PlayDate 4/12: Party Guide, NYC Apps, The Big Swim, Coney Island Opens, Ovo, More

4/11/10 - By Anna Fader

What's new this week? Last chance to register for the Big Swim, sell your stuff at a great kids consignment event, and see photos of some awesome Easter Bonnets from the parade last weekend. Find out what else opened this week for kids in NYC and read about some cool and useful apps for your phone or to use online.

We just updated our NYC Kids Birthday Party Guide. Now you can conveniently find tons of party ideas and the best places to have a kids birthday party in NYC all on one page.

Also we have chosen all our winners for the Split Rock contest. Find out who won below.

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The Big Swim, on April 24, 2010, is a day of free swimming races open to all kids aged 6-16. No experience is necessary and they make it fun for kids of all levels and abilities; every kid gets a medal just for participating. The registration deadline is April 14.

This weekend is a huge kids consignment sale in Brooklyn. If you want to try to sell your items at the sale, contact them right away to see if there is still room. The great thing is you do not have to stand there with your items all weekend, they do the selling for you. Sell used toys, clothing, gear and more; anything kid-related.

Ovo, the newest arrival from Cirque du Soleil, just opened on Randall's Island. We went and had a great time.

Coney Island opened for the season last weekend and, with the unually warm weather, many people didn't delay in enjoying the beach and rides.

Six in the City blog posted her great photos of the easter bonnet parade. If you didn't get a chance to go, check them out and you'll really want to go next year.

Bloomberg hosted a contest for the best NYC related apps, some for phones and some just for use online. Check out these three I think you'll like:

Trees Near You is a free iPhone app that helps you identify the tree you are standing in front of and find out more about it. Look up all the trees on your block or in your neighborhood and take a tree tour.

Big Apple Ed is a an online application that easily displays NYC Department of Education Report Card Data. I had trouble getting all the search features to work, but theoretically you can find search for schools by proximity or by academics. Report cards are not the only tool I would use to measure a school and the site doesn't have the anecdotal info that Inside Schools has, but perhaps this tool is useful as part of your school search.

NYC Way is a free iPhone app that bundles 50 NYC app tools in one. Find out nearest WiFi Hotspot Locations, NYC Restaurant Inspection Results, Street Eats, Events, Traffic, Subway Info, Safety, NYC News, Recreation and more. This is not just useful, but fun to explore as well.


Winners of the Split Rock Giveaway have been notified by email and are: @NewYorkChica, @MarinkaNYC, Naneen L, Marissa J, and Denise W. Congratulations! Photo: Michelle of Six in the City