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:
August Programming
August: Glow Where You Go!
New York is sizzling and sparkling this summer! Take the sunshine wherever you go with a month of fun and art inspired by the sun. Make art that glitters, explore the sunny side of science, and light up your creativity.
Fun in the Sun Science
Monday – Sunday, August 3 – 9
Explore sunlight like real scientists and dive into the science of light and sky through playful, hands-on artmaking.
Nordic Summer Singalongs with Ida’s Tunes
Tuesday, August 4 | 10:30 am – 11:00 am | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Get into the midnight sun spirit with singer Ida Metsberg! She’ll present interactive musical sessions of familiar and new songs for children performed in English, Finnish, and Swedish that will leave you feeling energized like the sun never sets!
Water Wednesdays: Simple Machines Exploration with Inspiring Machines *
Wednesday, August 5 | 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm | *Weather dependent | All ages | 1st Floor | Dynamic H2O
Join us in H20 where we will have a collection of small-hand friendly machines and tools to explore — to touch, poke, twist, prod, spin, push, squeeze, and pull — in the water! Children will have fun figuring out for themselves what these machines can do. Machines and tools provided by Inspiring Machines
Performance: Flor Bromley’s Pachamama’s Water Symphony
Thursday, August 6 | 11:00 am – 11:30 am & 12:00 pm – 12:30 pm | All ages | 1st Floor | Inside Art
Water gives life to everything on Earth, and in this immersive musical experience, Latin Grammy nominee Flor Bromley honors its power through music. Inspired by her Pachamama album, which means “Mother Earth”, this show invites families to explore the deep connection between water, nature, and our responsibility to protect them. From the tiniest raindrop to the vast ocean, this family concert celebrates the importance of water in our world through rhythm and movement. This performance also features songs from her Grammy-nominated album Herstory, celebrating women who have positively impacted the world. A joyful and educational performance that inspires young minds to care for the world around them!
Blueprints of the Sun Cyanotype Prints*
Saturday & Sunday, August 8 – 9 | 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | *Sign-up | Ages 5 & up | 3rd Floor | Discovery Classroom
A cyanotype is a special photograph that produces distinctive blue images using salts and light! Play with shadows and shapes to create an original cyanotype print.
Miniature Lighthouse Scenes
Monday & Tuesday, August 3 – 4; Friday, August 7 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Wednesday, August 5 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Thursday, August 6 | 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
August 7 is National Lighthouse Day! Learn about the lighthouses in the five boroughs, maritime history, and create your own miniature lighthouse scene to help guide ships to shore.
Kites Taking Flight!
Saturday & Sunday, August 8 – 9 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Design a mini paper kite and watch it soar in the air with a straw launcher! Which angle makes it fly highest towards the sun?
Catching Light Sensory Bin
Monday – Friday, August 3 – 7 | 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Saturday & Sunday, August 8 – 9 | 11:15 am – 12:15 pm & 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Put your theories to the test in this science sensory bin! Experiment how different textures and tools react to light.
Ready, Set, Glow!
Monday – Sunday, August 10 – 16
Discover how light sparkles and bounces through art that captures your dazzle.
Nordic Summer Singalongs with Ida’s Tunes
Tuesday, August 11 | 10:30 am – 11:00 am | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Get into the midnight sun spirit with singer Ida Metsberg! She’ll present interactive musical sessions of familiar and new songs for children performed in English, Finnish, and Swedish that will leave you feeling energized like the sun never sets!
Water Wednesdays: A DIVE IN! Adventure Activation with Artist Mélissa Smith*
Wednesday, August 12 | 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm | *Weather dependent | All ages | 1st Floor | Dynamic H2O
STEMmersive presents a DIVE IN! Adventure Activation with Artist Mélissa Smith. Join us for water-focused puppets, stories, songs, and interactive activities.
Performance: Miss Tutti And The Fruity Band City of Fruits Album Release Party!
Thursday, August 13 | 11:00 am – 11:30 am & 12:00 pm – 12:30 pm | All ages | 1st Floor | Inside Art
Miss Tutti And The Fruity Band is a musical children’s project, and they are celebrating their brand-new album! City of Fruits is a collection of retro-pop songs celebrating empathy, curiosity, emotional resilience, inclusivity, and the communities we build when everyone belongs. They create a musical safe space for all kids and families.
Workshop: Paper Beach Mosaics with artist Marco DaSilva*
Sunday, August 16 | 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | *Sign-up | Ages 5 & up | 3rd Floor | Discovery Classroom
Come to CMOM to explore the iconography of Coney Island, and with multidisciplinary artist Marco DaSilva. Create a collaborative artwork with recycled materials inspired by your own beach memories and make your own paper collage to display at home!
Reflection Rainbow Remix Collage
Monday & Tuesday, August 10 – 11; Friday & Saturday, August 14 – 15 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Thursday, August 13 | 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Sunday, August 16 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Use foil paper, cellophane and shiny materials to patch and layer a sun collage that bounces light in fun ways!
Threading Rays of Sunshine
Monday & Tuesday, August 10 – 11; Thursday & Friday, August 13 – 14 | 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Saturday & Sunday, August 15 – 16 | 11:15 am – 12:15 pm & 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Thread warm colored pipe cleaners through a paper plate to create rays of sunshine around the sun. Use drawing tools to add colorful details!
From Sunbeams to Daydreams
Monday – Sunday, August 17 – 23
Make art all week inspired by quiet summer days, soft light and imagination!
Sleepy Window Clings
Monday – Sunday, August 17 – 23 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Design a colorful window piece to hang by a window and catch rainbow colors when the light shines through.
Sunset Watercolor Painting
Monday – Friday, August 17 – 21 | 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Saturday & Sunday, August 22 – 23 | 11:15 am – 12:15 pm & 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
What colors do you see at sunset? Use watercolor paint and paper to create a beautiful sunset.
Sun Chasers and Shade Seekers
Monday – Sunday, August 24 – 30
The sun is powerful! How are you staying cool, safe, and stylish this summer? Design and play your way through sun protection creations.
Visors & Shades, All Day!
Monday – Sunday, August 24 – 30 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Design fun foam visors or decorate funky paper sunglasses, then test them out to see how they help block the sun.
Tape and Take Suncatchers
Monday – Friday, August 24 – 28 | 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Saturday & Sunday, August 29 – 30 | 11:15 am – 12:15 pm & 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Explore different colors of cellophane. Tape the colors together and see how the light changes as it shines through your suncatcher! What colors do you see?
September Programming
September 2026: Backpack & Beyond!
September 1 – 30
This month, we’re packing our backpacks with creativity and celebrating culture, connection, and new beginnings. From glowing parade creations to custom school supplies, as well as making beautiful family keepsakes, every program invites you to make, share, and shine.
Catching Rays: Soaking Up the Last of Summer Break at CMOM!
Monday – Friday, August 31 – September 4
Catch you at CMOM creating bright sky-focused artworks or outside having fun in H2O. Soak up the last days of summer break at CMOM!
Wearable Art: Rays of Sun
Monday – Friday, August 31 – September 4 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Use foil paper, cellophane, and shiny materials to create a wearable medallion inspired by the sun!
Tying Rays of Sunshine
Monday – Friday, August 31 – September 4 | 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Tie warm colored ribbon around a large paper ring to create rays of light around the sun. Take your ring with you and see how the different ribbons react as they dance in the sunlight.
Parade of Light: West Indian Day Celebration
Saturday – Monday, September 5 – 7
Celebrate sunshine, culture, and joy through parade-inspired creations!
Wearable Art: Glow Garlands
Saturday – Monday, September 5 – 7 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Create shareable wearable art inspired by Caribbean sunset colors with feathers and fun beads of all shapes and textures. Trade them with a friend at the Museum!
Tape and Take Drum Making
Saturday – Monday, September 5 – 7 | 11:15 am – 12:15 pm & 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Pull and tear vibrant colors of tape across a paper bowl to create an instrument inspired by the Caribbean hand drum. Use your drum to create tunes and play along to songs from around the islands!
Backpack-to-School Adventures: Pack, Play, Create!
Tuesday – Thursday, September 8 – 10
School is back—let’s make it magical! Turn everyday supplies into tools for invention and self-expression.
Portable Art Studio
Tuesday – Thursday, September 8 – 10 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Use duct tape to make your own portable art studio carrier for creativity anywhere, anytime!
School Supply Sensory Bin
Tuesday – Thursday, September 8 – 10 | 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Explore this sensory bin full of school supplies of many shapes and colors. Identify and experiment with its objects to help you navigate the classroom!
Sweet New Year: Rosh Hashanah Creations
Friday & Saturday, September 11 – 12
Celebrate the Jewish New Year with art inspired by sweetness, reflection, and new beginnings.
Painted Rosh Hashanah Cards
Friday & Saturday, September 11 – 12 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Create colorful and reflective art inspired by the warm hues and golden tones of honey as well as the many shades of apples to wish someone a sweet year ahead!
Growing New Beginnings: Flowerpot Decorating
Friday & Saturday, September 11 – 12 | 11:15 am – 12:15 pm & 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Use art materials to add special details to a small flowerpot. Take your pot home, fill it with soil, plant a seed, and watch new beginnings grow!
Grandparents and Gratitude Day
Sunday, September 13
Celebrate the love that grows across generations with heartfelt, handmade gifts for grandparents and loved ones. Join us for an intergenerational concert celebrating Rosh Hashanah and the special adults in our lives, to be announced!
Pressed Flower Bookmarks
Sunday, September 13 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Show a grandparent or someone who takes care of you how your love blooms by making them an arranged pressed flower bookmark!
Colorful Canvas Painting
Sunday, September 13 | 11:15 am – 12:15 pm & 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Unleash your inner artist by mixing colors together to make new ones! Paint your colors onto a mini canvas and give your painting to a special grown-up in your life.
International Dot Day: Celebrate Creativity, Courage & Collaboration!
Tuesday, September 15
Celebrate International Dot Day, inspired by Peter H. Reynold’s imaginative book The Dot which you can find in CMOM’s gift store.
Lots of Dots
Tuesday, September 15 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Experiment with all kinds of dots! Play with negative space while you stamp, sponge, roll, print, and splatter! Discover how one simple shape can create endless artistic fun!
Just Start: Make Art!
Tuesday, September 15 | 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
As said in Peter H. Reynold’s The Dot, “make a mark and see where it takes you.” Experiment with different drawing tools as you explore and see how far your creativity can take you.
Alphie’s Storytime: The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds
Tuesday, September 15 | 4:00 pm | All ages | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Join us for a special Alphie’s Storytime as we celebrate National Dot Day! Explore themes of authenticity and self-expression in this creative Storytime that focuses on a girl named Vashti who discovers her artistic talent. Hang out after the story to create a personal work of art that is authentically you!
Backpack-to-School Adventures: The Curious Cubby
Wednesday – Saturday, September 16 – 19
School is full of characters and creativity! Create imaginative school tools inspired by the magic of everyday school life.
Line Leader Lab
Wednesday – Saturday, September 16 – 19 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Create badges and pins with your name and decorate them with stickers, stencils, and fun doodles!
My Cubby Nameplate
Wednesday – Friday, September 16 – 18 | 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Saturday, September 19 | 11:15 am – 12:15 pm & 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
What is your name? Arrange letter stickers to build your name or practice writing it using special writing utensils. Don’t forget to add decorations for a personal touch!
Pause & Reflect: The Essence of Yom Kippur
Sunday & Monday, September 20 – 21
Learn about this special Jewish holiday and how it embodies the important values of reflection and forgiveness.
Blow Paint Shofars
Sunday & Monday, September 20 – 21 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Did you know that the Shofar is not just blown on Rosh Hashanah, but also at the end of Yom Kippur? The Shofar, made of a ram’s horn, makes a trumpet-like sound to end the holiday. Join us as we learn about the traditions of Yom Kippur and decorate a Shofar.
Peaceful Watercolor Painting
Sunday & Monday, September 20 – 21 | 11:15 am – 12:15 pm & 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Join us for reflective watercolor painting. As you experiment with color mixing, discover what colors you can make! How do these colors make you feel?
Wonder Week at CMOM
Tuesday – Saturday, September 22 – 26
Join us at CMOM for a joyous week celebrating the power of play and words! You will not want to miss our collaboration with our partners at Nickelodeon on Saturday, September 26 as we kick off special play-focused programs.
My NYC Playground
Tuesday – Friday, September 22 – 25 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Design and construct a pretend playground using mixed materials inspired by your favorite parks and outdoor play spaces! Make mini versions of you and your friends playing. What silly surprises will your playground include?
Recess Tote Bag Stamping
Tuesday – Friday, September 22 – 25 | 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Use ink pads and stamps to create your own patterns and discover new shapes on a tote bag.
2026 Our World: Worldwide Day of Play
Saturday, September 26
It’s a super day for play at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan when we celebrate Nickelodeon’s Worldwide Day of Play.
Neighbors at Play
Saturday, September 26 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Inside Art
Imagine, build, and play together by transforming cardboard structures into a bustling neighborhood! Decorate houses, shops, and community spaces before exploring the town through collaborative pretend play.
Little Movers, Big Movements
Saturday, September 26 | 11:15 am – 12:15 pm & 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | Discovery Classroom
Jump, balance and hop through play stations designed to support big body movement.
Celebrate Sukkot
Sunday, September 27
Join us at CMOM to celebrate Sukkot, a harvest festival that begins on the first full moon after Yom Kippur. Sukkot literally means tiny huts, and together we’ll build our own sukkah installation here at CMOM! More details to be announced.
My Sukkah Collage
Sunday, September 27 | 11:15 am – 12:15 pm & 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Use glue to attach collage materials to paper to create your own sukkah. Use drawing tools to draw people inside your special place. Who is in your sukkah?
Latinx Heritage Celebration: Bold Patterns & Big Imaginations
Tuesday – Sunday, September 29 – October 4
Celebrate Latinx and Hispanic Heritage Month through music, storytelling and hands-on creations inspired by the countrysides, neighborhoods, and traditions throughout Latin America.
Painted Casitas Design
Tuesday – Friday, September 29 – October 2 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Saturday & Sunday, October 3 – 4 | 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Casitas típicas (typical countryside houses) are a part of Caribbean folk art, reflecting the region’s vibrant architectural heritage and lively spirit. Artists in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Curaçao share a long tradition of crafting miniature casitas. Inspired by these collectable handmade creations, create your own casita scene to take home!
Peruvian Inspired Weaving
Tuesday – Friday, September 29 – October 2 | 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Saturday & Sunday, October 3 – 4 | 11:15 am – 12:15 pm & 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Use colorful foam paper strips to weave a Peruvian inspired textile! What pattern will you build while weaving?
October Programming
October: Latinx Heritage, Indigenous Peoples’ Day, & Halloween Excitement!
September 29 – October 31
Come and build, dance, weave, splatter, and create in this playful month full of giant imagination, cultural heritage celebrations, and not-too-spooky excitement leading up to Halloween!
Latinx Heritage Celebration: Bold Patterns & Big Imaginations
Tuesday – Sunday, September 29 – October 4
Celebrate Latinx and Hispanic Heritage Month through music, storytelling and hands-on creations inspired by the countrysides, neighborhoods, and traditions throughout Latin America.
Performance and Workshop: Ballet Hispánico
Saturday, October 3 | 11:00 am – 11:30 am & 12:00 pm – 12:30 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Inside Art
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month through an engaging and interactive dance experience that brings the vibrant cultures of the Latin Diaspora to life. Led by Ballet Hispánico Teaching Artists, participants explore social and traditional dance forms while discovering the music, history, and cultural traditions behind each style. Designed for all ages and abilities, this joyful workshop fosters creativity, cultural appreciation, and community through movement.
Performance and Workshop: Calpulli Mexican Dance Company
Sunday, October 4 | 11:00 am – 11:30 am & 12:00 pm – 12:30 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Inside Art
Join Calpulli Mexican Dance Company for this fully interactive program, audiences learn simplified movements and choreographies of several Mexican dances from a teaching artist. Audiences can wear hats from the little old men (a four-century old indigenous dance), move flowing skirts from Jalisco (set to Mariachi music), fan handkerchiefs from Guerrero (reminiscent of its South American influence), and dance around the sombrero in the world famous (El jarabe tapatio) Mexican hat dance. A caring teaching artist describes the history and background of all dances for audiences to have a deeper understanding of Mexican culture.
Painted Casitas Design
Tuesday – Friday, September 29 – October 2 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Saturday & Sunday, October 3 – 4 | 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Casitas típicas (typical countryside houses) are a part of Caribbean folk art, reflecting the region’s vibrant architectural heritage and lively spirit. Artists in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Curaçao share a long tradition of crafting miniature casitas. Inspired by these collectable handmade creations, create your own casita scene to take home!
Peruvian Inspired Weaving
Tuesday – Friday, September 29 – October 2 | 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Saturday & Sunday, October 3 – 4 | 11:15 am – 12:15 pm & 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Use colorful foam paper strips to weave a Peruvian inspired textile! What pattern will you build while weaving?
Latinx Heritage Celebration: Wonderful Streets!
Tuesday – Sunday, October 6 – 11
Explore bustling streets, bright patterns, playful architecture, and larger-than-life imagination through hands-on building and colorful design adventures.
Street Art on the Move: Truck Design
Tuesday – Friday, October 6 – 9 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Saturday & Sunday, October 10 – 11 | 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Inspired by colorful South American style painted trucks, create a mini vehicle inspired by the colorful variations of animal scenes, waterfalls, and mountainous green landscapes of the region.
Colombian Inspired Gold Foil Art
Tuesday – Friday, October 6 – 9 | 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Saturday & Sunday, October 10 – 11 | 11:15 am – 12:15 pm & 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Colombia has a long history of gold craftsmanship. Tear and mold gold foil into different shapes to craft a sculpture of gold.
Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Monday, October 12
Join us as we celebrate the diverse cultures and traditions of Indigenous Peoples. Explore storytelling through art, discover how observation of nature has helped communities for generations, and enjoy creative activities inspired by the beauty of the natural world.
Wearable Art: Story Wings
Monday, October 12 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Indigenous communities share history, knowledge, and values through storytelling, dance, music, and art. Wearable art help bring these stories to life and celebrate connections to people, animals, and the natural world. Design a pair of wings layered with mixed media and textures inspired by nature that tell a story about what matters most to you.
Trackers and Gatherers Sensory Bin
Monday, October 12 | 11:15 am – 12:15 pm & 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Search for tracks in the soil. What animal made those tracks? Explore the sensory bin as you gather natural elements. Use baskets to sort your findings.
Slime, Squish, and Silly Science!
Tuesday – Sunday, October 13 – 18
Things are getting gooey! Explore Halloween and the autumnal season through playful sensory art and wacky science creations.
Workshop: Dance with the Fauns and Fairies from The Dream with American Ballet Theatre (ABT)
Sunday, October 18 | 10:30 am – 11:10 am & 11:30 am – 12:10 pm | All ages | 1st Floor | Inside Art
Join CMOM partner American Ballet Theatre (ABT) for an exciting morning dancing in Shakespeare’s enchanted Arden Forest. Learn the fun ways fairies move, fauns jump and characters transform in Frederick Ashton’s ballet The Dream. Teaching Artists will lead an engaging warm-up exploring the seven movements of dancing and teaching movement phrases from The Dream. Stay after the workshop for a related art activity and learn about ABT’s one-hour family-friendly performance, ABTKids.
Children are encouraged to wear a fairy, faun, or favorite Halloween costume piece. Please be mindful that any costuming should be easy to move and dance in amongst our many friends on the first floor. To learn more about ABT’s Fall Season at Lincoln Center or classes and enrollment opportunities at the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School Children’s Division visit www.abt.org
Potion Commotion Design
Tuesday – Friday, October 13 – 16 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Saturday, October 17 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Sunday, October 18 | 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Design and decorate a funky potion bottle! Add shimmering gemstones, use wax sticks, tie velvet ribbon, and write an incantation or riddle! What are the secret words to unlock the magic inside?
Mini Pumpkin Patch Sensory Bin
Tuesday – Friday, October 13 – 16 | 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Saturday & Sunday, October 17 – 18 | 11:15 am – 12:15 pm & 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Get your hands messy as you arrange a mini pumpkin patch! What size pumpkin do you see in the soil? Use baskets to sort the pumpkins by size.
Creatures on the Loose!
Tuesday – Sunday, October 19 – 25
Create monster mashups and invent new creatures that come to life all around the museum through fun collaborative art projects and lots of imaginative play.
Boo! It’s Boba*
Saturday & Sunday, October 24 – 25 | 2:00 pm – 2:45 pm & 3:15 pm – 4:00 pm | *Sign-up | Ages 5 & up | 3rd Floor | Discovery Classroom
Create your own pumpkin boba tea, also known as bubble tea, with cooking instructor, Ye Ye! Learn about the origins of the drink, roll and create your own boba, or tapioca pearls, and add in edible Halloween designs to your yummy drink.
Cozy Strechy Web Installation
Tuesday – Friday, October 19 – 23 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Inside Art
Saturday & Sunday, October 24 – 25 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Inside Art
Learn weaving techniques through a collaborative, giant web installation using bright colored yarn, stretchy materials, and ribbon! Make a little critter to live in their new soft home!
Dress Up Drawings
Tuesday – Friday, October 20 – 23 | 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Saturday & Sunday, October 24 – 25 | 11:15 am – 12:15 pm & 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Experiment with different drawing tools to draw yourself in a special costume. Each tool shows a different texture on the paper. How do you want your costume to look?
Fashion Screams!
Tuesday – Saturday, October 27 – 31
Join us for a final week of October filled with dancing, wearable creations, playful surprises, and silly Halloween adventures!
Silly Hands & Fuzzy Fingers Dress Up
Tuesday – Saturday, October 27 – 31 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Ages 5 & up | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Get your hands styling and dressed up by crafting tiny costumes for finger puppets. Finish with googly eyes and fuzzy claws and paws that’ll give someone a good giggle!
Trick-or-Treat Tote Bags
Tuesday – Friday, October 27 – 30 | 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Saturday, October 31 | 11:15 am – 12:15 pm & 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Identify shapes and symbols as you use stamps and ink pads to decorate a tote bag. Tie sparkly ribbon in Halloween shades to add some flair to your design. This bag will come in handy as you collect candy on Halloween!
Monster Costume Quest
Saturday, October 31 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm | All ages | Museum-Wide
Friendly monsters have dressed up for Halloween and are hiding throughout the museum! Can you help find them? Follow the rhyming clues and explore every corner to earn a special Halloween prize!
LOL-o-Ween Dance Party!
Saturday, October 31 | 4:15 pm – 4:30 pm | All ages | 1st Floor | Inside Art
Shake your monster mitts, wiggle your silly tails, and LOL along to goofy Halloween tunes in a not-too-spooky costume celebration for the whole family!
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.
