Things for Kids and Families to Do in New York City March 5 & 6: Music, Mardi Gras, Museums, Maple and More

3/3/11 - By Stephanie Ogozalek

I don’t know where that famous lion from the old weather fable is but the lamb is certainly here, just in time for the weekend, too.  As it is the first of the month there are some awesome free “first” weekend events at many of the cities museums.  One of them is The Brooklyn Museum and families may want to make a beeline to the new Tipi exhibit where they will be offering some pretty cool family programming for free.  The awesome and uber creative Material Lab at MOMA has weekend hours and there are also just a few seats left to the final Broadway Playhouse series of the season this Saturday, where they will be showing off the best of Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt.  In addition, this weekend is the annual Armory Show, and they haven’t left out the kids, find out more below the fold.

Maple sugaring is the perfect way to celebrate the season and you don’t have to drive to Vermont to do it, not too far out of town you can visit the Nature Place Day Camp and The Hudson Highlands Nature Museum, both will be tapping their trees this weekend.  You could also be a pinball wizard and take a fun family day trip to the Silverball Museum Arcade in Asbury Park.  

Read on for our best bets for the weekend and be sure to check out the Mommy Poppins Events Calendar for more great weekend events.  Have a great weekend.  

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All Weekend:

The Armory Show Family Programming: Gallery and Artist Studio Tours – Lower East Side & Chelsea
No Longer Empty, a not-for-profit organization that turns empty spaces into art exhibits, is hosting special family tours of galleries and artists spaces including Cuchifritos, Artists Alliance and other usually off-limit spaces. $25 per child.

The Children’s Museum of Arts at The Armory Show – Midtown West
Our favorite place for creative kids will be taking their fantastic artist led workshops on the road and hosting them in the family lounge at the Armory Show.  Kids aged 2 to 14 years old in can partake in drawing, sculpture, stop motion animation workshops and more. FREE with paid art show admission.

 

Saturday March 5, 2011

Jody Oberfelder: Rock Me Mama – Midtown West
Don’t miss the dance troupe as they present Rock Me Mama, danced by new mothers and their babies as well as more established mom dancers and their teenagers.  After the performance the Children's Museum of Manhattan will host a special Lunch Time Fun Health Arts Workshop, where kids can find out everything they need to know about portion control through a fun interactive demonstration and then create their own healthy meal via arts and crafts. Part of Lincoln Center’s Meet the Artist Saturdays.  FREE.

Queens County St. Patricks Day Parade -- The Rockaways

The second largest St Patrick’s Day parade in town!  Watch as the bag pipers, marching bands, dance troupes, floats and other civic organizations hit the streets.  Parade starts at 1pm on Newport Avenue in Belle Harbor and heads east to Beach 120th Street and Rockaway Beach Boulevard. FREE

Family Day: Himalayan New Year Celebration – Chelsea
Celebrate Losar by making a traditional butter sculpture (torma), tasting Tibetan tea, listening to celebratory live music and working on a giant mandala made of recyclable materials.   Enjoy creating little felt momos to give to a friend, and join in on interactive story time.  Adults free with museum admission and children are $10.

The Silly Dilly Band – Park Slope
It is going to be noisy in the library when this high energy, interactive band hits the stage! Kids will love their original songs plus the super silly and colorful costumes.  FREE

Children’s Hour: Nature Collage – Marine Park

Stop in the interesting nature center at Marine Park and let the kids create a collage made of natural items to be displayed in the center. FREE

The Itty Biddies – Staten Island
Spend the afternoon rocking the beautiful Snug Harbor Cultural Center with the female trio that makes music with a melodica, a stand up bass and not one, but two ukuleles. Since it is part of Carnegie Kids, expect the band to teach the kids about these instruments, too. FREE

Kids Live Presents: Welcome to The Jungle – Midtown East
Meet the authors of the popular kids trilogy The Jaguar Stones as they present their newest book in the series, The End of the World Club.  Hear the real life, thrilling tales of adventure that inspired the book in a fun, fast paced multi-media presentation that promises to be as exciting as the books. FREE  


Sunday, March 6, 2011


Marine Mammal Watch – Coney Island

Harbor Seals pass through our waters this time of year. Head out to the beaches of Coney Island to see them in action.  FREE

5th Annual High School Guitar Day – Upper East Side
High School guitar players from all over the tri state area will be bringing their guitars and getting ready to rock at this annual event that teaches and entertains. The day opens and closes with concerts and in between kids can choose from a variety of useful how to workshops including blues and Latin guitar jam sessions.  FREE

Girls Rule!  Women's History Tea Party -- Fort Greene
Join the park rangers for a cup of tea and cookies (milk for the little ones) to tell tales of your favorite historic heroines for Women’s History Month.  Suited for children 12 years and under. FREE

Two Boots Pizza Presents CMA’s Mardi Gras Art Parade – SoHo

A fun festival day where kids can deck out a festive mask and other hands on projects, listen to live jazz and join in on the big art parade.  $10  

Charlotte’s Web – TriBeCa
Catch Fern, Charlotte, one amazing pig and the rest of their barnyard pals in this adaptation of a childhood favorite by Theaterworks, USA.  $25


Outside NYC:

Head out to NJ for some easy early spring hiking on Pyramid Mountian in Montvile.  Kids can look for clues on which animals spent the winter on the mountain.  $1.  Pre-registration required, call 973-334-3130.

Since the Ringling Brother Barnum and Bailey Circus isn't coming to Manhattan this year, circus fans, head to Long Islands Children Museum and for a $10 museum admission get a sneak peak at the Greatest Show on Earth before it hits the Nassau Coliseum.  $10. 

Don’t forget there is a lot more fun in the Mommy Poppins Events Calendar.

Planning an event? Submit it to our calendar, here.
 

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