Hi loopers,
I hope you have all had a nice spring week — coming back from a work trip and hitting the ground running with our weekly newsletters! Wishing all the moms a happy Mother’s Day weekend and in case you missed it (or want to share with a special someone), re-sharing The Parent Loop’s first Mother’s Day Guide.
Whatever you decide to do to celebrate, I hope it’s what you want, and need, to give yourself a big kuddos for doing all that you do. My plans? I think a family day at the beach on Saturday and then, probably catching The Devil Wears Prada 2 on Sunday.
Sending this weekend’s plans, plus ways to turn your outgrown into someone else’s new favorite. As always, the events below are free unless noted, because ‘what should we do?’ should not turn into Saturday morning stress. Follow @theparentloopnyc on Instagram for more.
Around The Loop: Little shoutouts, local sightings, and meaningful connections from the week.
Getting our pictures developed from Let’s go, moms! and seeing how they really captured the energy of our first moms dance. So excited to share them on Instagram soon!
Seeing pictures and videos of our toddler enjoying the butterfly tattoo and petting the goats at Hippo Park Spring fair last week while I was traveling.
UWS and Morningside WhatsApp community
Reminder: If you want to join the UWS/Morningside parents’ WhatsApp, just hit reply or DM me with your neighborhood and I’ll send the link. One note: this is a peer community group. The Parent Loop is not responsible or liable for transactions, exchanges, or recommendations shared by members, so please use your own discretion.
Friday - May 8
Kids In Motion @ Gertrude Ederle Playground (60th/Amsterdam Av), 10-6pm, all ages.
Macy’s Flower Show @ Macy’s Herald Square, ends May 10, open during store hours, all ages.
Coloring for Babies and Toddlers @ Columbus Library (51st & 10th Av), 10:30-11:00am, ages 0-5.
Caregiver Conversations: Parent Support Circle @ Morningside Heights Library (113th/Broadway), 10:30-11:30am. Join an informal playgroup for caregivers and children, hosted by a local doula. Every Friday in May.
the Boy & the Ball @ Lincoln Center (Clark Studio Theater), 11am and 2pm, pay-what-you-wish, ages 3+.
Family Storytime @ Columbus Library (51st & 10th Av), 11-11:45am, ages 0-5.
Open Playtime @ Bloomingdale Library (100th & Amsterdam Av), 11am-12:00pm, ages 0 months-5 years.
Juggling class @ Bryant Park (Shuffleboard court or The Lawn), all skills welcome + equipment provided, 12-1pm, April-December.
Brennen Ernst @ Bryant Park (Upper Terrace at the base of the William Cullen Bryant Statue behind NY Public Library), 12:30-2:30pm, jazz, blues, country piano concert, all ages.
Children's Family Board Games Night @ Columbus Library (51st & 10th Av), 3-4pm, ages 3-12.
Little New-Yorkers: Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist @ NY Historical Society (Lower level, 77th & CPW), 3:30-4:30pm, ages 3-6. Inc. with museum ticket (adults $24, ages 5-13 $6, ages 0-4 free; family membership $160). Includes a special hello song, silly dances, games, book reading, and an animal kite craft. The Parent Loop pick!
College and Career Pathways: Virtual 1:1 Counseling Sessions @ online (Bloomingdale Library), 4-4:30pm and 4:30-5pm, register for 4 pm here and 4:40pm here, teens in grades 7-12.
Movies Under the Stars: Inside Out 2 @ Bloomingdale Playground (104th and Amsterdam), 8-9:30pm, PG, bring your blankets and enjoy.
Crafts and Classics Club @ NY Historical Society (Lower level, 77th & CPW), 5-6, free with pay-as-you-wish-admission, all ages. Create a quilt square and listen to a read aloud of Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt.
Saturday - May 9
Macy’s Flower Show @ Macy’s Herald Square, ends May 10, open during store hours, all ages.
Teen Advisory Group @ Bloomingdale Library (100th & Amsterdam Av), 10am-12:00pm, ages 13-18. Join a teen librarian and work on various creative projects. Teens ages 14-18 can volunteer/get service hours; email [email protected] for more info.
Puzzles & Play @ Bloomingdale Library (100th & Amsterdam Av), 10am-2:00pm, all ages.
Kids In Motion @ Gertrude Ederle Playground (60th/Amsterdam Av), 10-4pm, all ages.
Bilingual Mandarin Storytime with Urban Stages @ Riverside Library (65th/Amsterdam), 10:30-11am, all ages.
the Boy & the Ball @ Lincoln Center (Clark Studio Theater), 11am and 2pm (relaxed performance), pay-what-you-wish, ages 3+.
Summer on the Hudson: Nature Explorers! Learn about the life cycle and journey of a Hudson River eel @ 102nd street field house in Riverside park (bottom level), 11am-12:30pm, all ages. See note above. The Parent Loop pick!
Art Cart: Mother's Day Still-Life Cards @ Bryant Park, 11am-7pm, north side of the part on Upper Terrace behind the NY Public Library.
Hablemos: House Made of Dawn: Art by Native Americans 1880 to Now @ NY Historical Society (Lower level, 77th & CPW), 11:30am-1pm, ages 5 and up, free with registration.
Juggling class @ Bryant Park (Upper Terrace or The Lawn), 12-1pm, April-December, all skills welcome + equipment provided, all ages.
Open Process Art Afternoon @ Columbus Library (51st & 10th Av), 12-3pm, ages 18 months-12 yrs.
Charlotte Mayerson’s overlook concerts @ 116th overlook, 2-3:30pm, all ages.
Summer on the Hudson: Story Hour! @ 102nd street field house in Riverside park (bottom level), 3-4pm, all ages. Note: I love this spot but note there are stairs to get down there. Every Saturday (May, June, August, and September).
Sunday - May 10 - Happy Mother’s Day!
Macy’s Flower Show @ Macy’s Herald Square, ends May 10, open during store hours, all ages.
the Boy & the Ball @ Lincoln Center (Clark Studio Theater), 11am and 2pm (relaxed performance), pay-what-you-wish, ages 3+.
Summer on the Hudson: Over, Under, Through @ Parkour Park (Riverside Park South; near 70th), 11am-12pm, parkour with fun drills, partner exercises, and games, all ages, every Saturday (April 12-May 17).
Sunday Story Time: The Three Year Tumble: Based on a Korean Folktale @ NY Historical Society (Lower level, 77th & CPW), 11:30am-12:30pm, ages 3-6. Inc. with museum ticket (see prices above). Hello song, silly dance/game, story time, and a craft.
Crafting with Mom in the Garden @ Maggie’s Magic Garden (1574 Lexington Av). 12-4pm, all ages. Create recycled flowers and shop for baked goods.
Storytime @ The Strand (81st & 82nd), Sundays, 12pm & 3pm, ages 0–7.
Storytime @ Book Culture (2915 Broadway & 114th St), Sundays, 1pm, ages 0–7.
Central Park Benches Hike @ 72nd and CPW, 1-2:30pm, all ages, come learn about 4 different types of benches. The Parent Loop pick!
Ongoing events
Blooming Wonders @ Artechouse NYC (Chelsea Market), times vary, approx. 40 min, prices and times vary, +$20, ages +4, goes until May 31.Brooklyn Cyclones game @ Maimonides Park (Brooklyn), $16-61, times/dates vary, all ages. Don’t forget to hit up the Original Nathan’s Famous nearby. Check out the know before you go here for more info.
Cooney Island @ Brooklyn (1208 Surf Av); Check out the museum, the shows, and Luna Park (exact times/dates vary; no fee to access the amusement park but rides/attractions prices vary $49-$90).
Fishing @ the Harlem Meer (Charles Dana Discovery Center), 10am-5pm, borrow fishing poles (ID required) and bait from the Dana Center, check the alerts page before going.
Take one of the ferries and explore Governor’s Island or the Statue of Liberty.
Conservatory Garden @ 104th/106th East Side of Central Park, 8am-dusk.
Dance Party with @taliacp @ Bryant Park, 6-8pm, until May 14; 5/7 swing dance and rock n roll, 5/13 bachata tradicional/contemporánea, and 5/14 cuban salsa festival.
Upcoming events
Charlotte Mayerson’s overlook concerts @ 116th overlook, 2-3:30pm, all ages, May 17, and October 4, 11, 18, 2pm.
Baby & Kids Clothing Swap @ Vivvi UWS, come swap and take all the clothes (we want them gone and in great home!), May 16, all ages, The Parent Loop pick - but also biased because I’m cohosting!
Ballet Essentials with the NYC Ballet @ Lincoln Center (Rose Building, 7th floor), May 16, $30 per ticket, teens and adults, little or no dance training required.
Family Saturdays @ New York City Ballet (David Koch Theater, Lincoln Center), The Comedy of Coppélia on May 30, price varies +$29, ages +5. Tickets are required for infants, children, and adults.
Uptown Kids – The Goonies @ AMC Lincoln Square, 11:00am, May 31, $5.
Uptown Kids: Little Kid Flicks @ AMC Lincoln Square, 11:00am, June 14, $5.
Indoor favorites for rainy days
Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre @ 81st and CPW, in Central Park, tickets +$12 for ages 2 and up, for ages 3-7, various times.
The Met’s 81st studio @ The Met (on the bottom floor; a state-of-the-art space), stroller parking, 10am-5pm, ages 3-11.
Hands-on-activities (Discovery Room ages 0-12, Climate Learning Lab ages 8+, Human Origins Learning Lab ages 8+) @ American Museum of Natural History, NYC residents pay-what-you-wish. Note: The Discovery is moving from a first-come, first-serve to a registration-based approach so make sure to sign up when you get to the museum.
Libraries are open Friday and Saturdays, closed Sundays: Bloomingdale Library (99th st), Riverside Library (66th st), St. Agnes Library (81st st), Columbus Library (51st st).
Bookstores, times vary: Book Culture (@112th, @114th), The Strand (81st & 82nd on Columbus), Barnes and Noble (@82nd st).
I’m always looking for great partners. If your business would like to sponsor the dance party, contribute to a swap, or be part of a future The Parent Loop event, just reply here and let’s grab coffee!
Because “What should we do?” doesn’t need to be stressful.
The Parent Loop
Disclaimer: Event details, dates, and links are subject to change — please check with venues before heading out. Some product links may earn me a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only share items we genuinely use and love. The Parent Loop and its admins are not responsible for member posts, recommendations, transactions, services or arrangements made through the Whatsapp groups. Participations is voluntary, and each member is responsible for their own decisions, screening, and interactions.