Celebrate summer reading Thursday, June 5 is the official kickoff of NYC's summer reading program. Kids can sign up for library cards and summer reading challenges at every NYC public library in all five boroughs. In addition, select branches are hosting special events. The biggest celebration takes place at the central branch of the Brooklyn Public Library in Prospect Heights, where you can groove to R&B tunes by Shine & the Moonbeams, go on an interactive Dinosaur Adventure courtesy of Wildlife Theater and make music with the Hip Pickles Drum Band from 10:30am to 3:30pm. There are also summer reading kickoff events at libraries in Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island and the Bronx. All summer reading events are FREE.

Check out a cool museum Museum should be less crowded, too. All of our top spring exhibits for kids are still open, including the American Museum of Natural History's interactive Pterosaurs: Flight In the Age of Dinosaurs and The Power of Poison installations, and Discovery Times Square recently extended its hit The Art of the Brick exhibit again. Don't want to pay to see art? There are some cool outdoor public art installations around town.

Play miniature golf Most NYC mini-golf courses are open for the season (including an indoor course at the Jewish Children's Museum) save for Figment on Governors Island. Speaking of...

Hit the beach Six of New York City's eight local shores are open (Staten Island's Wolfe's Pond Beach and Cedar Grove Beach are still closed). It's a great day to hit Coney Island for a day of sun, surf and rides while most grown-ups are at work!

Head to a Destination Playground You don't have to stay local, try exploring a new-to-you park or playground. And if it's warm enough for sprinklers to turn on, head to one of our favorite water playgrounds.

Go roller-skating It's the perfect day to try out the brand-new roller rink in Prospect Park without the usual crowds.

Explore a fun-filled island For the first time ever, Governors Island is open on weekdays and although the Interactive Sculpture Garden and mini-golf course won't be open yet, it's still a great place to get away for the day. Plus there are 30 newly opened acres of parkland to check out. Other NYC islands that make great day trip destinations: Randall's Island, Roosevelt Island and City Island.

Go to an NYC amusement park No need to rent a car. Coney Island's Luna Park and Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park, Central Park's Victorian Gardens, Fantasy Forest at the Flushing Meadows Carousel and Brooklyn's Adventurer’s Family Entertainment Center are all open and accessible via the MTA.

There are also a handful of one-off events on Thursday, June 5 so be sure to check our calendar..
 

Holiday Camps

For those of you who need to work, we sympathize. If you're in search of last-minute child care, there are a handful of Chancellor's Conference Day holiday camps that still have spots available as of this writing.

TADA! Musical Theater Camps – Chelsea
15 West 28th Street between Fifth Avenue and Broadway
$110
Broadway babies can explore acting, singing and dancing in TADA's one-day musical theater camps. Today's theme is "It's a Sunshine Day!" and families can come see what their little stars learned at a mini-performance at the end of the day.

RoboFun – Upper West Side
2672 Broadway near 102nd Street
$175
RoboFun is a favorite of Mommy Poppins. Students in first through sixth grades get to build working LEGO robots, which helps hone their math, science and engineering skills.

14th Street Y – East Village
344 East 14th Street between First and Second Avenues
$95
The Y's regular after-school program is holding a one-day holiday camp for both member and non-member children in kindergarten through fifth grades.

Find even more fun in our Summer Guide.