Public Programs
At the Children’s Museum of Manhattan, there’s always something new to explore! Designed for children ages 0 – 6, our hands-on programs encourage creativity, learning, and play through art, music, science, and storytelling, all rooted in research-backed methods that support early brain development. From ever-changing themed activities to PlayWorks, our dedicated space for our youngest visitors, every experience is designed to engage children at the right developmental stage. With a rotating schedule of interactive programs, there’s always a reason to visit and discover something exciting!
PlayWorks Schedule:
Daily programs for our youngest learners 0 – 4, with activities changing regularly on weekdays and weekends.
- 10:30 am – 11:00 am: Circle Time
- 11:15 am – 12:15 pm: Mural Wall or Messy with Art
- 1:45 pm – 2:30 pm: Special Daily Program or Mural Wall
- 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm: Messy with Art
- 4:00 pm: Alphie’s Goodbye Storytime
Check out our latest schedule and book your tickets today. Be sure to sign-up for our newsletter and check back often—to stay up-to-date as new programs are added regularly! Each program is drop-in unless marked with an asterisk after.
New Experiences Every Month:
May Programming
Ink, Light, and Intention in East Asia
Tuesday – Friday, May 5 – 8
This week invites families to slow down and explore art as a moment-by-moment experience. Through water-based painting, experiment with how marks appear, change, and disappear.
Water & Stillness: Buddha Board Painting
Tuesday – Friday, May 5 – 8 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | All ages | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Create beautiful but temporary art using a brush to form strokes of water that disappear on Buddha Boards. Watch as the water fades into the board and make a new piece in its place!
Japanese Inspired Still Life Flower Painting
Tuesday – Friday, May 5 – 8 | 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Flower arrangement is a celebrated art form in Japan. Look at the flower arrangement in the middle of the table and paint what you see!
Parents' Day
Saturday & Sunday, May 9 – 10
Celebrate Parents’ Day at CMOM all weekend long. Join us as we rejoice the grown-ups who nurture, guide, and love us!
Hearts in Bloom Bouquets
Saturday & Sunday, May 9 – 10 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Inside Art
Make blooming 3D heart bouquets to share love and joy. Write a kind message to a grown-up you love!
Parents’ Day Card Making
Saturday & Sunday, May 9 – 10 | 11:15 am – 12:15 pm & 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Test out the textures of different drawing tools as you draw a loving picture for a special grown-up in your life!
Land, Ocean, and Design in the Pacific Islands and Central Asia
Tuesday – Friday, May 12 – 15
Draw inspiration from movement across land and sea! Explore repeated shapes, natural tones, and designs that reflect homes, journeys, and shared spaces.
Tapa Cloth Totes
Tuesday – Friday, May 12 – 15 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | All ages | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Tapa cloth is a versatile fabric frequently used for everyday needs, special occasions and gift-giving on the islands of Samoa, Tonga, Hawaii, and Tahiti. Design a functional tote bag featuring traditional, intricate patterns inspired by this cultural staple and a color palette reflecting the deep blues and greens of the ocean.
Masi Art Stamping
Tuesday – Friday, May 12 – 15 | 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Masi is a pattern style used on textiles in Fiji. Press stamps into ink pads then apply the designs to a piece of fabric to create a Fijian inspired textile!
Getting ready for the World Cup
Saturday & Sunday, May 16 – 17*
Which team will you be rooting for in the World Cup? Show your team spirit by creating merchandise for your favorite team! Build athletic skills and focus with yoga sessions with The Culture Tree x Baby Prana. Our World Cup Programs continue in the first week of June.
On Sunday, May 17, the 3rd floor and bathrooms will open by 12 pm.
Pattern, Power, and Story in South Asia
Tuesday – Sunday, May 19 – 24
Explore art forms that you can catch on the Bollywood screen or on your travels across South Asia using vibrant repetition, lively colors, and meaningful symbols.
Rolling Art: Truck Design
Tuesday – Friday, May 19 – 22; Sunday, May 24 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | All ages | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Saturday, May 23 | 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | All ages | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Explore bright colors, floral patterns, mirrors, and decorative lettering inspired by South Asian truck art found throughout parts of Pakistan and India. Create a bold 3D truck model filled with joyful detail!
Lights, Camera, Action! Bollywood Dress-up
Tuesday – Friday, May 19 – 22 | 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Saturday & Sunday, May 23 – 24 | 11:15 am – 12:15 pm & 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Film is an important industry in India. Make your Bollywood debut by exploring and trying on costume materials inspired by the vibrant colors and textures found in Bollywood costumes.
South Asian Storytime with Anu Sehgal of The Culture Tree
Saturday, May 23 | 11:00 am – 11:35 am | Ages 3 – 6 | 1st Floor | Inside Art
Join us for an engaging and interactive read-aloud with the founder of The Culture Tree, Anu Sehgal! Anu will read some of her recent favorite children’s stories from South Asia: The Wheels on the Tuk Tuk and Bhangra Baby, both by Kabir Sehgal. Then, join us in an activity where you can create your own miniature truck, inspired by the colorful vehicles you can find throughout parts of India and Pakistan.
Memorial Day: Growing Wings of Peace
Monday, May 25
This Memorial Day, explore themes of remembrance, gratitude, and hope through the symbol of birds and wings with us. Together, we’ll reflect on how even small acts of kindness and big dreams for peace can lift a whole community.
Messages That Soar
Monday, May 25 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | All ages | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Write or draw hopes for peace on a paper feather and add it to our giant wing wall! Words become something that can “fly,” sharing messages of peace and community.
Paper Doves of Peace
Monday, May 25 | 11:15 am – 12:15 pm & 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Decorate a paper dove using tissue paper and drawing tools. Add your completed dove to our growing mural of peace or take it with you!
Eid al-Adha
Tuesday – Friday, May 26 – 29
During Eid al-Adha, Muslim communities around the world come together to gather, share food, and support those in need. Explore these themes this week by sculpting celebration meals and creating charity boxes to honor the spirit of giving.
Together at the Table Clay Sculptures
Tuesday – Friday, May 26 – 29 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | All ages | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Eid is a time when families gather and share special meals. Create pretend feast plates using collage materials and clay!
Eid Charity Boxes
Tuesday, May 26 | 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Wednesday, May 27 | 11:15 am – 12:15 pm & 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Thursday & Friday, May 28 – 29 | 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Eid al-Adha is celebrated with family, meals, and acts of kindness to remind us of sharing and caring for others. Decorate a charity box to collect items or messages for people in need.
Geometry, Silk Roads, and Design in West Asia
Saturday & Sunday, May 30 – 31
Explore how repeating shapes and careful construction can create striking visual rhythm as we look at design from West Asian countries. Our Eid al-Adha celebration continues with author M.O. Yuksel!
Read-Aloud and Artmaking with Author M.O. Yuksel: Sami’s Special Gift: An Eid al-Adha Story
Sunday, May 31 | 10:30 am & 11:30 am | Ages 3 & up | 1st Floor | Inside Art
Join Author M.O. Yuksel for a special Eid al-Adha read-aloud! In this story, protagonist Sami is getting ready to celebrate. But this year is different without his grandpa. A touching picture book about kindness towards others around this special holiday. After the read-aloud, stay for a special craft session with the author and CMOM educators.
Persian Pattern Design
Saturday, May 30 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | All ages | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Sunday, May 31 | 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | All ages | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Create colorful tiles using bold color combinations influenced by traditional motifs and historic Persian architecture.
Turkish Tile Paper Mosaics
Saturday & Sunday, May 30 – 31 | 11:15 am – 12:15 pm & 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Use different drawing tools to decorate paper squares. Attach the squares to a large piece of paper to create a beautiful Turkish inspired mosaic!
June Programming
World Cup Wonder
Tuesday – Sunday, June 2 – 14
Celebrate collaboration, favorite teams, and work together as we make art that celebrates the start of the World Cup! Enjoy a performance from our partners at Capulli Mexican Dance Company and create your own World Cup Superhero with renowned Comic Book Artist and CMOM Exhibition Artist, Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez, and join us for movement activities that center your athleticism!
Colors of Pride
Tuesday – Thursday, June 16 – 18; Monday & Tuesday, June 29 – 30
Celebrate and uplift the voices of the LGBTQIA+ community through programs created to spark Pride, foster community, and self-worth!
Pop-Up Pride Flag
Tuesday – Thursday, June 16 – 18; Monday & Tuesday, June 29 – 30 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Get your painter’s cap on and engineer an upcycled giant Pride flag on a huge canvas! Stack and build a rainbow sculpture of found objects and recyclables in fun and imaginative ways.
Tying Colorful Hand Kites
Tuesday – Thursday, June 16 – 18; Monday & Tuesday, June 29 – 30 | 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Which colors represent you? Tie or tape different colors of ribbon to a ring. Watch the ribbons dance in the air as you hold your kite and strut with pride!
Juneteenth
Friday, June 19
Come celebrate Juneteenth with us by creating collaborative fun art projects that honor Black Joy!
Artist Workshop: Juneteenth Zines with Lillian Young*
Friday, June 19 | 10:30 am – 11:15 am; 11:30 am – 12:15 pm; 2:00 pm – 2:45 pm; 3:00 pm – 3:45 pm | *Sign-up | Ages 5 & up | 3rd Floor | Discovery Classroom
Join us for an exciting day exploring Juneteenth with artist Lillian Young! Her Black Elder Archive features a portrait of Opal Lee, the “grandmother of Juneteenth.” Learn more about Lee through art, readalouds, and video: then create your own zines with textured paper and markers.
Life in Harlem Community Mural
Friday, June 19 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Jacob Lawrence’s art tells stories of hardship, strength, and hope. Create and collaborate on a community mural inspired by his lively pictures of life in Harlem and the fight for civil rights as we celebrate the diversity of our community.
Drawing My Community Picnic
Friday, June 19 | 11:15 am – 12:15 pm & 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Who is in your community? Celebrate those you love by drawing details onto people-shaped cutouts and gluing them onto gingham patterned paper to have a celebratory picnic!
Parents' Day
Saturday & Sunday, June 20 – 21
Celebrate Parents’ Day at CMOM all weekend long! Join us as we create thoughtful gifts and think about the special grown-ups in our lives.
Faces I Love Clay Gallery
Saturday & Sunday, June 20 – 21 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Who makes you feel safe, happy, and loved? Sculpt a clay portrait inspired by that special grown-up and use a metallic frame to create our mini appreciation gallery.
Mini Canvas Painting
Saturday & Sunday, June 20 – 21 | 11:15 am – 12:15 pm & 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks Classroom
Unleash your inner artist by mixing colors together to make new ones! Paint your colors onto a mini canvas and gift your painting to a special grown-up in your life.
Proud to be Me!
Tuesday – Sunday, June 23 – 28
Tote-ally Proud of Myself
Tuesday – Friday, June 23 – 26 & Sunday, June 28 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Saturday, June 27 | 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Decorate a tote bag with patterns, textures, stencils, and colors of the rainbow that represent who you are and what you love inspired by LGBTQIA+ pioneers.
Rainbow Sorting Sensory Bin
Tuesday – Friday, June 23 – 26 | 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Saturday & Sunday, June 27 – 28 | 11:15 am – 12:15 pm & 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Sort, arrange, and play with different textured and colored objects. No matter how the objects are arranged, you are sure to create a rainbow of colors!
Pop-Up Pride Flag
Monday & Tuesday, June 29 – 30 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Get your painter’s cap on and engineer an upcycled giant Pride flag on a huge canvas! Stack and build a rainbow sculpture of found objects and recyclables in fun and imaginative ways.
Tying Colorful Hand Kites
Monday & Tuesday, June 29 – 30 | 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Which colors represent you? Tie or tape different colors of ribbon to a ring. Watch the ribbons dance in the air as you hold your kite and strut with pride!
July Programming
Harbor Hooray!
Wednesday – Sunday, July 1 – 5
Celebrate NYC’s waterfront with art projects inspired by ships, signals, and seaside adventure. Explore how boats move, communicate, and celebrate on the water as we gear up for a festive harbor holiday!
Sink or Swim: Will It Float? In Dynamic H2O! *
Wednesday – Sunday July 1 – 5 | 11:00 am – 12:15 pm | *Weather dependent | All ages | 1st Floor | Dynamic H2O
On your mark, get set, float! Have a splash playing with boats and test whether they sink or float. Don’t forget a smock!
Ready, Set, Sail! Ship Sculptures
Wednesday – Sunday, July 1 – 5 | 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Design and decorate a paper ship using recycled materials, paper sails, and colorful flags.
My Nautical Letter Flag
Wednesday & Thursday, July 1 – 2 | 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Friday – Sunday, July 3 – 5 | 11:15 am – 12:15 pm & 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Did you know that nautical flags can represent different letters in the alphabet? Each flag represents a letter. Put together shapes and colors to make a paper nautical flag that represents a letter of your choice!
Underground Adventures & City Seekers
Monday – Sunday, July 6 – 12
Dive into the busy world beneath the City! Inspired by subways, maps, and movement, explore how people travel, navigate, and discover NYC.
Soccer Stations with CMOM and West Side Soccer League
Sunday, July 12 | 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm | Select stations Sign-up* | All ages | 1st Floor | Inside Art
The World Cup Final is in one week! Join CMOM and West Side Soccer League for exciting movement activities and team games. Kick back at CMOM’s Huddle Hub, where you can read books about countries participating in the World Cup, make art, and learn about professional players and their amazing skills!
I-Spy Subway: Seek & Find Tubes
Monday – Friday, July 6 – 10; Sunday, July 12 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Saturday, July 11 | 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Inspired by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, use sand, hidden trains, letters, and tiny NYC icons to create a fun I-Spy bottle!
Tape & Take Subway Map
Monday – Friday, July 6 – 10 | 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Saturday & Sunday, July 11 – 12 | 11:15 am – 12:15 pm & 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Pull and tear long pieces of tape. Stick them to paper to create your subway map! Don’t get lost! Add numbers and letters to your map that represent the different subway lines.
Goal! Art in Motion
Monday – Sunday, July 13 – 19
It’s the finale of the World Cup! Celebrate teamwork, movement, and global connection with us through soccer-inspired artmaking.
Soaring Over NYC Skies
Monday – Sunday, July 20 – 26
From airplanes to floating forms, discover how art can capture the feeling of flying over the city.
Water Wednesdays: H2O Games and Guests! *
Wednesday, July 22 | 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm | *Weather dependent | All ages | 1st Floor | Dynamic H2O
Join CMOM Educators and special guests for fun water games and activities!
Music and Marks Performance: Mimi & Cesar
Thursday, July 23 | 11:00 am – 11:30 am & 12:00 pm – 12:30 pm | All ages | 1st Floor | Inside Art
Join powerhouse jazz singer Mimi Hilaire and master guitarist Cesar Garabini and listen
to soulful renditions of jazz classics, rhythmic bossa nova, and fun retro takes on more
contemporary songs while you create original art.
Sky Motion Mobiles
Monday & Tuesday, July 20 – 21; Friday – Sunday, July 24 – 26 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Wednesday, July 22 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Thursday – Sunday, July 23 – 26 | 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Create a hanging artwork that moves with the air! Using bold colors, design a mobile inspired by the feeling of looking out across a colorful NYC sky.
My Wooden Airplane
Monday – Friday, July 20 – 24 | 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Saturday & Sunday, July 25 – 26 | 11:15 am – 12:15 pm & 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Test your color theory skills as you paint a small wooden plane. Where will your plane take you?
From My Block to the Big City
Monday – Friday, July 27 – 31
What makes NYC special? YOU! Reflect on your favorite places, memories, and City pride all week long.
Water Wednesdays: H2O Games and Guests! *
Wednesday, July 29 | 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm | *Weather dependent | All ages | 1st Floor | Dynamic H2O
Join CMOM Educators and special guests for fun water games and activities!
Performance: Joanie Leeds
Thursday, July 30 | 11:00 am – 11:30 am & 12:00 pm – 12:30 pm | All ages | 1st Floor | Inside Art
Join GRAMMY® award-winning children’s musician Joanie Leeds for a vibrant, fun- filled performance at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan! With catchy, summery songs from her 12-album catalog, Joanie will take young hearts on an exciting journey through water, earth, and nature. Get ready to sing, dance, and celebrate the beauty of the world around us in this interactive, musical adventure!
My NYC Pouch
Monday — Tuesday, July 27– July 28; Friday, July 31 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Wednesday, July 29 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Thursday, July 30 | 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Inspired by the place we love and take care of, design and doodle a canvas pouch with patches and symbols inspired by your favorite NYC places, foods, and experiences.
Big City Telescopes
Monday – Friday, July 27 – 31 | 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Use art materials to draw and decorate a paper telescope. Use your telescope to find small details in the big city of New York!
Public Programs are supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City.
Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. Additional support is provided by The Nissan Foundation and the Milton and Sally Avery Arts Foundation.
