April is when NYC finally wakes up with kids — cherry blossoms, outdoor weekends, and museums rolling out their spring programming. Here's my curated list of the best family events this month on the Upper West Side and in Midtown. Free picks, splurges, and a few quiet gems.
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Week 1 & 2
Apr 7–10 — Family Art Making: Portraits of Identity — MoMA
Ages 5–12. FREE.
Apr 8 — WOW Party: Bubble Show — Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library
Ages 0–12. FREE.
Apr 12 — Family Studio: World-Building Dioramas — MAD Museum
Ages 5–12. $20.
Apr 15 — Kids' Author Talk: Kate & Jim McMullan — St. Agnes Library
Ages 3–6. FREE.
Week 3 & 4
Apr 18 — Family Day: Spring Fest — Carnegie Hall
Ages 3–10. FREE.
Apr 18 — EarthFest — American Museum of Natural History
All ages. Museum admission.
Apr 19 — CMS Kids: Tuneful Teamwork — Rose Studio, Lincoln Center
All ages. $5+.
Apr 19 — Junior Keepers: Aquatic Avengers — Central Park Zoo
Ages 5–8. $65.
Apr 23 — STEAM Time: Slime! — 53rd St Library
Ages 6–12. FREE.
Apr 24 — Astronomy Night — Intrepid Museum
Ages 5–12. FREE.
Apr 26 — The New York Sari Sunday Family Fun Day — NY Historical
All ages. Museum admission.
My Top 3 Picks
If you can only squeeze in a handful:
- Family Studio at MAD Museum (Apr 12) — a hands-on hour with your kid and a real working artist, learning a craft together.
- Carnegie Hall Family Day (Apr 18) — free, interactive music exploration for kids at one of the world's great concert halls.
- Astronomy Night at the Intrepid (Apr 24) — telescopes on the flight deck at sunset.
By Neighborhood
Plan the Rest of Your Month
Every event above is on the full April calendar — plus dozens more I couldn't fit in this roundup. I update it weekly with new pop-ups, story times, and free activities across the Upper West Side and Midtown so you always have something to do with the kids.
Know of an event I missed? Come share it in our WhatsApp group.