North Pole - various times
North Pole - various times
North Pole - various times
North Pole - various times
North Pole - various times
North Pole - various times
North Pole - various times
Weekend Fun for NYC Kids: Ice Carving at the Bronx Zoo, Last-Chance Holiday Fun, Kwanzaa, Seal Watching December 27-28
Since this is a short holiday week, we decided to run our weekend picks post a few days early. That way you can plan out your family's Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and the weekend beyond long before Santa hops on his sleigh.
Seasonal fun abounds this weekend. Enjoy frosty fun at the Bronx Zoo's Wildlife Ice Carving Week, try hands-on projects at the New York Hall of Science's ReMake the Holidays and celebrate Kwanzaa at the American Museum of Natural History's annual festival. It's also a great time to see all of NYC's iconic holiday sights before they're gone, like animatronic department store windows, over-the-top Christmas houses and massive decorated trees.
These are just a few of the great things going on this weekend. All of our best bets are below. You can find additional options in our Event Calendar and our Holiday Fun Guide, including a list of 35 things to do with kids over the school break. From all the moms at Mommy Poppins, we wish you and your family a fabulous holiday season, whatever you celebrate.
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All Weekend
Sister Rain and Brother Sun – Upper West Side
A December GOList pick: Catch the Catskill Puppet Theater's fable about the sibling rivalry between the rain and the sun at Symphony Space. The show features large handmade rod puppets, including a seven-foot sun, and evocative sets. $21 for adults, $14 for children
ReMake the Holidays – Corona
Head to the New York Hall of Science for a variety of hands-on holiday projects. On Saturday, kids can transform plastic bags and bottles into jump ropes, lanterns and other objects. On Sunday, craft puppets, lanterns and origami out of recycled paper. There will also be ice-sculpting demos and displays throughout the weekend. Most activities are free with admission: $11 for adults, $8 for children ages 2-17
Wildlife Ice Carving Week – the Bronx
Watch renowned carvers transform blocks of ice into amazing animal statues at the Bronx Zoo. Kids can also romp in an icy rainforest-themed play area, complete with a 25-foot slide, and enjoy crafts and Christmas caroling. Free with general admission: $16.95 for adults, $12.95 for children ages 3-12
Holiday Open House – Douglaston
Tour NYC's only working historic farm, the Queen's County Farm Museum, and enjoy seasonal crafts, mulled cider and lovely decorations. FREE
Holiday Light Spectacular: A Tiki Christmas – South Slope
Unlike other NYC Christmas displays, which stay pretty much the same year after year, the owners of the house at 310A 22nd Street in Brooklyn put on a brand-new light show every season with a unique theme and storyline. The 2014 edition is titled A Tiki Christmas and as you can see from our pics it's pretty spectacular! FREE
A Muppet Family Christmas – Astoria
Catch this classic Muppet holiday special at the Museum of the Moving Image. Afterward, Jim Henson Legacy president, Craig Shemin, will present rare, behind-the-scenes footage from its creation. Free with admission: $12 for adults, $6 for children ages 3-12
The Three Bears Holiday Bash – Upper West Side
It's your last chance to catch the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre's holiday variety show starring the three bears and all of their fairy-tale friends. This spirited puppet performance celebrates Christmas, Kwanzaa and Hanukkah. $10 for adults, $7 for children under age 12
Saturday, December 27
Kwanzaa 2014: Our Brightest Lights – Upper West Side
Celebrate the seven guiding principles of Kwanzaa at this vibrant annual festival at the American Museum of Natural History. Buy traditional gifts and foods at the international marketplace, and enjoy amazing music, dance and storytelling, including a performance by tap-dancing great Savion Glover. Free with suggested admission: $22 for adults, $12.50 for children ages 2-12
Family Festival at the Cloisters: Voices of the Middle Ages – Inwood
Catch the hilarious sketch comedy performers of the Story Pirates as they roam the Cloisters playing Medieval monks, saints, knights and princesses. Free with suggested admission: $25 for adults, free for children under age 12
See all Saturday events.
Sunday, December 28
MTA Nostalgia Trains – Long Island City to the Lower East Side
Another December GOList pick: It's your last chance to take a retro ride this season! With just a swipe of your MetroCard, you can grab a seat on one of the MTA's old-school subways running on the Sixth Avenue line complete with authentic advertisements and overhead displays. $2.50
Little Orchestra Society: Peter and the Wolf – Fort Greene
Introduce the tots to Sergei Prokofiev's beloved symphonic story at BAM. Created specifically for children, this coming-of-age tale shows how a cocky young boy, Peter, and his animal pals outwit a hungry wolf and the consequences of their actions. This classical concert also includes compositions by Stravinsky, Shostakovich and other Russian composers. $18-$90
Kwanzaa Celebrations – Crown Heights
More Kwanzaa fun: Hit the Brooklyn Children’s Museum for crafts, an African dance performance, a poetry and hip-hop workshop, and a lesson about the seven principles of the holiday. Free with admission: $9
Film Forum Jr: Mary Poppins – Greenwich Village
See a new restoration of this Disney classic the way it was intended, on the big screen at Film Forum. $7.50
Seal Watch – Pelham
Join Urban Park Rangers at Orchard Beach to try to spot harbor seals as they pass through NYC's waters during their annual migration. FREE
See all Sunday events.
Don't forget: We have even more fun in our Event Calendar and our Holiday Guide.
