All weekend

The Brooklyn Lyceum Spring Craft and Food Festival – Park Slope
They say this is their biggest and best one yet and with so much going on I am not sure who will like it more – parents or kids.  For parents there is great local food, excellent craft and food workshops.  And of course, the artisan produced wares on sale. Kids can join in some cool Private Picasso workshops featuring texture rubbing and collage style city-scapes.  FREE (fee for workshops)

Potato Planting Days – Brooklyn
Visit the historic Lefferts House in Prospect Park to help plant potatoes to be harvested this fall.  You can also try your hand at churning butter and then spread some on the cornbread baked over an open fire on site. FREE.

Sakura Matsuri/Cherry Blossom Festival--Brooklyn
Although I expect everyone already knows about this wonderful festival, I would be remiss if I didn’t remind you that this annual event is taking place this weekend. A celebration of Japanese culture in one the city’s most beautiful environments, over 60 performances are scheduled: drumming, dancing, flower arranging, manga and anime workshops. For kids there is a flower hat parade, a Sakura styled temporary tattoo parlor and arts and crafts.  $15 for adults, Free for children 12 years and under
 
Saturday, May 1, 2010

Church Street School Block Party—Tribeca
Tribeca is the place to be this weekend. In addition to the Tribeca Family Festival (above), Church Street Music School is having a great block party. Among the highlights are a huge guitar jam led by Mike D of the Beastie Boys and a large-scale art installation--both of which anyone can participate in.

The Art of Recycling – Fort Greene
Last week there was a new vendor at the Brooklyn Flea – just for kids.  Local brownstone renovation company “Perfect Renovation” launched a creative art space for kids where they can make mosaics (or whatever they would like to) out of tiles left over from their construction jobs.  FREE

The Brave Calf – Grand Army Plaza
The main branch of the Brooklyn Library is presenting a live theater performance by Teatro iati for children about a little calf who leaves his stable and meets new animals including the selfish bull who doesn’t want to share the water.  The little calf teaches him about friendship and sharing the environment. FREE.

Ultimate Author Showdown--SoHo
Four lucky children (7 years and older) will be chosen at random to join authors, Christopher Paul Curtis, Gordon Korman, R.L. Stine and Lisa Yee in a game of “Kid Jeopardy” at the Scholastic Store. The subject: books, and when they get stumped the kids in the audience will be able to try and answer. Arrive 15 minutes early to get into the drawing for the game. FREE

Just for Mommy Poppins readers: Win a $25 gift certificate to the Scholastic Store and a four pack of books by the authors in the game, courtesy of Scholastic. To enter, send an email to Stephanie@mommypoppins by Monday, May 3rd telling me what kind of events you like to attend with your family.  One winner will be chosen at random.  

Boardwalk Barrels of Fun – Coney Island
This is a fun way to beautify our city while spending a great family day at the beach.  Join in on the art competition and paint seascapes, carnival scenes and landscapes on the garbage cans that will be used on the Coney Island boardwalk this summer.  Anyone can enter and there is even a “family” category– so get ready to paint.  Wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty – the paint and brushes will be supplied.  Register by calling (718) 965-8993.  Pre registration is preferred but they will try to accommodate walk ins. FREE

On a Wing: Birds of Prey – Central Park
Check out seven different; live, birds of prey including hawks, falcons and owls with the Urban Park Rangers.  Learn about their history and how they have adapted with Bobby Horvath, wildlife rehabilitator, and then take a walk through the park looking for birds in their natural home. FREE

Wildflower Week Children’s Fair – Staten Island
Celebrate the 778 indigenous plants species we have in NYC by bringing the family to Staten Island for a tour of the gardens at Snug Harbor, learn how to create your own compost, make nature inspired art and plant some wildflowers to take home. FREE Presented as part of NYC Wildflower Week.




Sunday, May 2, 2010

Children’s Wildflower Fair and Plant Walk—Queens
Families can create wildflowers drawings and pressed wildflower books, then take a walk through a wildflower garden. FREE Presented as part of NYC Wildflower week.

And:

Art Workshop /Gallery Tour: Story Hat Creations for Curious George—Upper East Side
If you are like me and still haven’t made your way uptown to bring the kids to see the Curious George exhibit, this could be the perfect opportunity to do so.  This special event allows the kids to go on a guided tour of the gallery and then can create a special story hat to illustrate a story of their own. $12 for adults, $10 for children or skip the tour/workshop and visit on Saturdays when the museum is free.

Kindie Fest—Brooklyn
This weekend there will be a conference for those in the biz of family music, and to cap off the event they are throwing a huge family music concert!  Fans can hear the best of what the kid’s music world has to offer – including some brand new music.  The four hour show will showcase Ralph Covert, Bill Harley, Secret Agent 23 Skidoo, Recess Monkey and more.  Great deal at $15 for adults and free for infants.

Still looking for something to do? Visit our events calendar to see what else is going on around town.  

If you are planning an event, don’t forget to let us know.  Enter it into our calendar.

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