon open to all ages.  An animation workshop by The Children’s Museum of Arts follows the movie.  Lot of fun and a lot less money than the latest blockbuster kiddie movie will cost you.
Child ticket for single screening:  $7 and $12 for the double-feature.
Adult ticket (14 years +) for a single screening: $10 and $18 for the double-feature.

Sunday

Brooklyn Family Bike Ride – Park Slope
Get your bikes out of storage and get on ‘em. It is time to get moving again and the perfect way to do it on a kid friendly ride around Prospect Park.  Part of Ride Brooklyn’s Spring Cycling Festival.  After the 90 minute ride everyone is invited back to the store for refreshments.  FREE. Please RSVP.

TADA!'s Resident Youth Ensemble Performance – Upper East Side
Take in a performance of these talented kids as they perform favorites from their musicals.  Plus, visit their website for details on how your Barnes & Noble purchases can benefit a NYC institution. FREE

Also:

Jeremy Plays Guitar Concert– SoHo
Award winning guitarist Jeremy Zmuda will jump, sing and dance along with his band members during their high energy show that kids will love.  
Tickets are $10

The Paper Bag Players – Great Mummy Adventure – Upper East Side
Super cool and green way before their time, the interactive and engaging Paper Bag Players are back with a new show full of fun new sketches and some classic favorites. Be there as the gang travels to Egypt to set off the mummy’s curse and more.
Adult ticket: $20
Child ticket: $15

Looking for some fun with an older kid? Try out one of these cool events:

Archikids – Battery Park City
Tweens can explore skyscraper architecture with architect Yves Roger and then build their own to take home.  $5.00 donation per child.  Registration required by Friday at 5:00 pm.

Sci-Tech Workshop: Bot Building – Midtown East
Make your own robot and take it home. Sony Wonder will provide you with everything you need – motors, screws, recycled materials plus most importantly – technical guidance to make sure it works.  $10 per participant, reservations required.

Try out one of these unique story telling programs for a change of pace:
Kids will get a kick out of hearing a park ranger tell his story at the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center on Saturday at 11:00.

Park rangers will be reading classic children’s nature storis at the Blue Heron Nature Center Saturday at 2:00.

Visit the powerHouse Arena for a reading and book signing of Can You Dig It? by Robert Weinstock and Flying Lessons by Gilbert Ford, two brand new picture books from Brooklyn based authors.

The New Victory Theater will be telling circus inspired stories at Barnes & Noble on Sunday at noon.

Click here for more  Manhattan or Brooklyn story times.

If you are heading out to Long Island this weekend, try visiting the Sweet Briar Nature Center. It is just a wonderful place both my son and nephew love it here. It is a refuge for wounded animals with nature trails and a super cool rainforest area. They are throwing a festival to welcome spring this weekend with face painting, wildlife programs and a visit from the Easter Bunny.  There are more events like this on Long Island and New Jersey.  

Still not sure what to do this weekend? Visit our events calendar to see what else is going on.

No matter where the weekend takes you we hope it is a great one.  

If you are planning and event, don’t forget to let us know.  Enter it into our calendar,

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