Picks of the Week: December 10-16

Happy Hanukkah! In this week’s installment of Picks of the Week, we continue our search for the best holiday events for families. Check out what we’ve found.

All Week

Grand Army Plaza Menorah Lighting
Manhattan’s Grand Army Plaza (5th Avenue at 59th Street)
5:30 pm
The “world’s largest menorah” will be lit every night this week in honor of Hanukkah. The 32-ft tall menorah weighs in at a staggering 2 tons, and the nightly lighting ceremony is free to the public.

Friday, December 14-Sunday, December 16

Peter & the Wolf
The Guggenheim
Various times
The beloved Sergei Prokofiev tale, “Peter & the Wolf,” will be brought to life at the Guggenheim Museum during this 30-minute holiday performance. Fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi will narrate as George Manahan conducts the Juilliard Ensemble. Artist Will Cotton’s sets and artwork, including a gingerbread house interior, will be available for viewing after each performance. Tickets are $30.

Saturday, December 15-Sunday, December 16

Gingerbread Workshops
Various places
Various times
An abundance of workshops dedicated to gingerbread decorating have popped up across the city! There’s something uniquely special about decorating the king of all holiday cookies with your kids, so we’ve compiled a round-up of places offering gingerbread decorating workshops this month. This weekend, Little Collector, The Craft Studio, and Church Street School for Music and Art are hosting their gingerbread decorating classes and Brooklyn’s Dough Re Me Kids is having a Holiday Warmth Workshop, where kids can make their own hot chocolate and marshmallows. To read our complete round-up, click here.

Brooklyn Robot Foundry - Virtual Classes

Brooklyn Robot Foundry offers super fun online robot-building classes for children 2-13 years old!&nbsp;&nbsp;Each week, students are introduced to new engineering concepts and components while building that day&rsquo;s robot in their own &ldquo;workshop&rdquo;.&nbsp;&nbsp;All classes maintain a very low student-to-teacher ratio, allowing for plenty of individualized instruction and socializing. The supplies are shipped in advance and classes are led by amazing instructors, taking all the pressure off parents.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Foundry&rsquo;s main focus however, is that kids have fun, get creative, and enjoy being part of this STEAM-loving community!&nbsp;

Super Soccer Stars

Soccer Stars is New York&rsquo;s most popular youth educational soccer program! With 24 years of experience under our cleats, we have positively impacted over one million kids in our local community by putting the FUN in FUNdamentals in our weekly classes and camps. At Soccer Stars, we use the soccer ball as a vehicle to help children not only improve their soccer skills, but develop self-confidence and physical literacy, improve gross motor skills, build teamwork, and hone socialization skills. Our highly trained coaches and early childhood experts lead an age-specific curriculum with a low kid-to-coach ratio so every child gets individual attention and can grow at their own pace. Kids ages 1-12+ can join our seasonal programs, including Parent &amp; Me, FUNdamentals, Development Training, and Travel Soccer. Join us at one of over 80 locations in neighborhoods across across Westchester County, Connecticut and New York, available 7 days-a-week: Connecticut: <ul> <li>Cos Cob</li> <li>Greenwich</li> <li>Port Chester</li> </ul> &nbsp; Westchester: <ul> <li>Briarcliff</li> <li>Eastchester</li> <li>Mt. Kisco</li> <li>New Rochelle</li> <li>Ridgefield</li> <li>Scarsdale</li> <li>White Plains</li> </ul> &nbsp; New York City: <ul> <li>Bronx</li> <li>Inwood</li> <li>Upper West Side</li> <li>Upper East Side</li> </ul> &nbsp; Can&rsquo;t find a class or location that fits your schedule? Soccer Stars also offers private classes for small groups or individual training. Let our coaches come to you with a completely customizable program, anytime, anywhere. Birthday parties are also available!&nbsp;

WCS Education - Wildlife Conservation Society

Explore nature, learn about the planet, and get close to animals&mdash;all in New York City! WCS zoo and aquarium day camps are for every young adventurer, from toddlers to teens. Campers experience hands-on learning, from STEAM classrooms and animal exhibits to nature trails and the beach. Recognized as industry leaders, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Education Department was the first of its kind to offer zoo camps and continues to provide award-winning programming. Visit wcs.education/camps to explore summer camps at the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Queens Zoo, and New York Aquarium!