Cool Idea: Free Figure Skating Show at Flushing Meadow Park

My daughter has been giving me a lot of strange looks lately but none stranger than when I told her we were going to see an ice show in the middle of August. All summer the Ice Theatre of New York has been giving free youth performances at the World Ice Arena in Flushing Meadow Park. The show includes a talented line-up of figure skating up and comers and is geared toward giving children an opportunity to see the arts. The shows music and performances were spectacularly entertaining for kids and adults. Our personal favorite was a duet done to Johnny Cash’s “ I’m An Everywhere Man” which includes some western skating and a cowboy hat. The season finale show is going on next Saturday August 29th and will begin at 7pm. This is a fantastically cool event and is not to be missed. It is totally free and the kids will have a blast doing something out of the ordinary.

Family-Friendly Concert Subscriptions: Sign Up for the Best Music for Kids in New York City

[UPDATED: September 6, 2012]

There's so much great music in this city, from down in the subway to on stage at Carnegie Hall. But when the free outdoor concerts come to an end, your musical interests can start to get a little pricey. That's why it is often worth checking out the subscriptions to various venues. Not only do subscriptions cost less (per concert), they give you access to the best seats in the house and make you eligible for other special offerings and discounts. Many subscriptions start in September, while others don't pick up until November, so be sure to check these out soon, so you aren't late or tickets sold out.

2012-2013 season subscription information for family-friendly and kid-friendly concerts:

News: Free Ferry Rides, Annoying Husbands, Play Day, and BPA in SIGG bottles?

Children under 12 ride free with a paying adult on several NY Waterway ferries through Labor Day. For schedules, prices and additional information please call 1-800-533-3779 or visit http://www.nywaterway.com

If Downtowners are sick of living in a perpetual construction zone, they are at least getting a little relief. The Downtown Alliance is commissioning artists to turn the ubiquitous scaffolding and street barriers into works of art.

KaBOOM! is dedicated to bringing play back into the lives of children. This Fall KaBOOM! is encouraging people to take to reclaim the streets and host a community play day. To help this happen, they are giving away free Play Day kits with everything you need to host a playday in your community. Register to get yours.

I can't believe that the Corn Refinery Association is running ads trying to convince people that High Fructose Corn Syrup is not bad for you. Really? Haven't we been down this road before?

At least some companies are taking the hint graciously. I went to an event for DelMonte Fruit Chillers this week (they're like frozen go-gurts, but made out of juice and fruit puree) and was pleasantly surprised to see just fruit and a little bit of food color in the ingredients list. It's heartening to see that the big guys are getting on the band wagon. No wonder the Corn Refinery Association is mad.

As people have been fervently tossing their plastic water bottles and switching to aluminum, it turns out that SIGG water bottles may have BPA in their liners after all. But don't panic. Reliable third party tests verify that the SIGG bottles do not leach BPA. Z Recommends takes an in-depth look.

Does your spouse annoy you? Probably not nearly as much as the chick who dedicated her blog to it. MyHusbandisAnnoying.com chronicles the annoying misdeeds of one lucky guy's every waking moment of this newlywed couple. It now even has readers writing in with their husband's annoying personalities. IF you need a little bedtime blog surfing I recommend this site. Nothing will gratefully send you off to crawl into bed with your so much less annoying souse than reading this blog. If nothing else just be glad your sig other hasn't created a blog to how annoying you are. [via Brooklyn Heights Blog]

Weekend Events for Kids in NJ August 21-23: Dragonflies, Peach Picking, Crab Cake Cookoff, Fun at the Grist Mill!

Squeeze out those last bits of summer: Spend this weekend relaxing at a nature center and learning about dragonflies and damselflies, hanging out at the farm picking peaches and raspberries, enjoying some kid-friendly horse races, or spending the afternoon like a kid in 1890 at an old working mill playing games and sailing toy boats.

New York City Kids Weekend Events for August 21-23: Last Outdoor Movies, Free Dance Classes, Shows & Plays, Festivals & More

If you’re looking for ways to beat this (albeit, late) summer heat, you could head to one of the top 5 beaches near NYC, but hurricane Bill is predicted to make the water a bit rough, and in some cases, un-swimable. So maybe head over to one of these free and cheap city pools or water playgrounds instead, or cool off at a free dance show or music festival, or any of these true “New York Summer” events, like meeting Robinson Crusoe, or seeing generations of writers come together at the Fort Greene Park Literary Festival. 

Or maybe you want to head out of the city to some of our New Jersey Weekend Events...or Long Island. Plus don't forget to check our event calendar for even more fun stuff to do. Whatever you do, we’ve been asking for this heat, so get out and enjoy it!

New Water Feature Playground in Union City, NJ A Big Splash With Kids

If you are looking for a free and fun place to take to the water this summer, look no further than Union City, NJ.  Not only does the city boast one of New Jersey's best sprinkler parks, the newly opened Firefighter's Memorial Park is a dream come true for kids of all ages looking to keep cool during the hot summer days.

Midsummer Night's What? - Free Outdoor Shakespeare in Queens

One request I hear frequently is for more stuff about things to do with kids in Queens. Every time I hear it I think, "Yeah, I want that too!" Luckily, I discovered Leni and her great blog, Queens Mamas. Leni has agreed to keep us up to date on all things Queens starting today with some free Shakespeare performances in Queens parks. Thanks, Leni!

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