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31 Free and Fun Activities in NYC February 2026 for Kids

The Skyscraper Museum invites families to get hands-on while learning about the skyline. Photo by Mommy Poppins
The Skyscraper Museum invites families to get hands-on while learning about the skyline. Photo by Mommy Poppins
1/26/26 - By Drew Kristofik

February is short, sweet, and full of free things to do in NYC with kids. Our top picks for the best free activities for kids this February include the Lunar New Year Firecracker Ceremony and Cultural Festival, the Great Backyard Bird Count, and the annual Ice Sculpture Show on Governors Island. Plus, we're kicking off the month with our own Winter Festival and Summer Camp Fair this Sunday in Brooklyn. 

Want even more fun things to do this February? Our New York City Events Calendar is packed with great family activities every day of the month—and you can filter by age, location, and even FREE events!

Not on our newsletter list yet? Subscribe for FREE and get the best local family fun sent straight to your inbox. Already subscribed? Share it with a friend and start planning your weekend together!

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

Governors Island's Winter Ice Show brings plenty of cold-weather fun to the island. Photo by Jody Mercier
Governors Island's Winter Ice Show brings plenty of cold-weather fun to the island. Photo by Jody Mercier

Free Things To Do in NYC from Sunday, February 1-Sunday, February 8, 2026

Winter Festival and Summer Camps Fair

Downtown Brooklyn
Sunday, February 1, 2026
We're turning another blah winter weekend into a huge celebration. Join Mommy Poppins and the best camps and activities for NYC kids for a fabulous, free indoor winter festival with a giant snow globe, magic shows, face painting, balloon animals, toys and prizes. Try out archery, robotics, animation, tumbling, obstacle courses, crafts, theater games, and lots more fun camp activities!  READ MORE

Kindie Rock in Battery Park City

Battery Park City
Wednesdays February 4-25, 2026
Shake all those wiggles out at Battery Park City's weekly kid concerts. Attendance is first-come, first-served, so arrive early for one of the two sessions. READ MORE

Hands on History: Read Black History at King Manor

Jamaica, Queens
Saturday, February 7, 2026
Celebrate Black History Month and discover Black figures in American history and revolutions around the world. This event includes reading circles and art activities inspired by the work of Alma Thomas.   READ MORE

Architecture Valentines at the Skyscraper Museum

Battery Park City
Saturday, February 7, 2026
Kids explore the fun and surprising world of architectural pop-ups, learning how artists and designers turn flat paper into three-dimensional structures. Look at creative examples of pop-up buildings, then use those techniques as inspiration to design building-inspired valentines to share with friends, family, or anyone special. READ MORE

Black History Month: Textile Arts Workshop in Marine Park

Marine Park, Brooklyn
Saturday, February 7, 2026
Dr. Myrah Brown Green presents a workshop focused on Adinkra—African symbols that represent concepts, proverbs, and aphorisms. Choose a symbol that is meaningful to you and create a hand-stitched symbol to take home. READ MORE

Sonic Saturday: Sounds of Space at Lincoln Center

Upper West Side
Saturday, February 7, 2026
Spend the morning at a free, live performance of Tumble Science Podcast for Kids, featuring science, storytelling, games, and music—all about the sounds of space! READ MORE

Winter Ice Sculpture Show on Governors Island

Governors Island
Saturday, February 7, 2026
Ten artists team up with a professional ice carver from Okamoto Studio for this live ice carving demonstration on Governors Island. Visitors can witness real-time ice carving, and enjoy snacks from local food trucks and live DJ entertainment.   READ MORE

Kids @ Grand Central

Midtown East
Saturday, February 7, 2026
A mid-day celebration of movement, creativity, and play for kids of all ages returns, in Grand Central's iconic Vanderbilt Hall. READ MORE

Family Portrait Printmaking with Art on the Block

Upper West Side
Saturday, February 7, 2026
Create art together under the guidance of resident artist, Brandon Thomas Brown. In this hands-on printmaking workshop designed for young children and their parents, families use a simple, no-press process and create a playful, one-of-a-kind portrait print that celebrates connection, care, and togetherness. READ MORE

Winter Storytime with Cali Co Cat in Bryant Park

Midtown West
Saturdays February 7-21, 2026
Cali Co Cat hosts a morning of meow-sic and purr-cussion during these winter storytime sessions. Bring your imagination and storytelling skills to enjoy some tales with your favorite feline. READ MORE

Valentine's Day Cards Holiday Workshop at Williamsbridge Oval

Norwood, the Bronx
Sunday, February 8, 2026
Celebrate Valentine's Day with an afternoon of arts and crafts and family fun. READ MORE
Celebrate Valentine's Day at the St. James Recreation Center's crafting event. Photo via canva.com
Celebrate Valentine's Day at the St. James Recreation Center's crafting event. Photo via canva.com

Free Things To Do in NYC from Monday, February 9-Sunday, February 15, 2026

Cut, Layer, Print: Cyanotype Portraits at Art on the Block

Upper West Side
Wednesday, February 11, 2026
In this hands-on workshop for 3rd-5th graders, students create bold, one-of-a-kind portraits starting with a photograph, then cutting, layering, and collaging the image with words, textures, and silhouettes. The final designs are brought to life as cyanotype photographic prints. READ MORE

Hearts and Scribbles at St. James Rec Center

Kingsbridge Heights, the Bronx
Friday, February 13, 2026
Celebrate Valentine's Day by designing heartfelt Valentine cards and making festive, love-themed crafts using colorful supplies, stickers, stamps, and more.   READ MORE

Great Backyard Bird Count

Citywide
Friday, February 13-Monday, February 16, 2026
The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual four-day event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are. READ MORE

Lenfest Kids: Cats and Dogs

Morningside Heights
Saturday, February 14, 2026
Paws...and curl up with a season of family films featuring cats and dogs. Stick around after the film for free family fun with student colleagues of Columbia Artist/Teachers. READ MORE
Ring the Year of the Horse at Lincoln Center with a daylong celebration on Josie Robertson Plaza. Photo by Sachyn Mital
Ring the Year of the Horse at Lincoln Center with a daylong celebration on Josie Robertson Plaza. Photo by Sachyn Mital

Free Things To Do in NYC from Monday, February 16-Saturday, February 28, 2026

Free Entrance Days in the National Parks

Citywide
Monday, February 16, 2026
On select days throughout the year, all national parks in the United States are open to the public with no admission fee.  READ MORE

Free Kids Week Programming in NYC Parks

Citywide
Monday, February 17-Friday, February 20, 2026
Spend Midwinter Break exploring NYC Parks with the help of the Urban Park Rangers FREE programming series. READ MORE

Lunar New Year Celebration at the Skyscraper Museum

Battery Park City
Tuesday, February 17, 2026
Dive into vernacular architecture spotted across East Asia, learning about history and architecture and why it remains important to our fundamental understanding of height from ancient times to the present day. Then, celebrate Lunar New Year by creating illuminated paper lanterns, decorated with that architecture in mind. READ MORE

Lunar New Year Firecracker Ceremony and Cultural Festival

Lower East Side
Tuesday, February 17, 2026
The Better Chinatown Society's annual New Year's celebration is hosted in Sara D. Roosevelt Park with firecrackers, cultural performances, and much more. READ MORE

Midwinter Recess in Prospect Park

Prospect Park, Brooklyn
Tuesday, February 17-Friday, February 20, 2026
The Prospect Park Alliance offers family-friendly programming every day during midwinter recess. READ MORE

Kids Week at Bryant Park

Midtown West
Tuesday, February 17-Friday, February 20, 2026
It's Kids Week at Bryant Park and time for the little ones to take over the skating rink. Join a free skate lesson, watch junior skaters perform on the ice, and skate around to music from iconic kids’ shows and movies. The fun continues off the ice with themed activities and workshops each day.  READ MORE

Nature Walk and Quill Writing at Conference House Park

Tottenville, Staten Island
Wednesday, February 18, 2026
NYC Parks, the Urban Park Rangers, and the Friends of the Biddle House team up to lead a nature walk along the park trails and beach, followed by a quill writing art activity! READ MORE

Freezin' Season Winter Break Workshops for Kids at King Manor

Jamaica, Queens
Wednesday, February 18-Friday, February 20, 2026
King Manor invites kids inside for Freezin’ Season, an activity series to help keep kids busy during winter break that includes a Lunar New Year celebration, a look at female inventors, and a bookmark workshop in honor of Frederick Douglass. READ MORE

Harlem Gymnastics Invitational at the Harlem Armory

Harlem
Friday, February 20, 2026
Celebrating its 30th year, the Harlem Gymnastics Invitational features various levels of gymnasts competing in rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline and tumbling, and girls artistic gymnastics, creating a live spectacle of sport. READ MORE

Architecture of the Harlem Renaissance at the Skyscraper Museum

Battery Park City
Saturday, February 21, 2026
The Harlem Renaissance gave rise to literary, artistic, and social movements that advocated for challenging segregation and adopting Civil Rights. Learn how these developments, including jazz, poetry, and musical theater, were reflected by Harlem’s architecture then and now. Then, create collages using cutouts of New York buildings, art pieces, and literature from the renaissance. READ MORE

Lunar New Year Celebration at City Point

Downtown Brooklyn
Saturday, February 21, 2026
Celebrate Year of the Horse at City Point with traditional lion dances, Lunar New Year-inspired crafts, and more! Families are encouraged to come dressed in red. Stroller parking is available. READ MORE

Wuffy & the Dinosaur Dig Adventure in Marine Park

Marine Park, Brooklyn
Saturday, February 21, 2026
Children’s author Helen Rogosin is back with the grumpy, yet loveable Wuffy, who teaches the importance of collaboration and problem-solving in this reading adventure, including a chance to try your hand as a paleontologist. READ MORE

Family Portrait Printmaking at Art on the Block

Upper West Side
Saturday, February 21, 2026
Create art together under the guidance of resident artist, Brandon Thomas Brown. In this hands-on printmaking workshop designed for young children and their parents, families use a simple, no-press process and create a playful, one-of-a-kind portrait print that celebrates connection, care, and togetherness.   READ MORE

Lunar New Year Family Celebration at Lincoln Center

Upper West Side
Sunday, February 22, 2026
Ring in the Year of the Horse with self-discovery, transformation, and connection, including a beloved lion dance performance on Josie Robertson Plaza by the Tai Look Lion Dance Company, a Chinatown favorite. READ MORE

Winter Insect Scavenger Hunt in Idlewild Park

South Jamaica, Queens
Sunday, February 22, 2026
Take advantage of the unique opportunity that winter provides to learn about bugs while they’re inactive. The Urban Park Rangers lead kids on a hands-on exploration into the secret life of bugs, focusing on the work of Black scientists who saw beauty in even the lowliest of critters.   READ MORE

90-Second Newbery Film Festival at the Dweck Center BPL

Prospect Heights, Brooklyn
Saturday, February 28, 2026
Check out the 15th annual 90-Second Newbery Film Festival—a yearly video contest in which kid filmmakers create weird, short movies that tell the entire stories of Newbery award-winning books in about 90 seconds. READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

Carmine Carro Community Center
Lincoln Center - Rubenstein Atrium
Vanderbilt Hall - Grand Central Station
Williamsbridge Oval Recreation Center
National Parks - Multiple Locations
HH Biddle House in Conference House Park
Harlem Armory – Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation
Brooklyn Central Library - Dweck Center

About the Author

Drew Kristofik
Drew Kristofik’s career took a twist from editing teen magazines to a seven-year stint at MacNeil/Lehrer, followed by a long run at Nickelodeon/Viacom as Director of Content for Nick Online and Editor-in-Chief of ParentsConnect.com. A founding member of the Webby Award-winning GoCityKids, she’s written for Family Fun, Vanity Fair, and New York. Her middle school novel, The Time Boat, is available on Amazon Kindle. Drew keeps the MommyPoppins New York Events calendar spot-on and can be reached at events@mommypoppins.com.
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