Free Things To Do with Your Kids
Children’s Harvest Festival – Upper East Side
Carl Schurz Park, East End Avenue at 88th Street
Saturday, October 19 11am-1pm
FREE
Head to this stunning Upper East Side park for hayrides, pumpkin decorating and a scarily good show by Mario the Magician.
Fall Kids’ Fest – Flatiron
Madison Square Park, 23rd Street at Madison Avenue
Saturday, October 19 11am-2pm
FREE
Children can don their Halloween costumes for a parade led by a Big Apple Circus clown, and then hit the pumpkin patch to pick and decorate a jack-o’-lantern. This popular fest also features live entertainment by the Little Rockers Band, magician the Amazing Max and Songs for Seeds, games, arts and crafts, face painting and snacks. Arrive early! It gets mobbed fast.
Jefferson Market Garden Children’s Harvest Festival – Greenwich Village
Greenwich Avenue between Sixth Avenue and 10th Street
Saturday, October 19 11am-2pm
FREE
Pick and decorate tiny pumpkins, make seasonal crafts and enjoy country fun like raking leaves and jumping in big bales of straw. The nearby Jefferson Market branch of the New York Public Library sponsors the live entertainment. Rain date is Sunday, October 20.
Meet R.L. Stine – Soho
557 Broadway between Prince and Spring Streets
Saturday, October 19 at 3pm
FREE
Come face to face with the maniacal man behind the Goosebumps series… if you dare! After hearing the author read from some of his spooky tales, kids can make their own vials of monster blood. Best for ages 6 and up.
Wonderween at Sony Wonder Technology Lab – Midtown East
550 Madison Avenue between 56th and 57th Streets
Saturday, October 26 10am-4pm
FREE
A day of spooky screenings for the preschool set at the activity-packed museum. Catch Elmo Says Boo, Halloween-themed Dora the Explorer and Go, Diego, Goepisodes, and other holiday screenings. Kids can also enjoy crafts and goodies. Note: Screenings require a separate ticket so be sure to call ahead to reserve your seats: 212-833-8100.
Harvest Festival – Meatpacking District
Saturday, October 26 10am-4pm
Gansevoort Plaza, Gansevoort Street and Ninth Avenue
FREE
Enjoy a day of seasonal fun courtesy of the Meatpacking District Improvement Association including face painting, crafts, storytelling, live music and tasty eats from local restaurants.
Central Park Pumpkin Fest – Upper East Side
Central Park Bandshell, enter at 72nd Street and Fifth Avenue
Saturday, October 26 11am-3pm
FREE
Head to the band shell for this massive (and always very crowded) fest. Hit the pumpkin patch, enjoy live entertainment by CityParks PuppetMobile, Kidrockers and performers from the Big Apple Circus, decorate pumpkins, make a creepy creature or get crafty with Scribble Town, play Quidditch and other games, wander through a zombie-themed haunted house and a whole lot more. Go early! The lines for everything get incredibly long.
Haunted High Line Halloween – Chelsea
High Line on Tenth Avenue between 14th to 17th Streets
Saturday, October 26 11am-3pm
FREE
At this fourth annual celebration, kids can trick-or-treat their way through the elevated park’s creepy past. Brave the haunted tunnel, pose for a pic with a giant ‘ghost train’ made by local students, craft train cars out of recycled materials and fill up on tasty treats.
Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade – East Village
Saturday, October 26 noon-3pm
Tompkins Square Park Dog Run, 9th Street between Avenues A and B
FREE
Halloween truly goes to the dogs at this annual procession of pimped out pooches. Bring your canine in costume and register at the door to compete for cool prizes, or just come and gawk at the adorable dogs. There will be free dog treats and dog adoptions, too. While admission is free, participants are encouraged to buy a $5 raffle ticket.
Halloween Costume Parade – Soho
Scholastic Store, 557 Broadway Between Prince and Spring Streets
Saturday, October 26 at 3pm
FREE
Put on your holiday best for this neighborhood parade, and then head back to one of our favorite children’s bookstores to hang out with Clifford the Big Red Dog, craft creepy treat bags and participate in a costume contest.
Screamin’ Green Halloween – Battery Park City
Winter Garden and Waterfront Plaza, 220 Vesey Street near West Street
Sunday, October 27 noon-3pm
FREE
Head downtown for this eco-friendly fete. Families can make masks and costumes out of recycled and repurposed household materials, bob for apples, pin the face on the pumpkin, compete in a gourd roll, hear spooky tales and follow wandering puppets and marching bands. There will also be green art projects, photo ops in front of a ghoulish green screen, organic and fair-trade sweets, and a massive costume swap. At 3pm, there will be a Ghosts & Goblins Parade around Battery Park City led by a marching band.
Halloween Parade and Party – Tribeca
Washington Market Park, Chambers and Greenwich Streets
Sunday, October 27 1-3pm
FREE
This popular annual Halloween party kicks off with a costume parade from CitiGroup Plaza to the park, where families can play games, do arts and crafts, and groove to a live concert by one of our favorite kindie bands, Princess Katie & Racer Steve.
Spooky Yoga Storytime – Chelsea
Karma Kids Yoga, 104 West 14th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues
Wednesday, October 30 at 11:30am
FREE
In honor of Halloween, the studio will lead children in creepy poses like the wolf, bat, spider, goblin, witch, wizard, ghost… you get the idea. Costumes are encouraged and there will be a glow-in-the-dark surprise! Children up to age 6.
Hometown Halloween – Financial District
Thursday, October 31 3-7:30pm
74 Trinity Place between Rector and Thames Streets
FREE
Kids of all ages can trick-or-treat in the historic church’s graveyard. At 6pm, families with older children can see a screening of the silent 1920 classic Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde inside the church accompanied by organ.
Asphalt Screams – Upper East Side & Battery Park City
Thursday, October 31 4-6pm
FREE but online RSVP required
555 East 90th Street between York and East End Avenues
212 North End Avenue between Warren and Murray Streets
Both Asphalt Green locations are throwing zombie-themed shindigs. Grab a few ghoulish goodies and enjoy games of Zombie Freeze Tag, a Spooktacular Soccer Shootout more. The first 300 children to arrive snag goody bags. Although free, a $20 per family donation is encouraged.
