Openings, moves and makeovers After a $1.65 million upgrade, the Highbridge Park Recreation Center in Washington Heights has reopened as a state-of-the-art, year-round facility. New features include a computer lab, a dance studio and a fitness center, all in air-conditioned splendor. The overhauled rec center is part of $98 million-worth of repairs to Highbridge Park, which is scheduled to get an outdoor ice-skating rink this winter.

Brooklyn's OddFellows Ice Cream just opened a storefront in the East Village on 4th Street. Although there are already plenty of high-end parlors in the nabe (Big Gay Ice Cream, Davey's Ice Cream, Lula’s Sweet Apothecary, Sundaes and Cones and Van Leeuwen, to name a few), OddFellows is the only one offering funky rotating flavors like burnt marshmallow, beet pistachio honey goat cheese, and PB&J with toast. No seating is available, just a bench outside.

The century-old Forest Park Carousel recently got a modern makeover with the addition of eco-friendly LED lights and new mirrors. Although the bulbs are slightly brighter, they reduce energy usage and look pretty nifty, too.

High-end Dumbo children's boutique, Egg by Susan Lazar, can now be found in Manhattan, too. The designer has opened a pop-up shop in West Village kids' hair salon Doodle Doo's on Christopher Street. Perhaps it's time for a cool kid makeover?

New York Theatre Ballet, which mounts family shows as part of its Once Upon A Ballet season, is dancing on over to a new home. Beginning this fall, the company will be headquartered at St. Mark's in-the-Bowery in the East Village, which is where all classes (for children and grown-ups) will take place. However, all kid-friendly performances will continue at Florence Gould Hall in Midtown East.

No, IKEA isn't taking over the Prospect Park Zoo. But the brand is overhauling the zoo's teen laboratory and classroom space as part of the 2014 IKEA Life Improvement Co-worker Challenge. The redesign will include iPads, laptops, microscopes, new stools and tables, a bathroom and plenty of shelving and storage space. Renovations should be finished by this summer.

Cool Queens culture just a bus ride away Always wanted to visit Socrates Sculpture Park and the Noguchi Museum but deterred by the long walk from the subway? Now you have no excuse. The brand-new LIC Art Bus offers FREE rides between the Court Square subway station and four Long Island City culture destinations (Socrates Sculpture Park, the Noguchi Museum, SculptureCenter and MoMA PS1) on weekend afternoons. The 25-seat shuttle is first-come, first-served.

More free kayaking in Manhattan For years, the folks at Downtown Boathouse were the only ones offering no-cost kayaking on the West Side of Manhattan. But now that the org is about to open a brand-new boathouse at Pier 26 in Tribeca, a new group is taking over two of its old locations. Beginning at the end of May, Manhattan Community Boathouse will run FREE walk-up kayaking at West 72nd in Riverside Park South and Pier 96 at West 55th Street. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. The schedule varies so check the website for hours.

What price art? We've been fans of Make Meaning's Manhattan drop-in crafts studios since they opened a few years back. The one thing we didn't love were the prices. So we were thrilled to hear that the chain is offering a new price guarantee. In addition to a new slate of crafts for under $20 (with some as low as $9.99), if you find an identical project being offered for less elsewhere, Make Meaning will refund the difference. Restrictions apply of course so read the fine print.

Fun new way to explore the Met with kids The Metropolitan Museum of Art already has lots of engaging programs for families. And now it's added a new one that should be particularly fun for younger kids: The Met Passport, a sort of art scavenger hunt. Pick up a passport from the info desk in the Great Hall (or download and print it out at home) and then go on your art adventure. At each stop, collect stamps and then return to the info desk for a small gift. Hey, anything to get the tots psyched for a visit to the museum!

Skip lunch to feed others Hunger is an issue close to our hearts, especially food-insecure children. From May 12 to 16, City Harvest is asking New Yorkers to Skip Lunch, Fight Hunger by donating the amount you'd normally spend on a midday meal to the charity, which will help feed hungry NYC children during the summer when they don't have as much access to school meals. You can donate online ($10 can feed up to 41 kids!) or keep an eye out for 10-foot-tall inflatable brown lunch bags, which will be popping up to draw attention to the campaign in various Manhattan neighborhoods.