Fun & Free Things to do in Brooklyn With Kids This Winter

Every summer, the team at Bitesize Pediatric Dentistry shares our annual round up of Williamsburg and Park Slope kids’ activities. Well, with winter break approaching and cold weather putting a damper on a lot of the usual outdoor fun, we thought we’d lend a hand with a winter installment. If you’re in search of ways to keep the little ones occupied, look no further. Here is our guide to fun and free things to do in Brooklyn with kids this winter:

1. Take Advantage of “Pay What You Wish” Hours at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum – Brooklyn Children’s Museum, 145 Brooklyn Ave.

Visiting the Brooklyn Children’s Museum is one of the best Brooklyn kids’ activities because it combines fun and learning. It’s hands-on, so you can let little ones explore, play and touch whatever they’d like making it a stress-free experience for caregivers. The exhibits are geared towards children ages zero to eight and are designed to inspire creativity and to encourage imaginations to run wild. Admission is “pay what you wish” on Thursdays from 2 to 6pm and on Sundays from 4 to 7pm.

2. Make Something at Home Depot – Home Depot, 550 Hamilton Ave.

It might come as a surprise that Home Depot is a great place to find free activities for kids in Brooklyn this winter. They offer free workshops for children all year long where kiddos can build and decorate a seasonal project under the guidance of store associates. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Attendees keep their crafts and receive a certificate of achievement, a workshop apron and a commemorative pin while supplies last. Check out the schedule of workshops.

3. Go Sledding in a Brooklyn Park – NYC Parks

Sledding is pretty much the ultimate winter activity for kids and there are no shortage of awesome hills in our borough. If we have a few snow days this winter, browse this list put together by the NYC Parks Department of the best sledding hills in Brooklyn parks.

4. Attend Winter Recess in Prospect Park Events – Various Locations

The Prospect Park Alliance is hosting Winter Recess in Prospect Park programming every day during winter recess from Thursday, December 26 through Sunday, December 29. The best part? Each of the activities is free or donation-based. You’ll find nature exploration programs at the Audubon Center in Prospect Park (101 East Drive), as well as events like craft-making sessions at the Lefferts Historic House (452 Flatbush Ave.).

5. Learn a Tech Skill at the Apple Store – Apple Downtown Brooklyn, 123 Flatbush Ave.

Apple offers year-round classes that make for excellent free things to do in Brooklyn with kids. Attendees can learn different skills in programs like the Coding Lab for Kids (ages six to 12) or Art Lab for Kids. Check out the calendar of events to find the next offering.

6. Take in a Reading at Stories Bookshop and Storytelling Lab – 458 Bergen Street

Stories has a ton of Park Slope kids’ activities, including storytimes in the Storytelling Lab. While there is a fee for weekday events, most Sundays at 10:30am, the shop hosts a guest author or illustrator for a free reading, story-related activity and book signing. The events are a great way for kids and parents to mingle with neighbors and for youngsters to develop a love of reading. Up next on Sunday, December 15 is a storytime with Lorraine Nam. Paper illustrator Lorraine Nam will read from her book Look Up with Me: Neil deGrasse Tyson: A Life Among the Stars.

7. Watch a Movie at a Branch of the Brooklyn Public Library – Brooklyn Public Library, Multiple Branches

Several branches of the Brooklyn Public Library have Movies @ the Library events for families and children. You can keep warm while watching an age-appropriate flick with the kids. See the full schedule here. Some upcoming movie events include:

• On Wednesday, December 11 from 5 to 7pm, a family movie will be shown at Jamaica Bay Library.
• On Saturday, December 14 from 11am to 3pm, watch Home Alone at McKinley Park Library or from 2 to 4pm, watch Eight Below at Ulmer Park Library.
•  On Saturday, December 28 from 2 to 4pm, watch a screening of Underdog also at the Ulmer Park Library in the meeting room.

8. Enjoy Free Winter Weekdays at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden – 990 Washington Ave.

Last but not least on our list of free things to do with kids in Brooklyn this winter is visiting the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. It’s a stunning place and the organization’s mission is to foster “delight and curiosity while inspiring an appreciation and sense of stewardship of the environment,” which is something we can get behind! From December through February, the garden has free admission on weekdays for people of all ages. Kids will love the Discovery Garden, which is a one-acre garden for children complete with scavenger hunts, a giant bird’s nest, science stations and an “insect hotel.”

We hope you take advantage of all of the fun and free kids’ activities in Brooklyn this winter. If you’d also like to make finding a knowledgeable, friendly Park Slope or Williamsburg pediatric dentist part of your winter agenda, schedule a visit at Bitesize Pediatric Dentistry!