Kids are going to have a lot more free time now that the school year’s almost over, but that doesn’t mean they have to fall victim to the “summer slide.” Spending the summer outside and exploring the city also doesn’t have to break the bank, though you will break a sweat. Here are 5 fun, cheap and educational things for the whole family to do around the city this summer.
Explore new music and cultures at Lincoln Center’s “Summer for the City” series
Lincoln Center is hosting a summer full of free shows, storytimes, workshops and other fun activities for kids and teens of all ages through Aug. 9.
The itinerary’s packed, but some exciting events both kids and parents should enjoy are the multilingual concerts from international performers, which can help everyone explore new cultures through music. Experience French-English-language Hip-Hop with Canadian artist Missy D at noon on June 28, or see Mediterranean artists Lala Tamar and Ofer Ronen at noon on July 12. Browse the full summer lineup here.
See some Shakespeare
Supplement your kid’s summer reading with live Shakespeare from the Public Theater this summer. Catch a free bilingual performance of the iconic playwright’s “Much Ado About Nothing” at a park near you through the end of June. They’ll be performing at:
- St. Mary’s Park at Mott Haven in the Bronx on June 26
- Travers Park in Jackson Heights, Queens on June 27
- The Peninsula at Prospect Park in Brooklyn on June 28 and 29
Each show starts at 6:30 p.m. and seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
If you’d like to see a much bigger production, you can also visit the newly renovated Delacorte Theater in Central Park, which is set to reopen this summer after two years of renovations. While exact show dates are yet to be announced, you’ll be able to see a full production of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” at this historic 1,800-seat Manhattan theater from Aug. 7 to Sep. 14. Free tickets are available in-person at noon every day that there’s a performance, but a Public Theater Patron ID is required to claim them, so register beforehand. Stop by Central Park’s nearby Shakespeare Garden to relax after the show’s over.
Learn more about what the Public Theater’s Shakespeare for the City program has in store for this summer here.
Explore nature with NYC Parks’ Urban Park Rangers
New York City’s Urban Park Rangers lead free events at local parks around the city where New Yorkers of all ages, including kids, can learn about topics like history, astronomy, animals, plants and more. Join them at a park near you this summer to take part in one of their enriching educational events. A few interesting ones are:
- Saltwater fishing at WNYC Transmitter Park in Brooklyn on Saturday, July 12 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- Watching sneaky Red Foxes at Conference House Park on Staten Island on Sunday, July 13 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
- Learning about New York’s prehistoric creatures in Central Park in Manhattan on Saturday, July 19 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Visit your local Library
Jenn Choi, a special education specialist and parent, told Epicenter that having a familiar space nearby that parents and children can visit regularly, like a local library, is one of the better ways to make having fun in the summer easier for everyone, especially in the hot summer months when it doesn’t hurt to be in an air conditioned space.
There are simple ways to make normal visits more exciting, like bringing your own drawing or coloring supplies for example.
New York Public Library, Queens Public Library and Brooklyn Public Library branches also host lots of free events, workshops and other programming that
While it’s good to look up what’s going on at your own local library, a few summer events and resources for older kids and teens stand out to us:
- An urban foraging series at the Greenpoint Library in Brooklyn that meets on July 9 from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., and Sep 3 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
- The Baisley Park Library’s financial literacy club which meets Thursdays from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. from July 3 to Aug. 28.
- Youth can also learn photography skills by picking up a Teen Photography Kit at the Bronx Library Center, Countee Cullen Library, Harry Belafonte 115th Street Library, Ottendorfer Library, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library, Tremont Library, Wakefield Library, West New Brighton Library or Woodstock Library.
Head to a museum
Museums can also be great places for fun and educational outings. There are so many to visit beyond the big names like the Met and the MoMA, so spruce up your summer with a few trips to smaller museums in every borough.
Head to Queens for a lesson on the history of media at the Museum of the Moving Image, or learn about the role and history of man’s best friend at the Museum of the Dog in Manhattan.
There are plenty of low-key historical sites worth visiting, too. Take a trip to Staten Island and revisit some of New York City’s early history at the Historic Richmond Town, where you can learn about how the city’s early settlers lived.
Choi recommends considering a membership to a children’s museum so you and your kid have a place to keep coming back to all summer long, which makes planning a fun day a lot easier. Her top picks are the New York Hall of Science in Queens and the Brooklyn Children’s Museum. Kids get to play with all kinds of cool toys and contraptions there’s no space for at home, and parents can sit back and watch their kids without having to constantly monitor or engage them.
“You get to see how your kids grow and play with the same toys over time,” she said, talking about the benefits of regularly visiting a children’s museum.Tip: Use your library card to get free tickets to museums across the city with Culture Pass, whether you’re interested in checking out new places or scoping out a children’s museum before committing to a membership.
