Weekend Planner: August 13-14

Isn’t the city supposed to slow down in August? Aren’t kids supposed to be bored by the lazy days of summer? Or, think you’ve seen everything that NYC has to offer? Think again. You can make an entire weekend out of visiting Governors Island (and we recommend it!), or bring the tots a bit further afield to Queens for one of the largest dragon boat races in the entire country. If your curiosity has gotten the best of you, read on… —

We’re not sure what appeals to kids more: devilish dragons or big old boats. Either way, little ones will watch in wonder as rowers make their way through the water on lavishly decorated vessels during the free Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in Flushing Meadows, Queens this Saturday and Sunday. Experience one of the largest dragon boat races in the entire country while noshing on traditional ethnic cuisine and taking in live performances.

This Saturday and Sunday, Governors Island, in collaboration with the National Park Service, hosts a Civil War weekend to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the War Between the States. The past will come to life as families get better acquainted with members of both the Confederate and Union Armies (Hey! Whose side are you on?). You won’t want to miss weapon demos, music performances and other cultural activities. Kids can dress in historical costumes and even watch a game of Civil War Base Ball.

If you visit the Island on Saturday, be sure to stick around for the NYC Volkswagen Traffic Jam Car Show where junior can check out tons of VWs and play games like Punch Buggy in the Kid Zone. This car show and picnic is free to all spectators, but you can also buy raffle tickets to win cool prizes like a vintage bike!

Mary Poppins never steered kids wrong when she insisted they go fly a kite, right? Take her advice at the Brooklyn Kite Festival this Saturday, and enjoy a summer afternoon at the Brooklyn Bridge Park with the fam. Bring your own kite, or make one there that you can use through the end of summer.

Gather the brood and concoct your own delicious ice cream flavors at Tavern on the Green’s Ice Cream Demo this Sunday, where kids can learn how to make their own scoops from the pros. This make-us-melt event is great for children of all ages, not to mention F-R-E-E.

Looking for even more fun? Click here for all of our weekend highlights.

Click here for the full calendar of all family events happening this weekend and every day of the week.

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The School at the Mark Morris Dance Center

The School at the Mark Morris Dance Center offers year-round, community-based dance and music programming in a fully inclusive and nurturing environment, located in the heart of the Brooklyn Cultural District. The School&rsquo;s diverse and professional faculty provides progressive and non-competitive instruction with all of our classes accompanied by live music. Though we are a non-recital school, there are opportunities for students to perform and for parents to see their dancers in action.

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.

Brick-or-Treat at LEGOLAND® New York Resort

Monstrous Family fun returns with Brick-or-Treat at LEGOLAND&reg; New York Resort! &nbsp; The signature children&rsquo;s Halloween event kicks off October 3rd&nbsp;when the Park transforms into a bewitching party filled with candy, seasonal shows, and Halloween themed LEGO characters. The event runs on all operating dates in October, with all festivities included in general admission. Meet LEGO Monster characters like Spider Lady and Wacky Witch and make your way to the treat stations around the Park. Don&rsquo;t forget your costumes! &nbsp; New for 2024: Monster Party Nights at LEGOLAND New York Hotel! Book a Brick-or-Treat overnight package in October to enjoy extra sweet Halloween-themed fun after a day in the Park. Hotel guests will have the opportunity to eat breakfast with a Monster, participate in themed crafts and LEGO builds, rock out at the Monster Dance Party each night, and more! &nbsp; AWESOME AWAITS at LEGOLAND&reg; New York Resort, the ultimate LEGO&reg; theme park destination, for kids ages two through twelve and their families. Ride, climb, and build your way through seven LEGO themed lands. &nbsp;