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Museo del Barrio's The Three Kings Day Parade takes over the streets of East Harlem Photo by Mommy Poppins
Museo del Barrio's The Three Kings Day Parade takes over the streets of East Harlem Photo by Mommy Poppins
12/27/24 - By Drew Kristofik

From New Year's Day to MLK weekend, January can be a great time for indoor and outdoor activities. Don't miss our favorite kid-friendly events and activities in New York City this month.

The new year gets off to a thrilling (and chilling) start when Coney Island Polar Bear Club members plunge into the freezing Atlantic on Wednesday, January 1, and families are welcome to join in (or just watch, which I recommend). Catch up with the Three Kings as they hand out gifts on the Lower East Side, and honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at BAM's always-moving tribute. Close down the first month of 2026 by helping Wollman Rink break a World Record!

Want even more fun things to do this January? Our New York City Events Calendar is packed with great family activities every day of the month—and you can filter by age, location, and even FREE events!

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Best Things To Do in NYC With Kids This January

123rd Annual Coney Island Polar Bear Club Plunge

Coney Island, Brooklyn – FREE
Thursday, January 1, 2026
The Coney Island Polar Bear Club hosts its annual New Year's Day swim in the frigid Atlantic. A $25 suggested donation benefits local Coney Island organizations, including the NY Aquarium and the Alliance for Coney Island. READ MORE

Three Kings Day at Teatro SEA

Lower East Side – FREE
Tuesday, January 6, 2026
New York’s only Latino children’s theater celebrates one of the most important Latin American holidays for children, El Día de los Tres Reyes Magos/Three Kings Day.  READ MORE

Three Kings Day Parade at Museo del Barrio

East Harlem – FREE
Tuesday, January 6, 2026
Line up with live camels, colorful puppets, parrandas, music, and dancing on this magical day. This time-honored annual parade begins at 106th Street and Park Avenue and ends at 115th Street and Park Avenue. Return to the museum to keep the party going following the parade. READ MORE

Bryant Park Bumper Cars on Ice Opening Weekend

Midtown West
Opens Friday, January 9, 2026
Bumper cars slide, spin, and bump...on the ice at Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park! Book a 10-minute whirl online in advance. A new batch of tickets is released daily for dates two weeks in advance. READ MORE

Family Music Showcase at Lincoln Center

Upper West Side
Saturday, January 10, 2026
Prepare to be dazzled by an award-winning, eclectic group of artists as they perform mini-concerts for audiences of all ages. The programming for this showcase is curated by Mayers Consulting. READ MORE

Wollman Rink a World Record Skating Lesson Attempt

Central Park – FREE
Saturday, January 10, 2026
Wollman Rink takes on a decade-old record for the world’s largest ice skating lesson, previously set at 523 skaters in 2014. To break it, Wollman Rink is inviting 600 skaters onto the ice for a 30-minute lesson led by the talented Wollman Rink Skate School instructors. READ MORE

La MaMa Kids: Don Quixote Takes New York

Lower East Side
Saturday, January 10-Sunday, January 11, 2026
Loco7 reimagines this classic text, with puppets, dance, and music to show the audience that no dream is too impossible to obtain, and that with hope and heart you can conquer fear. READ MORE

Jewish Children's Book Festival

Upper East Side – FREE
Sunday, January 11, 2026
Spend the day immersed in the magic of Jewish storytelling! Children of all ages are invited to pick up free PJ Library books, meet storybook authors, explore creative workshops, enjoy hands-on crafts, and dance along to live music.  READ MORE

Musical Explorers Family Concert at Carnegie Hall

Midtown West
Saturday, January 17, 2026
Discover music from around the world in this popular and highly interactive concert for children, featuring stirring American freedom songs with S T A R R busby, vibrant Puerto Rican bomba and plena with Juan Gutiérrez and Julia Gutiérrez-Rivera, and colorful Indian classical music with Grammy Award winner Falu Shah. READ MORE

MLK Day Celebration: Tyreek McDole at the Kupferberg Center

Flushing, Queens
Sunday, January 18, 2026
Join rising jazz vocalist Tyreek McDole for a performance inspired by his debut album Open Up Your Senses. This is more than a concert—it’s a journey through sound, rooted in the rich legacy of Black American music and the cornerstone of Queen's College's annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration. READ MORE

Annual Brooklyn Tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. at BAM

Boerum Hill, Brooklyn – FREE
Monday, January 19, 2026
BAM hosts its 40th annual free Brooklyn tribute to Martin Luther King Jr., and everyone is invited. The celebration brings together artists and civic leaders to commemorate the life and legacy of Dr. King.  READ MORE

2026 Discover Boating New York Boat Show at the Javitz Center

Midtown West
Wednesday, January 21-Sunday, January 25, 2026
Say “Ahoy!” to being captain for the day at the 2026 Discover Boating New York Boat Show and hop aboard hundreds of boats (luxury yachts included!) Kids can enjoy making their own toy boat and flex their fishing skills in a special ball-pit pond. READ MORE

Bounced at Lincoln Center's Clark Studio Theater

Upper West Side
Friday, January 23-Sunday, January 25, 2026
This high-energy, playful theatrical production delves into the dynamics between four friends experiencing deflated lows and the highest of highs. With physical play, singing, and bouncing balls galore, BOUNCED reveals the delicate balance of human interaction that can exist in groups of all sizes and kinds. READ MORE

Black Girl: Linguistic Play at the New Victory Theater

Midtown West
Opens Saturday, January 24, 2026
Celebrated choreographer Camille A. Brown shines a spotlight on sisterly love, unfurling the joys and complexities of Black girlhood. Across three dynamic duets, the rhythmic play of schoolyard games and adolescent feuds gives way to nurturing friendships forged in common struggle. READ MORE

Layer The Walls Part I at Brooklyn College

Flatbush, Brooklyn
Sunday, January 25, 2026
In one Lower East Side tenement, 40 layers of wallpaper were found clinging to the walls—each piece applied by a new immigrant family. Using puppetry, masks, and live action, Layer the Walls tells the incredible stories held within each layer.   READ MORE

Disney on Ice Presents Mickey's Search Party at the Barclays Center

Prospect Heights, Brooklyn
Thursday, January 29-Sunday, February 1, 2026
Embark on a quest with Mickey Mouse and pals as they follow Captain Hook’s treasure map for clues to find Tinker Bell after he attempts to capture her magic. READ MORE

Thunderbird American Indian Dance Concert at the Theater for the New City

Lower East Side
Friday, January 30-Sunday, February 8, 2026
The 2026 Thunderbird American Indian Dance Concert features dances, stories, and traditional music from native peoples of the Northeast, Southwest, and Great Plains regions. READ MORE

Philharmonic Families: Brass at Merkin Hall

Upper West Side
Saturday, January 31, 2026
Discover the bright, bold sound of the brass family: horn, trumpet, trombone, and tuba! Arrive early to try out orchestral instruments, meet musicians, and craft with teaching artists. READ MORE

Family Art Project: Digging into the Science of George Washington Carver at Wave Hill

Riverdale, the Bronx
Saturday, January 31-Sunday, February 1, 2026
Despite the challenges that black scientists faced over 100 years ago, George Washington Carver was successful in discovering how to improve soil quality. Find out how soil affects the food we eat by making colorful still-life creations, using dirt as paint, and then decorating them with dried beans. READ MORE
Bryant Park gets ready to welcome back its bumper cars this January. Photo by Janet Bloom
Bryant Park gets ready to welcome back its bumper cars this January. Photo by Janet Bloom

More Things to Do in New York City this Winter

Ultimate Winter Bucket List: 47 Best Things To Do with Kids in NYC

Don't let the cold stop you: NYC is a wonderland of winter fun. READ MORE

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Best Sledding Hills in NYC

Hit these neighborhood hills across the five boroughs when the snow falls. READ MORE

Unique Behind-the-Scenes Tours in NYC for Families

Pull back the curtain on all NYC offers with the special sneak peek tours. READ MORE
Don't let the cold or snow keep you inside this season! We've got plenty of fun ways to play outdoors.
Don't let the cold or snow keep you inside this season! We've got plenty of fun ways to play outdoors.

At-Home Winter Fun for Kids

75 Best Movies for Kids: Top Family Movie Night Ideas

These classic family movies include wild adventures, sci-fi, and coming-of-age tales. READ MORE

40 Outdoor Activities for Kids this Winter

These activities will have kids begging to play outside this winter! READ MORE

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Prevent those toddler tantrums with our list of favorite activities! READ MORE

Crafts for Kids: 100 Awesome Art Projects

Bookmark this blockbuster list of arts and crafts and never run out of ideas for creative play. READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park
Lincoln Center - Rubenstein Atrium
Kupferberg Center for the Arts, Goldstein Theatre
Brooklyn College: The Leonard & Claire Tow Center for the Performing Arts

About the Author

Drew Kristofik
Drew Kristofik’s career took a twist from editing teen magazines to a seven-year stint at MacNeil/Lehrer, followed by a long run at Nickelodeon/Viacom as Director of Content for Nick Online and Editor-in-Chief of ParentsConnect.com. A founding member of the Webby Award-winning GoCityKids, she’s written for Family Fun, Vanity Fair, and New York. Her middle school novel, The Time Boat, is available on Amazon Kindle. Drew keeps the MommyPoppins New York Events calendar spot-on and can be reached at events@mommypoppins.com.
Recent Articles By Drew Kristofik:
Read more articles by Drew Kristofik.