Try a new museum. Sure, we all love the blue whale at AMNH and enjoy the Children’s Museum. Why not make a resolution to venture to a new place to catch some interesting art? I am digging the Forbes Gallery – they have a great exhibit on artist Ronald Searle, the illustrator for the Beastly Feasts and Let's Have a Bite! A Banquet of Beastly Rhymes as well as many other books.  It is free, open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10-4 (best for kids aged 6 and up). Movies are another form of art, and (lucky us), Museum of the Moving Image is having its grand re-opening on January 15. With amazing new facilities like the 15,000-square-foot space for its permanent Behind the Scenes exhibit, fascinating interactive environments and live performances and appearances of actors and directors, this Queens museum a must-do in the new year.

Try some new music.  I love Jazz at Lincoln Center’s family programs and, on January 29, your family can be introduced to one of THE jazz greats, Louis Armstrong, at the latest Jazz for Young People concert.  The Kaufman Center is the place for the Broadway Playhouse series, which explores groundbreaking composers and lyricists from the Great White Way. The works of Rodgers and Hammerstein, Sir Andrew Lloyd Weber, and Jones and Schmidt are discussed, with sing-a-longs, games and behind-the-scenes stories of some of the greatest musicals of all time.

Try some new free cultural stuff. The Daniel Rubenstein Atrium has it's Meet The Artist series. On the first Saturday of every month, you have a free, interactive performance.  January brings Hip Hop Shakespeare, with scenes from Shakespeare mixed with humor, rap, and a fresh beat; Coal Train Railroad, a jazz duo aimed at kids, makes their New York debut in February; and March has Jody Oberfelder’s new dance Rock Me Mama, an interactive, fun, and passionate performance.

Eat something new (out and about). Shake Shack is awesome and Patsy’s is always fabu, but why not expand your family’s tastebuds? Gather the brood and head to one of our amazing restaurants our great city is known for. Havana Central has three locations to choose from; start with some empanadas or plantain chips and end with an order of churros. Fatty Crab, with its Malaysian cuisine, has a special Fatty for Kids menu with choices like the semi-fatty burger with tamarind ketchup. Of course, there’s always Blue Smoke, Danny Meyer’s awesome BBQ place. Get a kid-size serving of the Memphis Baby Backs with your choice of a side, one dessert and a drink for $9.50 (bonus: according to their web site, $1 of every kid’s meal ordered goes to STREETS International, a non-profit organization providing the opportunity for street kids in developing countries to transition from poverty and life on the streets to successful careers in culinary or restaurant service.)

Eat something new (at home). Have your kids had grilled chicken or pasta every day since 2009. Time to revamp mealtime. We gathered some new recipes from mommy bloggers around the web. One Hungry Mama has this yummy gluten-free quinoa huevos rancheros dish, which can be served any time of the day.  There’s new twist on the sandwich (a panini with mozzarella, veggies and jamon) and a new take on chicken (with curry and Greek yogurt), both from The Naptime Chef. Give your side dish a kick with this Indian potato recipe from New York Family.  

Learn some new tricks.  Ever used a loom? What about designed gargoyles? For only $6 a kid (ages 4 and up), St. John the Divine’s Medieval Arts Workshop is Jan. 22, where you can learn that and a whole lot more. Work on your rock-climbing skills at the Manhattan Plaza Health Club. Perfect way to get your tween off the iPad and into something active, this gym offers day passes and 5,000 square feet of climbing space. Have a budding architect or just a kid that likes to build things? The Center for Architecture Foundation has their popular Family Day on Jan 22; for only $10 for the whole family, learn about bridges around our area and build a model to take home. Held at the Greenwich Village center, pre-registration is required.
 

Photo courtesy of meddygarnet on Flickr Creative Commons.