Best NYC Kids’ Shows for Winter 2013: 11 Great Family Theater Shows

Raven Snook's picture Submitted by Raven Snook on

So far this season we've shared the museum exhibits and family concerts that we're most looking forward to checking out with our kids. Now we're taking a look at the family shows making their debut this winter.

While spring is traditionally when NYC stages heat up—it's when London smash Matilda the Musical hits Broadway and the New York Children's Theater Festival returns for a second year—there are still some pretty cool sounding shows debuting this winter, including musicals based on popular kids' books like Bunnicula and The Stinky Cheese Man, a circus extravaganza starring Bello the clown and a bunch of inexpensive puppet shows perfect for preschoolers with short attention spans. Here are the top 11 family shows for NYC kids this winter.

News: Free Skylanders Giants, NYCIFF Tickets on Sale, Beethoven for a Buck, Parkour and Capoeira for Brooklyn Kids

Jeff's picture Submitted by Jeff on

Although we usually promote upcoming events in our jam-packed calendar, a few—like the annual New York International Children's Film Festival and Japan Society's Doll Fest—get booked up so fast we want to make sure we tell you about them way in advance, like today. Others we only hear about at the last minute and we don't want you to miss them, like the free Skylanders Giant Ninjini figure giveaway, which happens today. In more enjoy-at-your-leisure news, Williamsburg gets yet another kiddie boutique, school-age children can snag $1 tickets to a series of classical concerts and a brand-new Brooklyn gym brings parkour and capoeira to kids.

33 Things to Do with Kids in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill

Sarah G's picture Submitted by Sarah G on

Known for their picturesque tree-lined streets and historic architecture, adjacent Brooklyn neighborhoods Fort Greene and Clinton Hill have an abundance of attractions for families. There's the amazing Fort Greene Park, a 30-acre oasis with two playgrounds, tennis and basketball courts, a nature center, a running track, soccer fields, and great hills for sledding. The park's active conservancy organizes popular annual events for families, like the beloved Halloween Festival and the Music in the Grove kids' concert series during the summer.

The area is also home to some outstanding cultural institutions, notably the Brooklyn Academy of Music, with its BAMkids series and annual BAMkids Film Festival, the Mark Morris Dance Center, and the state-of-the-art Barclays Center, which hosts live Disney extravaganzas, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, and Brooklyn Nets home games. On top of that, Fort Greene and Clinton Hill have great kid-friendly restaurants and easy access to almost every subway line in the borough.

We've rounded up our favorite spots to play, eat, and learn in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill. For the purposes of this post, our geographical boundaries are Flushing Avenue to the north and Atlantic Avenue to the south, between Flatbush Avenue and Bedford Avenue.

C & B Archery

Submitted by Gretchen Allison on

If you didn’t get enough of the Hunger Games and are dying to bring out your inner Katniss, head over to C & B Archery in Hicksville for the latest craze in sports.  While you may need Mapquest to find the place, since it’s tucked away in an office complex on Commercial Street, once you do you will find a staff that is eager to please and one that provides excellent instruction.

Underground Art: Take a Tour of the Best NYC Subway Art for Families

Kay's picture Submitted by Kay on

We keep our Museum Guide filled with the best current NYC exhibits for kids and families. But this being New York City, some of the coolest installations are actually free public art displays on the streets, in the parks and even down in the subway.

Going on a do-it-yourself tour of underground subway art is a fun (and almost free) activity, especially when it's cold or rainy. Of course with more than 250 pieces of art in our city's subway stations, not all are worth a special trip. That's why we've picked out nine favorites, all permanently on view, that will really intrigue kids, from funky murals to illuminated installations, whimsical sculptures to an interactive musical work.

Winter Getaway Deals: Disney Cruise, Poconos, Santa Fe, Chicago and More Family Vacation Discounts

Allison Tibaldi's picture Submitted by Allison Tibaldi on

President’s Day Weekend is on the horizon and a family getaway is especially refreshing during the dog days of winter. The following destinations offer families a much-needed break at discounted prices.  If you’re looking for an all-inclusive hotel near NYC, an urban escape in Philadelphia, Norfolk or Chicago, a ski vacation in Santa Fe, Beaver Creek or New Hampshire, or a discount Disney Cruise, read on for some money saving winter deals.

Mostly Free and Fun Things to do in CT With Kids This Weekend February 2-3: Groundhogs, Puppets and Library Day

Christine's picture Submitted by Christine on

February may be the shortest month of the year, but sometimes it sure does feel like the longest.  The holidays are over, the snow's novelty has worn off and we're left with cold winter days, dark evenings and sometimes I'm tempted to hibernate inside my house until spring.  Kids will be anxiously awaiting the Groundhog's prediction this weekend to see if his shadow tells us to expect an early spring or six more weeks of winter.  But regardless of what that little guy predicts, we've got some great ideas to get you out of the house and enjoying yourself this weekend. 

This Week: February Go NYC List, Chinese New Year Celebrations, Best Winter Exhibits for Kids

Raven Snook's picture Submitted by Raven Snook on

We admit we jumped the gun when we posted our list of the best sledding hills in NYC earlier this week. We were just so excited about the snow (that's my daughter in the photo, gleefully making snow angels in her schoolyard) and we had hoped there would be more of it.

Of course we don't need a blizzard to enjoy winter sports. Many nearby ski and snow tubing resorts blow their own, and our New Jersey and Connecticut sites have plenty of great seasonal activity suggestions, in case you're thinking about taking a trip over the upcoming four-day midwinter break. Looking for additional getaway suggestions? Our Travel site also has a post about five mini-vacation spots for families in the Northeast, including the popular CoCo Key Water Resorts in New Jersey and Connecticut.

Back here in NYC, we launched our February Go NYC List featuring the absolute best things to do with kids throughout the month so you can plan ahead. We're particularly excited about the Citi Pond Winter Film Festival, which kicks off this coming Monday, February 4 with an outdoor screening of the classic animated Disney flick Peter Pan in Bryant Park. The Mommy Poppins team will be there with a table so come say hello. We'll even be handing out vouchers for free hot chocolate to our readers while supplies last. Watch the movie as you glide around the ice or pull up a rink-side chair.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

Pages