Events: Top Kid-Friendly Activities For The Week

This weekend the Brooklyn Botanic Garden will host its annual Sakura Matsuri Festival! Photo by Liz Ligon via bbg.org.

Happy Spring Break! Head on out this week to one or more of our enormously entertaining event picks. A fresh mix of springtime festivities awaits, including an awesome Arbor Week celebration, a great gathering for gamers, an amazing theater adventure, super street games, and a cheery cherry blossom fest. We guarantee a good time no matter what you choose! And check out our round-up of awesome Spring Break activities for more fun ideas.

Tuesday, April 26-Sunday, May 1

Arbor Week
Wave Hill
10am-4pm
Enjoy the trees of NYC this week during Arbor Week at Wave Hill! All ages are welcome to participate in family arts and crafts, go on garden walks, take a bike tour of the trees of the Bronx’s Riverdale and Inwood neighborhoods, savor a pine nut cooking demo, and much more. Registration is required for some events. Free with garden admission.

Friday, April 29-Sunday. April 1

IndieCade East 2016
The Museum of the Moving Image
Friday: 10:30am-8pm; Saturday & Sunday: 11:30am-7pm
Calling all gamers! This weekend the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens will host IndieCade East 2016, one of the country’s largest events dedicated to independent video games. Families can play dozens of new and unreleased games in the “Strange Arcade” games showcase and attend creator panels and talks. There will also be an eSports Showcase where players can compete in video sports game competitions throughout the weekend. Ticket passes start at $45. Please note: Not all games are appropriate for all ages.

Beginning Saturday, April 30

“Meet Me at the Fountain”
Lincoln Center
10am-5pm
Now’s your chance to join a secret crime-fighting team and help stop a plot to sabotage an opera diva! “Meet Me at the Fountain,” is an immersive and interactive performance taking place across the entire Lincoln Center campus during which audiences young and old will embark on an exciting adventure as they keep Lincoln Center’s stages safe! Recommended for ages 7 and up. Performances run every 30 minutes. This event will also take place on Saturday, May 21 and Sunday, May 22. Tickets are $25.

Saturday, April 30

9th Annual Street Games
Thomas Jefferson Park
11am-3pm
Head to Harlem this Saturday, when NYC Parks and the Walt Disney Company will host the 9th Annual Street Games in Thomas Jefferson Park! The Street Games event re-introduces old-school city games to kids. Participants can join rousing games of stickball, street hockey, ultimate frisbee, wheelchair basketball, and more! Local radio stations will spin jams throughout the day, and kids will enjoy live performances by a hip-hop breakdancer, a yo-yo master, and the Dance Theater of Harlem. This event is free.

Saturday, April 30-Sunday, May 1

Sakura Matsuri Festival
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
10am-6pm
Celebrate the end of Hanami, the Japanese commemoration of the cherry blossom season, at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s annual Sakura Matsuri Festival. The weekend will be comprised of more than 60 events and performances including music, dance, workshops, exhibitions, and vendors of Japanese fashion, food, art, and more! Enjoy a day of exploration against the backdrop of beautiful cherry trees in full bloom. Tickets are $25 for adults and free for children under the age of 12.

The Little Gym of Bay Ridge- Bensonhurst

At The Little Gym of Bay Ridge-Bensonhurt, we specialize in unique, educational classes that revolve around active play. We give children a safe and inspiring space to direct their energy, build confidence, and develop key skills. Explore the range of classes we offer at The Little Gym of Bay Ridge-Bensonhurst to find the one that&rsquo;s just right for your child.&nbsp;

Chickenshed NYC

Chickenshed is an inclusive theatre company that began in the UK in 1974. Chickenshed NYC is a young organization bringing that same ethos and unique methodology to the USA. Chickenshed&rsquo;s mission is to create entertaining and outstanding theatre that celebrates diversity and inspires positive change. Chickenshed's model of Inclusive Theatre is based in the belief that everyone can flourish when everyone is included. At Chickenshed everyone is welcome, everyone is valued, and together we produce remarkable theatre. We want to break down barriers between people to create a world without labels and where differences no longer divide. At Chickenshed, support is given to those who need it, and given by those who can . We believe that creative activities, self-expression and performance should be available to anyone who has the desire, no matter their background or circumstances. We know that when everyone has the opportunity to shine, amazing things happen. Chickenshed NYC provides programming for little ones, children and youth through semester-long activities and performances.

Basketball City

Beginning June 2024, Basketball City will be running a full weekly schedule of Summer Basketball Camps. We will have our professional staff of coaches teaching your kids weekly. Our camps are designed to teach kids the skills they need to become a better basketball player by using specific drills and fitness work that focus on the fundamentals of the game in a fun, safe and inclusive environment. &nbsp;The camps run weekly varying in time and the number of days for ages 6-17. We have 3-, 4- &amp; 5-day options with times ranging from 9-4pm or 9-3pm. Every camper will receive a jersey once they are registered and arrive. We are limiting the number of camp participants each week to ensure a safe and healthy environment for your children. The limited number of campers will also ensure that your child receives individual attention needed to improve their basketball skills. Our camps in the past typically include current and past NBA players and a collaboration with the Jr. Knicks, the National Basketball Players Association, as well as 5 Star Basketball, and our ever-popular Basketball City FUNdamentals Camp along with our Jr. NBA/NBA Cares NBA Draft/Skills Challenge Camp with future NBA talent.