Weekday Fun: Free Crafts, Music and Festivals, September 7-11

9/6/15 - By Rose Gordon Sala

Ease into this back-to-school week with our low-key weekday event picks for NYC kids. Whether you skipped town with the kids for the Labor Day holiday, or hung around NYC this long weekend, you’re likely worn out and looking forward to a quieter week.

Not to fret. The Mommy Poppins event gurus have you covered. Our weekday event picks for Tuesday, September 8-Friday, September 11, err on the side of helping your family gain a little Zen back and recharge for the fall. And when you’re ready for more? Check out the September GoList picks for best kid bets all month long, including the Brooklyn Book Festival’s very first Children’s Day and the STEM-fueled Maker Faire, or the top NYC fall festivals.

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

It’s officially back-to-school, first day of kindergarten or maybe preschool in NYC. It’s also the season for signing up for a new activity, class or after-school program. Schedule overload! Luckily, we have lots of great ideas to help you sort this out.

Labor Day!
Monday, September 7

See our Labor Day Weekend Picks for Monday events.

Tuesday, September 8
Arts & Crafts – Union Square

Each week kids can craft to their heart’s content at the Union Square Pavilion on Tuesday afternoons. Free reading, sing-alongs and other activities keep little ones engaged. If you’re feeling generous, let ’em pick up a sweet at the just opened Dylan’s Candy Bar Union Square outpost. FREE

See all Tuesday events.

Wednesday, September 9
Toddler Music – Financial District

Tots and their caregivers can choose from two morning classes at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian where a weekly music and movement class teaches little ones about native Taino culture through song and activities. Afterward, take a spin on the newly opened SeaGlass Carousel’s spinning aquarium to really wow them. Free with admission

See all Wednesday events.

Thursday, September 10
Human Chess – Riverside Park

Do the kids think chess is a boring, old person’s game? Bring them up to Riverside Park and let them try again. In this Summer on the Hudson event, you are the chess pieces! Players move themselves across the giant, outdoor chess board, turning the game into a team sport. FREE

See all Thursday events.

Friday, September 11
Little New Yorkers – Upper West Side
Two of our September GoList picks are happening today: the Feast of San Gennaro in Little Italy and the spectacular outdoor theater at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in Morningside Heights.

Looking for a more subdued end to the holiday, back-to-school, back-to-reality week? Preschoolers can enjoy a hands-on history lesson at the New York Historical Society where an afternoon class designed just for them includes playtime with historic toys, songs, stories and a craft project. This week they’ll be reading The Old Pirate of Central Park by Robert Priest and building pirate ships. Free with paid admission

Afterward, visit the newly opened butterfly exhibit at the nearby American Museum of Natural History where you can see more than 500 free-flying species.

See all Friday events.

Remember, find more free and low-cost daily kid activities in the Mommy Poppins event calendar.

Top image by Zhao! via Flickr