Free & Fun Things To Do With Your Kids During Mid-Winter Break

From hot chocolate and ice skating to traditional music from West Africa, there are a ton of free and fun events happening around our area to keep you and your kids entertained during this week’s mid-winter recess. Here are some of our favorite events that are happening, and let us know if you know of something that we’ve left off! Comment below or email us at editor@bensonhurstbean.com.

Stomp, clap and sing with West African musician Sekouba Dembele
When: Tuesday, February 17 from 11am-12pm
Where: The Dweck Center at the Central Brooklyn Public Library, 10 Grand Army Plaza
What: An energetic and interactive performance by Sekouba Dembele, a master drummer from the Ivory Coast, will introduce the audience to the traditional music of West Africa. You’ll be able to learn about the diverse drums — the doun doun, djembe, and krin — as well as melodic instruments, such as the balafon and banjo.
Cost: Free

Discovery Days at Brooklyn Botanic Garden
When: Tuesday, February 17 and Wednesday, February 18 from 11am-1pm
Where: Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 990 Washington Avenue
What: Kids of all ages are invited to explore exotic habitats from around the world and have some hands-on science fun at the Botanic Garden’s Steinhardt Conservatory. Activities, including scavenger hunts and story-telling, are the same each day, but you’re welcome to come for a repeat visit.
Cost: Free

Black History Month Scavenger Hunt At New Utrecht Library
When: Tuesday, February 17, 2pm-3pm
Where: New Utrecht Library, 1743 86th Street at Bay 17th Street
What:Celebrate the achievements and accomplishments of African Americans through this fun and interactive game.
Cost: Audubon Center events are free; $3 suggested donation at the Lefferts Historic House

Very Very Verrazano at the New York Transit Museum
Where: New York Transit Museum, located at the corner of Boerum Place and Schermerhorn Street
When: Tuesday, February 17 through Friday, February 20 at 1:30pm
What: Children ages 5 and up are invited to work together to build a giant-sized model of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge at the museum’s education center. While you build, you can learn about he towers, anchorages, cables and deck that makes this suspension bridge an engineering marvel.
Cost: Free with museum admission ($7 for adults and $5 for children ages 2-17)

Make winter bird feeders at Compost for Brooklyn
When: Thursday, February 19 from 2pm-4pm
Where: Compost for Brooklyn, E. 8th Street and Newkirk Avenue
What: Learn about local bird species and make suet bird feeders during this free event. Plus, visit the garden’s squirrel-proof feeder and help feed our avian friends.
Cost: Free

Make a Chinese Peddler Drum At New Utrecht Library
When: Thursday, February 19 from 2pm-3pm
Where: New Utrecht Library, 1743 86th Street at Bay 17th Street
What: Ring in the new year, by learning how to make a Chinese rattle drum, which can be used at the upcoming Lunar New Year parade in Sunset Park.
Cost: Free

Ice skating and hot chocolate in Coney Island
When: Friday, February 20 from 9am-11:30am
Where: Abe Stark Skating Rink, 1902 W. 19th Street
What: Councilman Mark Treyger is sponsoring a free family ice skating event, and you’ll also be able to sip on free hot chocolate, thanks to Peggy O’Neill’s.
Cost: Free

Learn how to play the guitar at the Park Slope Library
When: Saturday, February 21 from 11am-12pm
Where: Park Slope Library, 431 6th Avenue at 9th Street
What: Anyone over the age of 7 (adults included!) are welcome to learn the fundamentals of guitar playing, including proper fingering technique, chords, and blues scales. Please bring your own instrument – both electric and acoustic guitars can be used. If you are an intermediate player please feel free to join the class and we can work out a lesson for you as well.
Cost: Free

Watch the critically-acclaimed documentary ‘Brooklyn Boheme’
When: Sunday, February 22 at 2pm
Where: Brooklyn Historical Society, 128 Pierrepont Street
What: In honor of Black History Month, BHS is screening the documentary “Brooklyn Boheme” every Sunday in February.Narrated and written by Fort Greene resident Nelson George, this feature length film celebrates the vibrant African American artistic community that thrived in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill during the 1980s and 90s and includes interviews with some of the artists who called these neighborhoods home, including Spike Lee, Chris Rock, and more.
Cost: Free with museum admission (Museum admission is free for children under the age of 12 and for students over the age of 12 who have identification. Adults are $10 and teachers and seniors are $6.)

Finally, if you are looking for some full-time, yet affordable, childcare arrangements for the week off, try our friends at Green Apron Kitchen (a fabulous cooking camp which we’ve reviewed here) or the super-fun kids’ programs at Marks Jewish Community House.