Go-to Brooklyn parent resources Macaroni KID Brooklyn NW and Brooklyn Bridge Parents have teamed up to bring you some of the best family events for Brooklyn families in January:
1. Coney Island Polar Bear Club New Year’s Day Plunge
Monday, January 1 | 11am-2pm | FREE, Suggested $25 donation to plunge
Celebrating their 121st year, the Coney Island Polar Bear Club New Year’s Day Plunge welcomes thousands of BRRave souls from NY to Paris and everywhere in between to check off one of the “coolest” events on their bucket list!
2. New Year’s Day Super Hike in Prospect Park
Monday, January 1 | 12-2pm | FREE
Join Urban Park Rangers for a lengthy winter Super Hike in Prospect Park! Dress warmly, put on your hiking shoes, and head to the park. Urban Park Ranger hiking guides will introduce you to the hidden gems of Prospect Park. Explore nature, discover our city’s urban forests, and unplug from the world to clear your head.
3. Dyker Heights Christmas Lights
First week of January | Starting around 5 pm | FREE
To see some of the most astounding Christmas light displays in New York City, visit the residential neighborhood of Dyker Heights in Brooklyn. Families may also opt to take a guided tour of the neighborhood’s lights—check out A Slice of Brooklyn and Dyker Heights Christmas Lights. Location: From 11th to 13th Avenues (also known as Dyker Heights Blvd) to 83rd to 86th St in Dyker Heights.
4. Winter Tea in Prospect Park
Saturday, January 6 | 2-4pm | FREE
Bundle up and gather with Tea Arts and Culture for Winter Tea in Prospect Park! They will meet at the Boathouse and start with a short nature walk through the park, followed by tea, music and a multilingual poetry performance.
5. Catch a Family Concert with the Kids
- Rolie Polie Guacamole at Jalopy Theatre in Red Hook
Saturday, January 6 | 11am-12pm | $10 adv/$12 doors - Wake Up & Dance with Suzi Shelton at Shape Shifter Lab in Park Slope
Saturday, January 6 | 11am-12pm | $15+ - The Rock and Roll Playhouse kids concerts at Brooklyn Bowl in Williamsburg
Sundays | 12-1pm | $16, free for kids under 1 - Little Miss Ann with Suzi Shelton at Jalopy Theatre in Red Hook
Saturday, January 14 | 11am-12pm | $10 adv/$5 kids - Stomp, Clap and Sing with Louie Miranda at Central Library
Monday, January 16 | 10:30-11:30am | FREE - Rolie Polie Guacamole Diggin’ in the Dirt Album Release at Shape Shifter Lab
Sunday, January 21 | 10:30am | $15+ - Mozart for Munchkins at The Old Stone House in Park Slope
Sunday, January 21 | 11am-11:45am | $37 for 1 kid+adult - The Good Ms. Padgett at Jalopy Theatre in Red Hook
Saturday, January 27 | 4-5:30pm | FREE - Events for Youth & Families: The Smack-Dab in the Middle of the Day Show at Central Library
Saturday, January 27 | 1-2pm | FREE | For ages 4-8 - Stomp, Clap & Sing with Jam-I-Am at Central Library
Tuesday, January 30 | 10:30-11:30am | FREE
6. Winter Hocus Pocus & Play at City Point
Saturday, January 13 | 11am-3pm (magic shows at 11:30am & 1:30pm) | FREE for play, crafts, games; $20 pp for magic show
Head to City Point for igloo and snowmen crafts, play at Brooklyn Bridge Parents’ epic Lego table, and experience an exciting winter magic show featuring the European magician Nico and his bag of unbelievable tricks. The magic shows will take 60 minutes and are best suited for ages 3+. Space is limited!
7. Celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Sunday, January 14 & Monday, January 15 | 10am-5pm | FREE with museum admission
Join BCM to celebrate the life and legacy of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through interactive performances, protest marches, community art programs, and volunteer projects! Each day of the festival features shadow puppet performances produced by Nehprii Amenii, music and protest marching with Brooklyn-based musician Fyütch, community art-making projects, and more.
8. BAMkids Celebrates MLK Day
Monday, January 15 | 11:30am, 1:30pm & 3pm | FREE, registration required | FREE
This family-friendly program immerses young people in art forms that express the importance of acts of service both large and small. Carry on Dr. King’s legacy of community impact through collaborative banner-making, coloring, spoken word, and song.
9. Disney On Ice: Find Your Hero at Barclays Center
Thursday, January 18-Sunday, January 21 | Times vary | Tickets start at $34
Disney On Ice is returning to Brooklyn for 4 days! Experience world-class ice skating, iconic music, and stunning costumes that will make Disney On Ice: Find Your Hero an experience the whole family will treasure forever.
10. Sunday Art: Lunar New Year Celebration at Brooklyn Museum
Sunday, January 28, 2024 | 2–4 pm | FREE with Museum admission
Bring the family to this free drop-in program celebrating Lunar New Year. Attendees will create art inspired by the collection and enjoy a lion dance performance by the Chinese Freemasons Athletic Club.
