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35 Free and Fun Things To Do in NYC in January with Kids

Join Manhattan Country School for its annual Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative March. Photo courtesy of the school
Join Manhattan Country School for its annual Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative March. Photo courtesy of the school
12/29/24 - By Drew Kristofik

If your bank account needs a rest, fear not: We've found 35 FREE things to do in January to keep New York City families busy all month long.

Though most of the big holiday attractions in NYC are packing up the tinsel this month, January celebrations like the Three Kings Day Parade in East Harlem and the Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative March are just around the corner. Plus, Battery Park City's KindieRock series kicks off at the end of January, so little ones have a warm spot to shake their sillies out, and Lunar New Year fun sizzles at the annual Firecracker Ceremony in Sara Roosevelt Park!

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OUR LATEST VIDEOS

Free Things To Do in NYC from Wednesday, January 1-Sunday, January 5, 2025

New Year's Day Super Hike in Central Park

Central Park
Wednesday, January 1, 2025
Urban Park Ranger guides introduce hikers to the hidden gems of New York City. Explore nature, discover the city's urban forests, and unplug from the world to clear your head. READ MORE

122nd Annual Coney Island Polar Bear Club Plunge

Coney Island, Brooklyn
Wednesday, January 1, 2025
The Coney Island Polar Bear Club hosts its annual New Year's Day swim in the frigid Atlantic. A $25 suggested donation benefits local Coney Island organizations, including the NY Aquarium and the Alliance for Coney Island. READ MORE

New Year's Day Super Hike in Prospect Park

Prospect Park, Brooklyn
Wednesday, January 1, 2025
Dress warmly, put on your hiking shoes, and head to the park. Urban Park Ranger hiking guides introduce you to the hidden gems of New York City. Explore nature, discover our city's urban forests, and unplug from the world to clear your head.    READ MORE

Three Kings Day Celebration in Battery Park City

Battery Park City
Saturday, January 4, 2025
Enjoy Three Kings Day traditions with live music, poets, and an open mic for guest poets from the audience. Learn how children in Puerto Rico leave a box with hay or grass for the kings’ camels under their beds (like cookies for Santa) on the night before the holiday. READ MORE

MRSEC Materials Madness

Columbia
Saturday, January 4, 2025
Kick off 2025 with a presentation from Professor Colin Nuckolls demonstrating combustion, chemiluminesecnece, polymer formation, atomic scale and more, showcasing new topics in STEM and cutting-edge materials research!   READ MORE

Three Kings Day Play and Parade at St. Mark's

Lower East Side
Sunday, January 5, 2025
St. Mark's in the Bowery shares the story of the Three Wise Men who came to visit Jesus after he was born in Bethlehem. A short parade outside is followed by a short, fun, play inside, plus cultural performances that reflect the spirit and diversity of the East Village and the Lower East Side. READ MORE

MulchFest 2025

Citywide
Through Sunday, January 12, 2025
Bring your holiday tree to Mulchfest to be recycled into mulch to nourish plantings in the parks all year long! You can watch your tree devolve and evolve in person! READ MORE

Free Things To Do in NYC from Monday, January 6-Sunday, January 12, 2025

Three Kings Day at Essex Market

Lower East Side
Monday, January 6, 2025
Essex Market's free community Three Kings Day event includes a toy distribution for kids ages 4-14 where children can pick out a toy from the Essex Market Toy Drive, and try delicious, traditional Puerto Rican holiday foods by Chef Maria Bido of La Cocina de Loisaida.   READ MORE

47th Annual Three Kings Parade at Museo del Barrio

East Harlem
Monday, January 6, 2025
Line up with live camels, colorful puppets, parrandas, music, and dancing on this magical day. This time-honored annual parade begins at 106th Street and Park Avenue and ends at 115th Street and Park Avenue. Return to the museum to keep the party going following the parade. READ MORE

Three Kings Day at Teatro SEA

Lower East Side
Monday, January 6, 2025
New York’s only Latino children’s theater celebrates one of the most important Latin American holidays for children, El Día de los Tres Reyes Magos/Three Kings Day.  READ MORE

The REMIXES: A Family Hip-Hop Concert at the Brooklyn Children's Museum

Crown Heights, Brooklyn
Thursday, January 9, 2025
Lady B of Lavender Blues performs The REMIXES, a hip-hop concert for families. Stop by for an interactive, toe-tapping, get-out-of-your-seat good time with Lady B and her Bunnies! READ MORE

Prehistoric New York Hike in Central Park

Central Park
Saturday, January 11, 2025
The Urban Park Rangers lead families on a hike through Central Park, discussing the lay of the land in prehistoric times. Learn more about which prehistoric species may have been found in this area during different periods. READ MORE

Family Music Showcase at Lincoln Center

Midtown West
Saturday, January 11, 2025
A variety of award-winning, modern, eclectic artists from diverse backgrounds perform mini concerts for audiences of all ages. Featured musicians include Lucy Kalantari & the Jazz Cats; Divinity Roxx and Divi Roxx Kids; Miss Tutti and The Fruity Band; and Fyütch and his daughter Aura V.   READ MORE

Clixo at Private Picassos: A Free Art Project

Clinton Hill, Brooklyn
Saturday, January 11, 2025
Meet the founder and creator of Clixo, learn how to create 3D sculptures, and then use paper to create sculptures to take home! READ MORE
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New Year, New Buildings at the Skyscraper Museum

Battery Park City
Saturday, January 11, 2025
Learn how NYC’s iconic skyline will be changing this year, as well as the process of approval for building something new in the city. Then create building spires out of paper, cardboard, and construction materials. READ MORE

Ice Age Hike in Cunningham Park

Cunningham Park, Queens
Sunday, January 12, 2025
Take a trip back in time with the Urban Park Rangers and hike through Cunningham Park discussing the lay of the land in prehistoric times. Rangers describe the Pleistocene megafauna of New York. READ MORE

Bald Eagle Watch in Riverdale Park

Riverdale, Bronx
Sunday, January 12, 2025
Winter is a spectacular time for observing bald eagles in New York City parks. See if you can spot any on this adventure with the Urban Park Rangers.    READ MORE

Fort Tryon Rocks Geology Hike

Inwood
Sunday, January 12, 2025
Join the Urban Park Rangers to dig deep into the geological history of New York City—the site of ancient earth-shaking and earth-shaping events. The bedrock that anchors the city’s skyscrapers tells a story of a place going back more than a billion years. READ MORE

Free Things To Do in NYC from Monday, January 13-Sunday, January 19, 2025

Stomp, Clap, and Sing with Princess Backpack and Benjamin at BPL

Prospect Heights, Brooklyn
Tuesday, January 14, 2025
Princess Backpack and Benjamin bring their unique style of silly, sweet, and interactive music to the Brooklyn Public Library. Benjamin writes scripts and songs for shows like Dora on Paramount+, Princess Backpack is a magical talking bag from the land of Backpackia. And for this show, they’re joined by renowned fiddler Melody Allegra to sing songs from their upcoming album, Carry On! READ MORE

Nature Story Time in Brooklyn Bridge Park

Dumbo, Brooklyn
Thursday, January 16, 2025
Librarians from Brooklyn Public Library Adams Street location lead an exciting and engaging storytime session, along with singing and rhymes. Each month they select a book to pair with the Education Center’s monthly nature theme.  READ MORE

Ezra Jack Keats Story and Craft at Brooklyn Public Library

Prospect Heights, Brooklyn
Thursday, January 16, 2025
Listen to a wintry story by author/illustrator Ezra Jack Keats, make a related craft, and pick out a free book to keep! READ MORE

Birding: Winter Waterfowl in Central Park

Central Park
Saturday, January 18, 2025
Discover the amazing variety of birds that winter in NYC. Birding programs are appropriate for all skill levels, and beginners are welcome. To enhance your experience, please bring your own binoculars. READ MORE

Seal Exploration in Pelham Bay Park

Pelham, the Bronx
Sunday, January 19, 2025
New York City is home to an amazing abundance of wildlife, and winter is the best time of year to see seals visiting New York City. Learn about all the seal species that can be seen from Orchard Beach. READ MORE

Birding: Owls in Van Cortlandt Park

Van Cortlandt Park, the Bronx
Sunday, January 19, 2025
Urban Park Rangers guide families to the best bird-viewing spots in New York City. Learn more about the various species of owls found in NYC parks. Please bring your own binoculars. READ MORE

Free Things To Do in NYC rom Monday, January 20-Friday, January 31, 2025

37th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative March

Upper West Side
Monday, January 20, 2025
Manhattan Country School eighth graders honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by taking to the streets of Manhattan to speak out about what they consider to be the most pressing civil rights issues of their time. READ MORE

Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Prospect Park

Prospect Park, Brooklyn
Monday, January 20, 2025
Commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with nature education programs at the Prospect Park Audubon Center, the first urban Audubon Center in the nation. READ MORE

Annual Brooklyn Tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. at BAM

Fort Greene, Brooklyn
Monday, January 20, 2025
BAM hosts its free annual Brooklyn tribute to Martin Luther King Jr., and everyone is invited. The celebration brings together artists and civic leaders to commemorate the life and legacy of Dr. King.  READ MORE

Free Entrance Days in the National Parks

Citywide
Monday, January 20, 2025
On select days throughout the year, all national parks are open to the public with no admission fee.  READ MORE

Family Fridays: Compound Cube Creations at MoMath on 5th

Gramercy
Friday, January 24, 2025
Imagine a cube making a duplicate of itself from within, then rotating its clone 45 degrees around their shared center. Surprisingly, the surface of the resulting object will be a pattern of triangles that somehow still create the illusion of conjoined cubes… huh? READ MORE

Lunar New Year Celebration at the Skyscraper Museum

Battery Park City
Saturday, January 25, 2025
Dive into vernacular architecture spotted across East Asia, learning about history and architecture and why they remain important to our fundamental understanding of height from ancient times to the present day. Then, to celebrate Lunar New Year, create illuminated paper lanterns, decorated with that architecture in mind. READ MORE

Winter Nature Crafts in Thomas Jefferson Park

East Harlem
Saturday, January 25, 2025
Use the park as an inspiration to construct a winter-inspired nature craft. All crafts materials are provided.   READ MORE

Raptors in Inwood Hill Park

Inwood
Sunday, January 26, 2025
Explore Inwood Hill Park's ecosystem and determine what kind of raptors make it their home. Urban Park Rangers guide bird enthusiasts to the best wildlife viewing spots in the urban jungle. Birding programs are appropriate for all skill levels, and beginners are welcome. BYO binoculars. READ MORE

Animal Adaptations in Cunningham Park

Cunningham Park, Queens
Sunday, January 26, 2025
Hundreds of animal species spend their winters in New York City parks. Learn how animals such as birds, squirrels, chipmunks and others survive the cold and the snow in this educational wildlife viewing adventure. READ MORE

Seal Exploration in Lemon Creek Park

Prince's Bay, Staten Island
Sunday, January 26, 2025
Winter is an amazing time of year to observe seals in the water off Staten Island. Urban Park Rangers guide marine animal enthusiasts to some great viewing spots, and offer information on safeguarding these creatures.   READ MORE

Stomp, Clap and Sing: Jam with Jamie and Friends at Brooklyn Public Library

Prospect Heights, Brooklyn
Tuesday, January 28, 2025
Jam with Jamie and Friends come armed with guitar and bubbles, ready to jam out to traditional children's songs, rock n' roll oldies, and today's hits. READ MORE

Lunar New Year Firecracker Ceremony and Cultural Festival

Lower East Side
Wednesday, January 29, 2025
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

Places featured in this article:

Columbia University - Havemeyer Hall
Brooklyn Children's Museum
Brooklyn Central Library - Dweck Center
Brooklyn Bridge Park Environmental Education Center
National Parks - Multiple Locations
National Museum of Mathematics Pop Up
Brooklyn Central Library - Dweck Center