it’s July, the kids are out of school and they’re going to need things to do and places to go where they’re allowed to expunge all of their pent-up energy. Fortunately, the five boroughs provide no shortage of fun, kid-centric activities and events that parents just might enjoy too. Here’s a rundown of some of the best:
1. Waterfight NYC
Saturday July 25th on the Great Lawn in Central Park at 2pm, Ages 6 and up
The name of this event essentially speaks for itself. Load up as many Super Soakers, squirt guns and water cannons as you can find and head to Central Park for the mother of all water-based battles. Be sure to register and form your team beforehand; organizers are expecting thousands of participants eager to cool themselves-and others-off in the hot summer sun. Leave the water balloons home though; they are not allowed for safety reasons.
For more information visit the event’s Facebook page.
2. Summer-Intensive Ballet Courses
The Ballet Club: 328 East 61st Street Ages 7-14
The Ballet Club offers intensive training courses spanning three hours per day, five days a week. There are two sessions running from July 13th through the 31st and August 3rd through the 21st. Under the tutelage of an expert teacher with nearly thirty years of ballet experience as a performer and educator, students will rapidly improve and strengthen a their own artistry and fluency in ballet technique. The training includes daily ballet technique class, and alternating days of modern dance, floor barre, ballet history, drama, choreography and composition.
For more information and registration steps, visit the school’s official website.
3. Outdoor Movie Viewings
Throughout the summer, all across the five boroughs and for all ages
Take the kids to one of the many local parks and other outdoor spaces and watch them discover a family-friendly classic flick for the first time, or witness the excitement on their face when they enjoy one of their favorites on the big screen instead of the always-available TV. We’ll suggest Pee Wee’s Big Adventure at the Hudson River Park on Friday, July 24th at Pier 46 in Greenwich Village, Wall-E at the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum Complex on Thursday, August 13th, or Fantastic Mr. Fox that same day at the 72nd Street track and lawn in Riverside Park.
For an extensive list of showings, visit Time Out New York’s website.
4. Family Workshops and Kids Weeks at the New Victory Theater
Throughout the summer at 209 West 42nd Street in Times Square, Ages 7 and up
The New Vic, as it’s affectionately known, is playing host to family workshops and courses for kids spanning a week in their studios on the north side of 42nd Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues. Kids Week classes run from 9am through 4pm and are designed to help children discover new skills, hidden talents and the thrill of performance. Students will have the chance to see a professional live show, and after the final class they will perform what they have learned for their family and friends too. During Circus Week, for example, kids will learn juggling, dancing, theater games, clowning and more.
For more information, visit the New Victory Theater’s website.
