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Best of December: 38 Awesome Things To Do in NYC with Kids

Celebrate Hanukkah at the newly opened, FREE Seaport Ice Skating Rink! Photo courtesy of The Seaport
Celebrate Hanukkah at the newly opened, FREE Seaport Ice Skating Rink! Photo courtesy of The Seaport
12/2/22 - By Drew Kristofik

Holiday lights, sights, and celebrations abound in NYC this December. Read on for our top things to do with kids to celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and New Year's Eve.

We're still plowing through the leftover turkey, and suddenly Santa is popping up all over town, trees are lighting up, carols are being sung, Nutcrackers are battling mouse kings, toy trains are dazzling young engineers, and Hanukkah gelt and doughnuts are being passed out in abundance. The year 2022 takes its final bow with a spectacular array of kid-friendly things to do.

Read on for our top picks for family fun in December 2022, and find more holiday happenings in our Guide to Holiday and Christmas Events in NYC for Families, including our top picks for holiday must-do's and 15 picture-perfect seasonal day trip destinations, too.

The Mommy Poppins Family Activity Calendar is the digital equivalent of cookies and hot cocoa. Check it daily for sustenance during this incredibly busy holiday season.

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OUR LATEST VIDEOS

Isaac Mizrahi narrates Peter and the Wolf at the Guggenheim Museum. Photo by Dan Holl
Isaac Mizrahi narrates Peter and the Wolf at the Guggenheim Museum. Photo by Dan Holl

Top Things To Do in New York City with Kids in December 2022

Parade on Rockaway

Jamaica, Queens–FREE
Friday, December 2-Sunday, December 4
Queens' annual Parade on Rockaway provides three days packed with holiday cheer, from the biggest tree lighting in Queens to a gift giveaway (featuring Santa) and a lovely parade of lights on Rockaway Boulevard. READ MORE

Seven in One Blow, or the Brave Little Kid

Greenwich Village
Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from Friday, December 2-Sunday, December 18
The Axis Theatre Company presents its 21st annual production of the beloved family holiday show, Seven in One Blow, or the Brave Little Kid. READ MORE

Mark Morris Dance Group: Holiday Party on the Plaza

Downtown Brooklyn
Saturday, December 3
Join the Mark Morris Dance Center for a little caroling and holiday cheer! Guests can learn some excerpts from the group's Hard Nut Snow number, while Colin Fowler, the MMDG musical director, leads the singing. The MMDG Student Company stages a brief performance, too. READ MORE

Holly Jolly Holiday Party

Upper East Side–FREE
Saturday, December 3
Mommy Poppins is partnering with The Hugh for a Holly Jolly Holiday Party! Visit with Santa, pose for a free family portrait with Big Apple Portraits, make seasonal crafts, and share some joy by bringing a toy for our toy drive! READ MORE

Sinterklass Day at the Wyckoff House Museum

East Flatbush, Brooklyn–FREE
Saturday, December 4
Wyckoff's holiday treat includes St. Nick arriving on a horse, hot cider, colonial games, holiday craft making, and communial tree decorating. The day ends with the lighting of the outdoor Christmas tree. READ MORE

Annual Santa Rescue

Soho
Sunday, December 4
Watch FDNY firefighters rescue Santa from the roof of the New York City Fire Museum at 12 noon, sharp! Once inside, Santa takes gift requests and poses for photos until 2pm. READ MORE

Fifth Avenue for All

Midtown East–FREE
Sundays from Sunday, December 4-Sunday, December 18
Fifth Avenue is closed to all vehicular traffic, and open to a variety of food vendors and musical performers including local choirs and instrumental ensembles. READ MORE

Hanukkah Fun House

Chelsea
Thursday, December 8
Lights! Menorahs! Action! It's a multi-sensory pre-Hanukkah celebration! Make stuff with the Giant Room. Savor donuts and latkes. And spin the dreidel like no one is watching! READ MORE

Circus Abyssinia: Tulu

Midtown West
Select dates from Friday, December 9-January 1, 2023
Juggling flags and flames to the sounds of '70s funk and modern-day Ethio-pop, this tribute to teamwork showcases the incredible athleticism and artistry of Ethiopian circus and the pride that Ethiopian runner Derartu Tulu’s Olympic triumph inspired. READ MORE

Electric Root presents An Afrofuturistic Winter Wonderland

Midtown West
Friday, December 9-Sunday, December 11
Electric Root hosts a celebration of community and love headlined by Michael Mwenso and his band the Shakes for a rocking, soul-satisfying selection of multi-denominational holiday classics. READ MORE

Children's Nutcracker Workshop

Lower East Side
Saturday, December 10
Little Nutcracker fans read the Nutcracker Ballet storybook, learn a dance inspired by the toy soldier dolls, and do a craft! The program is taught by a professional ballerina, Jennifer Buonamia. READ MORE

Santa’s New Ride! - SOLD OUT

Battery Park City–FREE
Saturday, December 10
Santa’s reindeers are tired and he needs to figure out a new way to get around the city before Christmas Eve! Kids compare and contrast different modes of transportation in New York – buses, subways, and electric cars– and learn about carbon footprint, environmental impact, and efficiency of each transportation method. READ MORE

BAMkids Film Festival 2023

Boerum Hill, Brooklyn
Saturday, December 10
Highlighting the best shorts and features from around the globe, the 25th annual BAMkids Film Festival returns with US and New York premieres available both in-person and video on demand. READ MORE

Steinway Street BID Kids Holiday Event

Astoria, Queens–FREE
Saturday, December 10
Stop by Steinway Street for holiday caroling, caricatures, balloon art, special performances, and more. Kids can also drop off letters for Santa and pose for pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus. READ MORE

Peter and The Wolf with Isaac Mizrahi

Upper East Side
Saturday, December 10-Sunday, December 11
Isaac Mizrahi narrates and directs Sergei Prokofiev's charming children's classic, Ensemble Connect performs the music, and the cast, wearing costumes by Mizrahi, performs choreography by John Heginbotham, bringing the 30-minute story to life. READ MORE

Dream of Kings | Sueno de Reyes

Lower East Side
Select dates from Saturday, December 10-January 7, 2023
The Three Wise Men, Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthazar, tell the story of when, by mistake, they did not arrive at Bethlehem of Judea, but at the home of Jesús Rodríguez, a kid in the Barrio Belén of Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico. READ MORE

Morgan Library Winter Family Fair

Midtown East
Sunday, December 11
Celebrate the holiday season with the Morgan’s annual display of the original manuscript of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, along with crafts and activities themed to the library's current exhibitions. READ MORE

Interactive Puppetsburg Show in LIC

Long Island City, Queens
Opens Monday, December 12
Puppetsburg rocks interactive, culturally relevant puppet shows for kids ages 5 and under. Shows are 45 minutes long and feature a different story each week that involves dancing, instruments, dress-up "photo-ops," one on one time with our handmade puppets, and bubble time. READ MORE

Mathemagics

Chelsea–FREE
Wednesday, December 14
America's "Best Math Whiz," Dr. Arthur Benjamin, hosts an entertaining, high-energy evening of mathematical magic! Dr. Benjamin performs computations in his head faster than a calculator, compute the day of the week of any date in history, and perform other amazing feats of mind. READ MORE

The Metropolitan Opera Presents: The Magic Flute

Midtown West
Opens Friday, December 16
The Met’s abridged, English-language version of Mozart’s magical fairy tale is a classic holiday treat for audiences of all ages. READ MORE

The String Queens: A Holiday Celebration

Midtown West–FREE
Saturday, December 17
Élise Sharp (cello), Kendall Isadore (violin), and Dawn Johnson (viola) perform an all-ages winter holiday concert, featuring music from their 2022 album, RISE, alongside festive family favorites from their EP, Our Favorite Things. READ MORE

Holiday Reading: The Gift of the Magi

Little Neck, Queens–FREE
Saturday December 17
Grab your fleece, hats, gloves, coats, and woolies, and throw on your winter boots! The Queens County Farm Museum hosts a special outdoor holiday reading of O. Henry’s The Gift of the Magi. READ MORE

WeBop Family Jazz Party - Holiday Jazz Jam

Midtown West
Saturday, December 17
The annual Holiday Jazz Jam is back! Join Ms. Goussy, Ms. Sofia, and the WeBop Family Jazz Band for a multicultural celebration to ring in the holidays. Sing and swing into the holiday season with this fun and interactive show. READ MORE

You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown

Upper East Side
Saturday, December 17-Sunday, December 18
Charlie Brown and the entire Peanuts gang explore life's great questions as they play baseball, struggle with homework, sing songs, swoon over their crushes, and celebrate the joy of friendship. READ MORE

Kids 'N Comedy: "Christmakwanzukah"

Chelsea
Sunday, December 18
The Gotham Comedy Club's "Kids 'N Comedy" showcase presents practiced, stand-up joke routines by 6-8 comedians aged 11-18. Young audience members can join in and tell one joke onstage at these monthly, family-friendly shows. READ MORE

SOLD OUT: Hanukkah Festival: Light Up Your Life!

Upper East Side–FREE
Sunday, December 18
Head to the 92nd St Y for dreidel spinning contests, Hebrew Letter Yoga, art projects, face-painting, dancing, Hanukkah treats, and more, led by ATiD Afterschool and Camp Yomi staffers! The program ends with lighting the menorah. READ MORE

Seaport District's Hanukkah Party

South Street Seaport–FREE
Sunday, December 18
Light the menorah and celebrate the first night of Hanukkah with crafts for kids and goodies for all. READ MORE

Unsilent Night 2022

Greenwich Village–FREE
Sunday, December 18
Each year, composer Phil Kline leads a massive chorus of boomboxes from the West Village to the East Village in the annual holiday presentation of Unsilent Night. READ MORE

Dick Rivington & the Cat

Lower East Side
Wednesdays-Sundays through Sunday, December 18
A holiday spectacular, Dick Rivington & the Cat! celebrates resilience and community with a New York City rags-to-riches story about a young immigrant and his feline friend who overcome enormous hardships to make their dreams come true. READ MORE

The Largest Menorah Lighting: Brooklyn

Prospect Heights, Brooklyn–FREE
Sunday, December 18-Sunday, December 25
Chabad of Park Slope hosts the 32-foot "Largest Menorah" in Brooklyn's Grand Army Plaza. There's a kick off concert on Sunday, December 18, and each subsequent night of Hanukkah is celebrated with music, latkes, and gifts.  READ MORE

Hanukkah on Ice

Central Park
Monday, December 19
Hit the ice at the Wollman Rink to skate to live Jewish music throughout the night, accompanied by a life-sized dreidel mascot. A giant ice menorah is lit with traditional songs and blessings. READ MORE

Atlantic Avenue "Walk the Windows"

Boerum Hill, Brooklyn–FREE
Monday, December 19
Take a festive stroll down Atlantic Avenue to view the beautifully decorated storefronts. Enjoy special deals, get some holiday shopping done, and dine locally at one of the many Atlantic Avenue restaurants. READ MORE

Holiday Songs from the Stoop of the Tilden Mansion

Gramercy–FREE
Monday, December 19
The National Arts Club's holiday concert features songs and carols performed by the Principal Quintet of the Gramercy Brass Orchestra, under the direction of trumpeter John Henry Lambert Jr. READ MORE

Make Music Winter Event: Bell by Bell

Astor Place–FREE
Wednesday, December 21
Continuing an 11-year Make Music Winter tradition that is perfect for kids and families, volunteers from Make Music New York and Elizabeth Street Garden hand out color-coded bells to revelers that play different notes and give a crash course in handbell basics. READ MORE

Christmas Mountain

Soho–FREE
Daily through Wednesday, December 21
Christmas Mountain is an interactive holiday story that rolls out daily in an “advent calendar” window display featuring animatronics, embedded videos, and original music in a handcrafted diorama. READ MORE

Santa Fun Cruise with Treats 2022

South Street Seaport
Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through Saturday, December 24
Treat the kids to an afternoon cruise that includes carol singing, decorating gingerbread houses, and live storytelling. Little seafarers get a cookie, brownie, hot chocolate with marshmallow, and other treats while adults sip on a sparkling wine. READ MORE

Holiday Caroling Under the Washington Square Arch

Greenwich Village–FREE
Saturday, December 24
Join The Rob Susman Brass Quartet for a holiday celebration under the Washington Square Arch. The annual Christmas carol event fills the city streets with the sweet sounds of holiday carols. READ MORE

Prospect Park's New Year's Eve Fireworks

Prospect Park, Brooklyn–FREE
Saturday, December 31
Brooklyn's most spectacular New Year’s Eve fireworks celebration returns to Prospect Park's iconic Grand Army Plaza after a three-year hiatus. Quintessential Playlist provides a live concert before the fireworks. READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

Sixth Street Community Center
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
National Museum of Mathematics (MoMath)
Prospect Park (at Grand Army Plaza)