Music With The Monkeys
October 4
[All Ages]
Kicking off the “Just Kidding” season at Symphony Space’s Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theater, Upper West Side native Vanessa Trien and the Jumping Monkeys promise a fun and musical show for the whole family! Listen up and sing along to Trien’s original family folk songs as she shares her love for music with young ones. Children, $14, Adults, $21; 11am. 2537 Broadway, 212-864-5400, symphonyspace.org
Rock & Roll
Beginning October 4
[All Ages]
Bring your little rock star to Liberty Science Center’s new exhibit, “Guitar: The Instrument that Rocked the World!” Here, visitors learn about the evolution of the guitar, experiment with sound, rock out on the playables, and see the world’s largest guitar! There will also be guitars autographed by famous musicians and the world’s oldest electric guitar on display. Free with admission; Saturday & Sunday, 9am to 5:30pm; Tuesday to Friday, 9am to 4pm. 222 Jersey City Boulevard, NJ, 201-200-1000, lsc.org
Headless Horseman
October 4 – November 9
[Ages 9+]
Get into the Halloween mood with the Players Theatre’s award-winning musical adaptation of Washington Irving’s classic tale, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Reminiscent of campfire ghost stories, its original music, dialogue, and projections will take you on a dark journey through the Hollow—and the shadows of the human heart. $30-60; Saturdays, 5pm; Sundays, 2pm. 115 MacDougal St, 212-475-1449, hollowthemusical.com
A Splash of Science
October 5
[All Ages]
Head over to Hudson River Park for a splash of science in the city at New York’s Marine Science Festival, Submerge! Families can enjoy a whole day of educational fun, with hands-on activities, interactive demonstrations, live music, fishing, food, and more! Noted experts will also be giving a variety of talks on relevant topics. Free; 11am to 3pm. Pier 26 at Hudson River Park, 212-627-2020, hudsonriverpark.org
Lighthouse Fest
October 11
[All Ages]
Come by the 22nd Little Red Lighthouse Festival to celebrate Manhattan’s only remaining lighthouse, made famous by Hildegarde Swift’s beloved children’s book The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge. There will be tours led by the Urban Park Rangers, two musical performances, readings of Swift’s book, fishing clinics, a kids’ workout class, food, and activities for the whole family. Free; 12-4pm. West 181 Street & Plaza Lafayette, 311, nycgovparks.org
Circus in the City
October 17 – January 11, 2015
[All Ages]
A trip to the circus is a timeless childhood tradition that even adults will still find thrilling. Be amazed by Big Apple Circus’s all-new show, METAMORPHOSIS, featuring wonders from the Flying Trapeze to Quick-Change conjurors to contortionists! Even better, no one sits more than 50 feet from ringside at this two-hour-long show. $25-150; Times vary. West 62 St & Amsterdam Avenue, 212-268-2500, bigapplecircus.org
I Spy in the Sky
October 18
[Ages 4-11]
Grab your binoculars, young astronomers! The Hayden Planetarium Space Theater at AMNH will show you a night sky full of fall and winter constellations like you’ve never seen before, using the Zeiss Star Projector! Why not try your hand at finding “deep-sky” objects hiding in plain sight, like star clusters and galaxies, while you learn? $12; 6:30pm. 81 Central Park West, 212-769-5100, amnh.org
The Snail and the Whale
October 18-19
[Ages 4-7]
See the world from the perspective of one adventurous little snail—on the tail of a humpback whale! Adapted by London’s Tall Stories from the children’s book The Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, this play follows the journey of an unlikely friendship. Musical, heartfelt, and fun, the whole family is sure to enjoy it. $25; 11am & 3pm. 229 West 42nd Street, 646-223-3000, newvictory.org
Hubble History
Beginning October 23
[All Ages]
Join the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in celebrating the 25th anniversary of the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope with their new exhibit, Hubble@25! Learn about the history and science of the Hubble, the men and women who contributed to its discoveries, and space exploration through photographs, Hubble images, artifacts, and immersive environments. Free with admission. Pier 86 West 46th St & 12th Avenue, 212-245-0072, intrepidmuseum.org
Kiddie Concert
October 25-26
[All Ages]
Appreciate classical music with the young ones in a fun way with the Lolli-Pops Circus Parade at the Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College. You can become the ringmaster and choose which melodies suit the circus folk—tightrope walkers, clowns, bears, and more—creating your own circus soundscape! The show features music by composers Fucik, Mendelssohn, and Tchaikovsky. $17-55; Saturday, 10am & 11:30am; Sunday, 11:30am & 1pm. 695 Park Avenue, 212-971-9500, littleorchestra.org