Youth Activities

Battery Park City Parks Conservancy

Community Center, Stuyvesant High School, 345 Chambers Street, 646-358-6880

Teen Marine Adventure

Students entering 6th, 7th and 8th grades are invited to join a 3-week, 15-session exploration of the Hudson River from the shores of Battery Park City. Participants engage in scientific adventures and lots of fun. Learn about fresh and salt water ecosystems, marine life, water transportation and pollution while enjoying picnics, games, art projects and other recreational activities. Starts July 10 and meets Mon. – Fri. thru July 28. 10am – 2pm. Nelson A. Rockefeller Park, Park House Lawn $500. 212-267-9700 x366. Pre-registration required.

fraunces tavern museum

54 Pearl St., 212-425-1778, www.FrauncesTavernMuseum.com

create a tavern sign

Tavern signs were like early billboards designed to catch the eye of a possible customer. Come and paint your own tavern sign. Sat., Mar. 4 at 11am. Free with museum admission.

Gotham Comedy Club

208 W. 23rd St., 212-877-6115, www.kidsncomedy.com

Kids ‘N Comedy

A unique show of stand-up comedy created and performed by kids ages 8-17. Kids from the audience will have the opportunity to get up on stage and tell a joke of their own. Sundays, March 12 & 26, April 9 and May 21 at 2pm. $15, plus 1 drink minimum. Appropriate for children ages 9 and up and their families. Reservations required.

Monthly Stand-up Workshops

Available for children who wish to perform in the Kids ‘n Comedy show. Participants must arrive with 2-3 minutes of original material. Each child will receive a taped copy of the workshop to use as a teaching tool. March 5, April 2 & May 7 at 1:30pm. $50. Pre-registration and payment required.

On-Camera Audition Workshops

Increase your chances of getting work in TV or film by learning how to audition for the camera. For participants ages 10-17. 4-week workshop, 2-hour classes. Classes begin the first Saturday of each month at 2:30pm. $250.

Manhattan Children’s Theatre

52 White St., bet Broadway & Church Sts., 212-352-3101, www.theatermania.com

Last of the Dragons

Princes are supposed to save princesses from dragons, but what if neither the Princess nor the Dragon wants to cooperate? Based on the short story by E. Nesbit, “The Last of the Dragons,” and tells the story of a Princess and Dragon, both determined to break from tradition but for very different reasons. All ages. Feb. 18 – April 2. Sat. & Sun. at 12 and 2pm. $15.

Manhattan youth

212-766-1104, www.manhattanyouth.org

Programs for Children

Manhattan Youth provides the children and families of Downtown with quality programs during non-school hours. Check below for details on current events. All programs require pre-registration.

Swimming Lessons – Offered on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays after school. Classes are taught by experienced, certified and friendly instructors under the supervision of the Swim Director at the Downtown Day Camp. Lessons are 40 minutes long. Children must be in kindergarten or above. Lessons offered year round.

Swimming Parties – Pool parties are available this winter & spring at the private pool in Battery Park City. With warm water in the cold winter, the parties are great for children of all ages. Log onto website or send an email to swim@manhattanyouth.org for details or to book a party.

After-School Programs – Available at PS 234, PS 89 and PS 150. Sign-up forms are available at www.manhattanyouth.org. Keep in mind that the new school dismissal schedule has had an effect on the program times.

THE SCHOLASTIC STORE

557 Broadway, between Prince and Spring in SoHo, Stroller entrance: 130 Mercer St., Event hotline: 212-343-6166

Enjoy stories read by the Scholastic Story Teller every Sunday and Tuesday at 2pm. All ages. Free.

cool-riculum

A series of fun enrichment workshops for kids of all ages to help them build, create and explore. The program was created to provide children with enrichment in such areas as literacy, creativity and independent thinking. It is also a great way for kids and parents to participate in group activities and socialize with friends. Workshops include Express Yourself, a hands-on crafting activity that allows any child to be creative, build skills and make a mess in a safe, fun environment (Ages 4-5); ABC Language Exchange, use songs and stories to learn French or Spanish (Ages 4-9); RoboFUN with Lego Robotics, aspiring inventors can design and build whatever they dream up (Ages 7-13); Klutz Build-A-Book, kids can build their very own three-dimensional book using words, pictures and objects (Ages 4+); Stretch Out and Read, enjoy stories with creative movement and imagination (Ages 3-4); Mad Science, hands-on experiments bring the mysteries of science to a real-world level that kids can understand and enjoy (Ages 3-7); Little Maestros, helps kids develop essential language abilities, express their creativity and rock out (Ages 3 months – 3 years). Call for more information.

Celebrate west africa’s rich cultural heritage Listen to a story, learn a rhythm and dance to the drum. Sat., Feb. 18 at 3pm. Ages 3+.

pop bead critters!

Snap, pop, and crackle beads together to make funny creatures. Learn how to make cool spiders, sea stars, jewelry treasures and much more. Sat., Feb. 25 at 3pm. Ages 3+.

skyscraper museum

39 Battery Place, 212-968-1961, www.skyscaper.org

tall tales

Skyscraper storytelling and drawing for the very young. Come to the museum for a riveting read-aloud and a chance to showcase your high-rise abilities through the design of your own skyscraper! Sat., Mar. 4 from10:30-11:30 am.

south street seaport

museum

Free Fridays

Come for a free evening of arts and cultural programs on the third Friday of every month. Visit museum galleries during special extended hours from close until 9 pm. Fri., Feb. 17 from 5-9pm: Learn about the lives and loves of 19th century sailors. From 5 – 9pm, visit the exhibitions, including Soundings: Treasures from the Collection of South Street Seaport Museum. From 6 – 9pm: Family Fun – Loves Me, Loves me Not…Uncover the true stories about sailor valentines and join in reviving this lost folk art! Design a sailor valentine of your very own to keep or to give. At 7pm, enjoy an evening of music as Dr. Edward Polidi leads a violin performance featuring some of the world’s most romantic classical compositions.

Make Some Noise!

Come enjoy a weekend filled with 19th century music. Learn a sea chantey or two and make an instrument to keep the tunes going at home. Sat., Feb. 18, and Sun., Feb. 19 from 1-4 pm. Free with museum admission. 12 Fulton Street. 212-748-8758.

Whatcha Got Cookin’?

Pack your bag and travel down to the Seaport to discover some of the foods that made this city famous! As a group, write and illustrate a top-notch cookboo and sneak a taste of a surprise treat! Sat., Feb. 25 and Sun., Feb. 26 from 1-4 pm. Free with museum admission. 12 Fulton Street. 212-748-8758.

Tribeca Performing

Arts Center

BMCC, 199 Chambers St at the West Side Highway, www.tribecapac.org, 212-220-1460

I Hear AMerica Singing

The performance group Tales and Scales creates an unforgettable musical experience that spins together music, poetry and dance using the words of Walt Whitman, Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes and other great American poets. Sat., March 25 at 1:30pm. $15 adults, $10 kids.

Listings requests for the “Downtown Express” can be e-mailed to casey@downtownexpress.com. Please be sure to include the date, time, location, price and description of the event. Information must be received two weeks before the event is to be published.