10 Events In NYC To Keep Kids Busy During School Break

NEW YORK CITY — With the kids home for holiday break, parents in New York City may find themselves looking for events to keep the kids busy during the days ahead to keep boredom at bay.

We’ve rounded up 10 events in the Big Apple that kids can enjoy on their own or with the entire family.

If you’re planning a holiday or winter event, feature it, so nearby readers see it all across Patch — including in roundups like this!

The Broadway Magic Hour

• What: The Broadway Magic Hour is a fast-paced family show starring New York magicians Jim Vines and Carl Mercurio, featuring jaw-dropping illusions, comedy, mind-reading, and plenty of audience participation.
• When: Dec. 27-30
• Where: 318 W 53rd St, New York, NY, 10019
• Price: $25

Celebrate The Season At The Children's Museum Of Manhattan

• What: Celebrate Kwanzaa, Christmas, and the New Year with a festive lineup of holiday programming, featuring hands-on art making, live music, puppetry, and joyful traditions for all ages. From Christmas crafts and carol performances to Kwanzaa celebrations and a kid-friendly New Year’s Eve ball drop and dance party, it’s a week packed with creativity, culture, and family fun.
• When: Dec. 23-31
• Where: The Tisch Building, 212 West 83rd Street, New York, NY 10024
• Price: $18

See The Nutcracker At Lincoln Center

• What: See dazzling dancers and a 40-foot-tall Christmas tree in New York City Ballet’s beloved annual production of The Nutcracker. The seasonal classic also offers a sensory-friendly performance on Jan. 4 designed for audiences with sensory-related challenges. The show is recommended for ages 5 and up.
• When: Dec. 23-Jan. 4
• Where: David H. Koch Theater, 20 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023
• Price: From $115

Radio City Christmas Spectacular: The Rockettes

• What: The Rockettes, Radio City's kickline of festive precision dancers, are a delightful, season-defining New York City tradition.
• When: Dec. 23-Jan. 5
• Where: 1260 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
• Price: Starting at $112

See All The Christmas Lights In Dyker Heights

• What: Brooklyn's Dyker Heights is known for getting extremely festive for the holidays, with all kinds of decorative lights, Christmas trees, snowmen, Santas, and sleighs on its houses. It's a perfect, low-cost way to get outside with the kids and take in some seasonal joy.
• When: Anytime until Dec. 31., between sundown and 9 p.m.
• Where: 11th to 13th Avenues from 83rd to 86th St in Brooklyn.
• Price: Free!

Celebrate Kwanzaa At Brooklyn Children's Museum

• What: NYC’s largest Kwanzaa festival returns for its 18th year with a week-long celebration of African heritage and culture, featuring daily candle lightings, youth performances, and hands-on dance, drumming, and art workshops rooted in Kwanzaa’s seven principles.
• When: Dec. 26-30, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Where: Brooklyn Children’s Museum, 145 Brooklyn Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11213
• Price: $15

Winter Break Camp At NORY

• What: Camps around the city host shorter, winter-break camps for students interested in science, sports, arts, and more. At Nory, students can participate in fun hands-on STEM activities on the Upper West Side, Upper East Side, and downtown. Sign up for the whole week, or just pick one day.
• When: Select dates between Dec. 22-Jan. 2
• Where: Various Locations
• Price: Starts at $128 per day

Winter Break Camp At The Art Farm

• What: This Winter Holiday Camp offers a fun-filled program for children ages 3–5, featuring music, art, science, games, cooking, and daily live animal encounters in a petting zoo.
• When: Select dates between Dec. 22-Jan. 2
• Where: 431 E. 91st Street. NY NY 10128
• Price: $215 per day

Play Days At Asphalt Green

• What: Play Days give kids a chance to stay active and connected through a wide range of recreational activities that support physical fitness and social development. Offerings include swimming, martial arts, soccer, basketball, yoga, art, music, and more, encouraging kids to move, create, and play with their peers.
• When: Select dates between Dec. 22-Jan. 2
• Where: 555 E 90th St., New York, NY 10128
• Price: $175 per day

Lightscape

• What: Lightscape — the otherworldly light-filled winter trail — is returning to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden from now until Jan. 4. Now in its fifth year, the immersive experience features a mile-long trail with evocative light shows and 16 different larger-than-life sculptures made out of more than one million LED lights.
• Where: Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn, NY 11238
• When: Now until Jan. 4

For questions and tips, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.