All Weekend

Sakura Matsuri: Cherry Blossom Festival – Prospect Heights
Head to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden for its annual Japanese culture festival. The blooms are absolutely stunning, and so are many of the visitors, who come decked out in their best Anime outfits. There will also be live taiko drumming, martial arts demos, tea ceremonies, a cosplay (costume play) fashion show, Japanese pop bands and kids' origami workshops. Rain or shine. Free with admission: $15 for adults, $10 for students, free for children under 12.

Up to You – Chelsea
TADA! Youth Theater premiers its latest musical about a tense student council election in a fictional high school. Despite being set in the late '70s, the show explores challenges facing children today, like peer acceptance, bullying and wanting to be popular. Since it's performed by local kids and based on the experiences of composer and book writer Eric Rockwell, it's sure to feel real. $8-$25.

Maker Space Workshops – Corona
The New York Hall of Science debuts its Make Faire-inspired attraction to the public this weekend. On Saturday from 1 to 3pm, visitors can fashion a drum and participate in an impromptu performance. On Sunday from noon to 3pm, kids can learn to make a flip book in a Paper Animation workshop. Free with admission: $11 for adults, $8 for children ages 2-17.

Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art: Comic Book Festival – Gramercy
Don't expect to see Spidey or Superman here; MoCCA's annual fest at the 69th Regiment Armory celebrates indie comics. Although past festivals haven’t been very family-friendly, this year there will kids' activities on Sunday morning, so that's the day to go. In advance: $12 per day, $18 for the weekend; at the door: $15 per day, $24 for the weekend.

19th Century Extravaganza – Park Slope
Go back in time at the Old Stone House's retro fete. Although the event isn’t aimed at families, there's lots for kids to enjoy like a period baseball game, an old-school photo booth, a Steampunk and neo-Victorian fashion show and open hearth cooking demos. Most activities are FREE but a few require prepaid tickets.

Saturday, April 28

Tribeca Family Festival Street Fair/Tribeca ESPN Sports Day – Tribeca
This massive outdoor fest features games, contests, bouncy houses, giveaways, Broadway musical numbers, kids' bands and much more. The concurrent ESPN Sports Day offers interactive games, demo and activities, and appearances by local athletes. If you've never been you must check it out. There really isn’t anything else like it. FREE

Street Games – East Harlem
At Thomas Jefferson Park kids can try their hand at the kind of old-school analog games we parents enjoyed growing up, like pogo sticks, Double Dutch, hula hoops, stickball and yo-yos. There will also be arts and crafts, live music and performances, street hockey and skateboard clinics. Plus Disney will be on hand with giveaways. FREE

Healthy Kids Day – Citywide
YMCAs across the nation celebrate Healthy Kids Day today with all kinds of free family programming. Each branch throws its own party, so check with your local Y for the exact schedule. We know that the Harlem branch will have a bouncy house, face painting, volley ball and ultimate Frisbee. The Park Slope Armory promises a puppet show, rock climbing, a bouncy house and family Zumba. The Fuzzy Lemons will play a concert at the Grosvenor Neighborhood House Y and Bedford Stuyvesant’s Y will have fencing lessons and relay races. FREE

Fifth Avenue Family Festival – Park Slope
At this beloved neighborhood fest, kids can create their own puppets, get their faces painted, play carnival games, hit the bouncy house and hang with Brooklyn Cyclones mascot Sandy the Seagull. Free admission but there are fees for certain activities.

Jack and Jill School Spring Fair – Gramercy
The perfect fete for the preschool set, kids enjoy a bouncy castle, crafts and rides at this annual school benefit. Free admission but there are fees for certain activities.

Scheme of the Superbullies – Upper West Side
The New York Children’s Theater Festival continues with this goofy musical comedy about a mad scientist who wants to take over the world. Of course he doesn't count on running into Princess Dodgeball and her pals. $18.

The Big Swim – Upper East Side
At Asphalt Green's annual swim meet, everyone's a winner. Kids are organized by age and compete in various races in the indoor Olympic-size pool, and all participants snag medals. Advance online registration required by Thursday, April 26. FREE

Global Weekends - New Orleans: Culture Remixed – Upper West Side
In honor of Jazz Appreciation Month, the American Museum of Natural History celebrates the birthplace of the genre with live music, mask making, Creole lessons and the region's famous bread pudding. Free with suggested admission: $19 for adults, $10.50 for children ages 2-12.

Touch-a-Truck – Park Slope
Kids can explore more than 20 vehicles like dump trucks, garbage trucks, ambulances and tow trucks. This year there will be a trolley from Greenwood Cemetery and a cherry picker, too. All proceeds help to fund the arts programs at Brooklyn's P.S. 295. $5.

See all Saturday events.

Sunday, April 29

Kindiefest Family Festival – Gowanus
Although there are a lot of cool concerts going on this weekend, Kindiefest gives you the biggest head bang for your buck. The lineup includes SteveSongs of PBSKids fame, the Bari Koral Family Rock Band, bilingual Latin group Moona Luna and Jazz at Lincoln Center's early-childhood education music program WeBop. In advance: $12; at the door: $15.

Recess Monkey – Tribeca
One of our favorite family bands is gigging today. This Seattle trio is made up of schoolteachers, which may explain why their songs have an authentic childlike enthusiasm. Today, groove to tunes from the group's soon to be released album In Tents at 92YTribeca. $15

Meet the Music: Claude Debussy Meets Sherlock Key – Upper West Side
If classical music is more your speed, the Chamber Music Society will play a selection of Debussy’s compositions. $15-$25.

World Wide Pin Hole Camera Day — Staten Island
More old-fashioned fun: Educators at the historic Alice Austen House Museum teach families how to make their own lens-less, homemade camera. Cool! $5

Alastair Moock – Upper West Side
The DiMenna Children’s History Museum welcomes the Boston-based musician for a concert of American classics from great roots rockers like Woody Guthrie, Mississippi John Hurt and Leadbelly. Free with admission: $15 for adults, $10 for students, $5 for children ages 7-13, free for kids under 7.

See all Sunday events.

Outside NYC

Long Island’s beautiful Planting Fields Arboretum in Oyster Bay celebrates Arbor Day with crafts, face painting, a petting zoo, live music and other nature fun.

Head to Ballard Park in Fairfield County, Connecticut for KidsFest 2012 featuring inflatable obstacle courses, balloon busting, puppets, dancers and martial arts demos.

Don't forget: There's even more fun in our Event Calendar.