10 Things To Do With The Kids In South Slope This Spring
It was a very long winter, and if the kids (and you!) are itching to get outside and enjoy the warm weather, we’ve got some ideas for places to visit and events to add to your calendar so the whole family can make the most of spring in the neighborhood!
1. Playground Playdate: Dust off the cobwebs and run out that energy at one of our sweet local playgrounds! Slope Park (6th Avenue between 18th and 19th Streets) has some fun, recently revamped equipment, and Ennis Playground (12th Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues), in addition to playground equipment, will be hosting its annual community celebration on June 14.
2. Volunteer During The Spring Civic Sweep: Inspire community engagement in your kids by volunteering to beautify the neighborhood! The Park Slope Civic Council’s event meets at JJ Byrne Park, but you can fan out to our end of the area to pick up litter, take care of street trees, paint over graffiti, and more. Grab a group of families and adopt a whole block!
3. Explore Prospect Park: They’ve added a wide range of free nature programming that kids will love, including bird watching tours, chances to explore, animal meet-and-greets, and more. And don’t forget that the carousel and the roller skating rink are up and running for the season!
4. Mister Softee: Is the weather really considered “warm” before you hear this quintessential ice cream man’s song? Give in to temptation and grab your kiddo a cone (and one for yourself, too) — and don’t forget the sprinkles!
5. Climb All Over Some Cool Trucks: Touch-a-Truck, the annual fundraiser for local school PS 295, is coming up on Saturday, May 2 on 18th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues. And it is super fun, allowing kids to get up close and personal with 25 big trucks — from a fire engine to a garbage truck to a cement mixer!
6. Shop, Watch & Play: The annual Greenwoodstock is just down the hill (or, a quick ride to the Fort Hamilton F/G stop) in Windsor Terrace, and is always a blast, with handmade and tag-sale stuff for sale, plus a schedule of family-friendly entertainment and activities for the kids. Plus, it’s at a playground, so there’s always swinging to be done!
7. Have A Storytime Day: First, head to the Park Slope Library’s spring book sale on Saturday, May 9 at the library at 6th Avenue and 9th Street. The fundraiser will have a bunch of children’s books, so let your little one pick out a couple of ones they find interesting, then find a sunny spot (may we suggest the parks in #1?) to read them.
8. Sheer Madness! Head to the Prospect Park Zoo and the Lefferts Historic House on the weekend of May 16-17 for the annual Fleece Festival, where sheep will be losing their winter coats in preparation for summer, and kids can enjoy crafts, music, woolworking demos, and more.
9. Stroll Through A Street Fair: The Fabulous Fifth Avenue Fair, coming up on Sunday, May 17, is the first of a few fun street festivals in our neighborhood, and it’s one of the biggest, with music, art, food, drinks, vintage cars, and more to explore between Sterling Place and 12th Street.
10. Commemorate Memorial Day With A Bit Of History: The annual event at Green-Wood Cemetery, taking place on Monday, May 25, is a must for little history buffs, who will see Civil War re-enactors, musicians, and an artillery salute. Then stick around for a free symphonic concert, too.