Events: Top Kid-Friendly Activities For The Week

Have a happy and healthy New Year! Photo by gigi_nyc via Flickr.

This week we’ll bid adieu to 2016 and welcome 2017! To celebrate we’ve hand-picked these festive family friendly events which include a maker’s holiday fest, a Kwanzaa celebration, New Year’s Eve activities on Coney Island as well as at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan, and a late-night run in Central Park. Happy New Year!

Tuesday, December 27-Friday, December 30

Re-Make the Holidays
New York Hall of Science
12-4pm
Learn how to re-purpose recyclable materials by transforming them into artistic treasures for the holiday season at Re-Make the Holidays at the New York Hall of Science. With each of the four days focusing on a different recyclable material, grown-ups and kids can learn how to sew small stuffed animals, create jewelry from plastic, transform toilet paper into ornaments and cars, and turn aluminum and bottle caps into wonderful works of art. Families will also learn how to protect the environment through insightful workshops, demos, and art installations. Free with hall admission.

Friday, December 30

Kwanzaa 2016: Songs for the Soul
American Museum of Natural History
12pm & 3pm
This year marks the 38th annual Kwanzaa celebration at the American Museum of Natural History. This “Songs for the Soul” celebration will be highlighted by a performance by season two American Idol winner, Ruben Studdard. There will also be special activities, a performance by the students of the Celia Cruz Bronx High School of Music, an international marketplace, and special Kwanzaa foods to celebrate the holiday. Hosted by Dr. Linda H. Humes. Free with museum admission.

Friday, December 30-Saturday, December 31

New Year’s Eve Activities
Children’s Museum of Manhattan
Various times
The Children’s Museum of Manhattan is saying farewell to 2016 with New Year’s activities for kids of all ages. Visitors can decorate hats and and glasses, make a noisemaker, march in a parade, watch “the ball” drop, and dance the year away during a kiddie dance party with DJ Chela. Some activities require advance registration. Free with museum admission.

Saturday, December 31

3rd Annual Coney Island New Year’s Eve Celebration
Coney Island
9pm-Midnight
Ring in 2017 on Coney Island! There will be free rides on Deno’s Wonder Wheel, the Thunderbolt, and the B & B Carousel (weather permitting), ice skating at Abe Stark Rink (6-10pm), fireworks, and live music and performances. To insure a good time is had by all, the New York Aquarium will be open late. This event is free.

NYRR Midnight Run
Central Park
10pm
Sprint into the new year with the NYRR Midnight Run! This four-miler will begin when the clock strikes midnight, and participants will be treated to a spectacular fireworks display. Starting at 10pm, there will be DJs, neon face painting, strobe lights, and fun photo ops in the park’s Rumsey Playfield. Race admission is $60 for adult NYRR non-members and $30 for junior NYRR non-members.

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Academics West

Academics West is an accredited high-support college preparatory school designed to meet the academic and social-emotional goals of its students. Our unique model allows for each student to benefit from a customized educational experience to ensure they are acquiring the skills necessary to navigate their post-secondary lives whether they attend college or pursue another path to future success. Students can select different tracks to construct the most beneficial program to suit their needs and goals. Unlike conventional education, this innovative model enables students to prepare for an ever-changing world that requires young people to have advanced executive functioning, interpersonal and leadership skills to become independent and resilient adults. &nbsp;

New York Society of Play Summer Camp and Classes

Summer Game Camp There are many who do not feel safe sending their children back out into the world with summer camp, this year. To serve those parents and keep the children connected and stimulated during this challenging time, we are offering NYSP Digital Summer Camp. The name of the game with NYSP Summer Camp is community. We have made a large effort to make our camp feel like a living space, with features including &ndash; - Role-Playing games familiar and new, led by our master storytellers! - Enriching electives such as Chess, World Building, Character Acting, Crafts, Drawing, and more! - Discussion and media screening rooms during lunch! - A digital campus! - Moderated chat hours! &nbsp; Join us for a summer of games, friends, and more! Mon - Fri 10am - 2:30pm &nbsp; Roleplay Expeditions: Dungeons &amp; Dragons No experience is required to join one of our Dungeons &amp; Dragons games. Our game masters have pre-made character sheets, so you'll be able to start playing the game right away! We adapt the rules of traditional Dungeons &amp; Dragons to make them more approachable to children of various ages. Battle in dungeons, search for relics, and make new friends in our one-of-a-kind Dungeons &amp; Dragons workshop!&nbsp; &nbsp; Public games meet once per week, with different groups every time. Private games meet 1 to 2 times per week with the same group of kids. Since the players and the storyteller in the group are consistent, this enables us to tell epic tales of adventure together! &nbsp; Dungeons &amp; Dragons Junior No experience is required to join one of our drop-in Dungeons &amp; Dragons games. Our Dungeons &amp; Dragons Jr. game provides a D&amp;D storytelling experience without character sheets. Battle in dungeons, search for relics, and make new friends in our one-of-a-kind Dungeons &amp; Dragons workshop! A great way to introduce young children to D&amp;D so they can eventually move onto the main game.

A-Game Sports

<div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;"> A-Game Sports is a premier provider of sports camps, programming and instruction for kids of all ages ranging from toddlers to teens. As an instructional and recreational youth sports facility, our goal is to make athletics a rewarding experience for all kids. A-Game Sports is located in New Rochelle, NY, and offers camps, lessons, customized programs for more than 10 sports and rental space for private events. A-Game Sports was founded in 2013 by two guys who decided that it was time to do what they truly love in life. Since then, we've made the ideology of fusing hard work and fun into a reality. Our dedicated staff of professional coaches share their enthusiasm with kids of all ages and skill levels that take part in our programs. </div> <div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;"> &nbsp; </div> <div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;"> With turfed fields for soccer, lacrosse, field hockey and flag football, batting cages and tunnels for baseball and softball, and various basketball programs, A-Game Sports is one of the premiere sports facilities for kids and adults of any age. Aspiring athletes and fitness enthusiasts will benefit from our many strength and conditioning programs, while children new to sports will learn skills and techniques within their chosen sport, all while having a great time and keeping the game fun. </div>