CMA Open Art Studios
The 20-year-old Children’s Museum of Art—one of the oldest children art museums in the world—holds an open art studio where children can explore painting, art, and collage through independent projects. The museum also offers group workshop hosted by an array of visiting artists. CMA visitors are invited to participate in the weekly mural project. CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF ART, 182 Lafayette St., 212-274-0986.www.cmany.org, Workshops included in $9 admission.
Crime Scene Investigation Emphasizing the types of work engaged in by NYPD detectives everyday, this program provides children with the opportunity to use some of the same critical thinking skills. Lessons include hands-on demos of various forensic techniques such as fingerprinting. April 23, 3-5pm. NYC POLICE MUSEUM, 100 Old Slip. 212-480-3100, www.nycpolicemuseum.org.
Early spring Gardening club Inch by inch, row by row, NYC youngsters make their garden grow in this weekly after-school gardening program for 1st-5th graders. Activities include planning garden beds; testing and emending the soil; planting peas, lettuce and carrots; and transplanting seedlings. The young environmentalists learn about green practices, such as composting, and about beneficial insects, worms, and other garden critters. Six Tuesdays through April 29, 3:45-5pm. THE CHILDREN’S GARDEN, Nelson A. Rockefeller Park. 212.267.9700, ext. 348. $60. Registration req.
Storybook Readings and Workshop Listen to stories about the people of the Northwest Coast such as “Storm Boy,” by Paul Owens Lewis; “Solomon’s Tree,” written by Andrea Spalding and illustrated by Janet Wilson, and a story from “Eagle’s Reflection and Other Northwest Coast Stories” by Robert James Challenger. Then kids learn about Northwest Coast button blankets and make a button blanket hanging of their own. April 12 at noon. NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN, One Bowling Green. Resource Room. 212-514 –3716, www.AmericanIndian.si.edu. Free.
Manhattan Youth offers a number of after-school programs and classes, including a Downtown basketball league and day camp. Call 212 766-1104 or visit www.manhattanyouth.org.
Anansi, Spiderman of Africa Crabgrass Puppet Theatre’s side-splitting selection of famous folktales from Africa starring Anansi the Spider, whose appetite always overrules his intellect. May 18 at 3 p.m. TRIBECA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, 199 Chambers St. 212-220-1460, www.tribecapac.org. $25 general, $15 students/seniors.
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie When a young boy is home alone for the afternoon, he is met by a seemingly harmless little creature, but giving that mouse one cookie sets off a chain of events the boy will never forget. Suitable for ages 4 and up. Through May 18; Sat. & Sun. at noon & 2pm. $20, $15 kids 2-17 and seniors.
Summer Stars acting camp Registration is open for this 2-week course featuring creative games, drama activities, music, movement and art. Children will become their favorite storybook characters and learn how to design and create plays of their own. July 14-24. $250/week or $450 for 2-week session. MANHATTAN CHILDREN’S THEATRE, 52 White St., 1st floor, bet Broadway & Church Sts. 212-352-3101.
5th Annual Bent Festival Arts nonprofit The Tank presents a weekend workshop that brings together artists of all ages to showcase state-of-the-art DIY electronics and circuit bending culture. Innovators from around the globe perform music with their homemade or circuit-bent instruments each night of the festival, as well as feature battery-powered artwork made from scratch using homemade circuitry The workshops (intro to circuit bending, battery-powered noise generators, video bending, etc.) teach adults and children to create amazing, interactive art installations. April 24-26. Each concert $10; festival pass $25. DCTV, 87 Lafayette St. https://www.bentfestival.org/#New_York
K Studies After-school enrichment programs combining academic skills with fun-filled real world experiences for 2nd thru 5th graders. Programs include Little Greenies about the environment, Magazine Study, Culinary Adventures, Movie Making Study, Art History for Kids, Birdwatching, Garden Study and Homework Help. TRIBECA COMMUNITY SCHOOL, 22 Ericsson Pl. All programs meet once a week; pick up is at 5:30pm. For more info, email kstudies@kstudies.com. Sign up with a friend and receive a 10% discount.
Marine Education program for schools The program is open to schools citywide and is appropriate for Grades 3-12. Sessions take place Tuesday mornings in May, June, September and October during the school year. Students learn about the Hudson and to catch fish using rod and reel in sessions led by BPCPC’s Marine Education Coordinator Bill Fink For more info, call 212.267.9700, ext. 355.
New York Theatre Ballet On Bring Your Kids to Work Day, the extraordinary American choreographer Agnes de Mille is celebrated in this family program with a suite of dances from her best-known Broadway shows: Brigadoon, Carousel and Oklahoma! The dance concert is complete with live music, boys and girls will find themselves humming and dancing along with these beloved masterpieces. April 24 at 12:30pm. WORLD FINANCIAL CENTER WINTER GARDEN, 220 Vesey St. www.worldfinancialcenter.com. Free.
PASSOVER PROGRAM FOR FAMILIES Join children’s entertainer Jacob Stein as he presents the original puppet musical “Sophie and the Mystery of the Disappearing Afikoperson.” Children will dance, sing, and even perform with the puppets. April 13 from 11am to 1pm. MUSEUM OF JEWISH HERITAGE-A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, 36 Battery Pl. 646-437-4202, www.mjhnyc.org. $40 per family, $15 per adult, and $10 per child.
TEEN VOLLEYBALL All teens are welcome and no previous experience necessary. Referee/Scorekeeper and Ball Provided. Presented by the Battery Park City Parks Conservancy. Saturdays, 4:30-6:30 pm. COMMUNITY CENTER AT STUYVESANT HIGH SCHOOL, 345 Chambers St. 646.210.4292 or www.ccshs.org. Free for members, $10 non-members. Photo ID required.
Would You Like to See Your Event in the Downtown Express Kids Listings? Listings requests may be e-mailed to listingseditor@gmail.com. Please provide the date, time, location, price and a description of the event. Information may also be mailed to 145 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10013-1548. Requests must be received two weeks before the event is to be published. Questions, call 646-452-2507.
