The parents at our Park Slope orthodontic office have spoken and our first installment was such a hit, they want more ideas for free activities for kids in Brooklyn. Who are we to argue? One of the perks of living here is that there is always something going on and a lot of it’s family-friendly.
So without further ado, here is Fresh Orthodontics’ second round of free kids’ activities in Brooklyn:
1. Tour Brooklyn – Free Tours by Foot offers two-hour, guided walking tours of Brooklyn that cover different aspects of history and culture. Check out the schedule to find one that suits your tastes. You’ll get a little exercise while learning something new about the area. The tours cost nothing up front. You pay whatever you’d like at the end. They even offer self-guided tours you can print out or pull up on your phone and do on your own time.
2. Pier II Pop-Up Pool at Brooklyn Bridge Park – From June 29 through Labor Day, this small, 30-by-50-foot pop-up pool is open and free to the public daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for 45-minute sessions. It maxes out at 3.5 feet deep so it’s perfect for families with little ones. The pool only fits 60 people and wristbands are handed out on a first-come, first-served basis for each session. Not only can you splash around, it also offers a beach, showers, concessions and restrooms.
3. Free Swimming Lessons – Speaking of pools, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation offers free swimming lessons at various outdoor pools in Brooklyn and throughout the city all summer long for all ages. Take a look at the schedule.
4. Kid’s Corner at Habana Outpost – In our last compilation, we mentioned the Baby Breakfast gatherings at Habana Outpost. Well, the eco-friendly eatery is at it again with Kids Corner every Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at its 757 Fulton Street location. The drop-in arts and crafts event is free for families. Kids can have a blast engaging in green projects like making plastic bag kites and egg carton bugs while parents can chow down on delicious Cuban and Mexican food.
5. Play Date for Babies and Toddler at the Library – The McKinley Park branch (6802 Fort Hamilton Pkwy at 68th Street) of the Brooklyn Public Library hosts play dates for kids ages birth to five-years-old every Thursday at 10 a.m. It’s a great opportunity for caregivers to mingle and give the really little ones a chance to interact with other tiny tots.
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6. Fireworks at Coney Island Boardwalk – Fridays from June 17 through September 2, you can catch a free fireworks display on the Coney Island Boardwalk between West 10th and West 15th Streets. Sponsored by the Coney Island Boardwalk Alliance, the show starts at 9:30 p.m.
7. Kayaking in Brooklyn Bridge Park – The Brooklyn Bridge Park Boathouse offers free walk-up kayaking in Brooklyn Bridge Park between Piers 1 and 2 on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Thursdays from 5:30 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. through the end of August. It’s first-come, first-served so show up early. You’ll get a life vest and an explanation of kayaking basics and then you can paddle away for 20 minutes in a protected embayment on the East River.
8. Sign-up for Kids Bowl Free at Shell Lanes – Bowling centers across the country are participating in Kids Bowl Free, a program that lets kids ages 14 and under register for up to two free games a day at certain times all summer long. Shell Lanes (1 Bouck Ct) in Brooklyn happens to be a participating center and what better way to beat the heat than with free bowling?
9. Family Camping – Register and enter a lottery to score a spot in one of NYC Parks’ Family Camping adventures. Two camping trips will be held in August in Brooklyn parks. The Urban Park Rangers host these free overnight camping extravaganzas for the entire family. They’ll teach you how to set up a tent and start a fire prior to embarking on a night hike through the park.
10. Albee Square Brooklyn Kids Block Party Concerts – The Downtown Brooklyn Partnership has combined two family-friendly NYC activities into one: The BK Block Party and the Albee Square Farmers Market. Held on the first Saturday of each month through September (and one more time for good measure on October 29), families gather at Albee Square on the corner of Fulton and Bond Streets for a free concert and activities for kids from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. While the kids party it up, mom and dad can hit up the farmers market for fresh produce.
Check out some of our other free kids activities in Brooklyn guides:
