Schools out! With kids off for the Lunar New Year and then Midwinter Recess starting Monday the 29th, the fun starts now. We’ve rounded up some suggestions of things to do, but you can always check our Event Calendar for more ideas. If you’re thinking about booking a last minute getaway, check out our travel section for some fun ideas there as well.
First, on Friday head over to the Year of the Dog craft at Allerton Library. Recommended for ages 5 and up, children will learn more about this exciting holiday celebrated across Asia and beyond, and create a fun craft.
Or visit the Wakefield Library to catch some of the Winter Olympics! At 3:30, watch the 2-Man Bobsled Teams competing for the gold.
If you’re looking for some Friday night fun, throw on your dancing shoes for the Bronx YMCA’s Beauty and the Beast Valentine’s dance. Members are $7 and non-members are $9- tickets can be purchased at the door.
On Saturday, get an early start and stop by Poe Park Visitor Center to see A Celebration of the Blues by New York-based illustrator Ron Bucalo. Enjoy a collection of 25 black line illustrated portraits depicting great legends of the American blues, from Muddy Waters and B. B. King to Bonny Raitt and Howlin’ Wolf.
Then head over to Wave Hill to enjoy a craft in celebration of Black History Month. Learn about the renowned entertainer Josephine Baker, famous for her activism and for refusing to perform for segregated audiences in the U.S. Make handmade musical instruments and join visiting storyteller Channie Waites , who reinterprets Jazz Age Josephine , by Jonah Winter, through interactive movement and sound. Interactive storytelling at noon. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.
Or, head to Orchard Beach and watch the Bronx Polar Bear Dip Against Homelessness. Be sure to bring new gloves, socks, hats or scarves to Orchard Beach to donate to BronxWorks homeless service program.
Sunday, take it easy- then make your way over to Pelham Bay Park for some astronomy fun later in the evening. The Urban Park Rangers will be your guides to the solar system, discussing the science, history, and folklore of the universe. Night Sky programs highlight the history and folklore of the solar system, using the naked eye to locate stars and planets.
On Monday the 19th, Diamond Cut Fitness Studio is hosting a kid’s cooking class for children ages 5 to 9 years old.
Tuesday, drop the kids off at Pink Princess’ Daily Workshop for Kids ages 3-10 years old. This children’s party boutique offers a fun drop off workshop from February 20-23rd for $25 a day or $69 for all three days.
Or head to Williamsbridge Oval for some Winter Olympics! Kids will compete in a variety of activities including hockey, mini bob sled, ice skating, and curling.
On Wednesday, learn all about Birds of Prey at Crotona Nature Center in Crotona Park. Binoculars will be distributed as the Urban Park Rangers discuss the life cycles and habits of red-tailed hawks.
Score cool parent points later that evening with family night at Mcdonalds on 149th and the Grand Concourse. Every Wednesday from 4-8 this location hosts family night.
Thursday- if you’re not pooped, join Confetti Paints to paint the Poop Emoji! $20 will get you the supplies to create and take home your very own painting.
If you’re feeling more adventurous, enjoy some urban forest exploration in Pelham Bay Park with the Urban Park Rangers.
On Friday, continue the outdoor fun with a winter scavenger hunt at Van Cortlandt Park.
Saturday, it’s back to Wave Hill for their Exotic Desert Dwellers Family Art Project. Spend some time sketching and painting exotic desert dwellers and tropical inhabitants, then, using sand and vibrant tempera paint, make a desert or tropical mirage.
By Sunday, you probably need a break. So leave the kids with grandma and stop at Metro Optics’ Brow Shaping & Eyewear Styling Event with Fetish Brow Bar. There will be complimentary refreshments and discounted brow shaping while you shop their stylish frames.
Or, stop in at the Black History Month Celebration at Bronx Community College. Join in on celebrating African American heritage with a special focus on those in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM). There will be workshops and hands-on activities for all ages.
Finally, end the fun week with a the New School Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra. This 23-piece New School Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra directed by Bobby Sanabria plays big band mambo, jazz and beyond and is a $10 entrance at the door.