The NYC Parks Summer Day Camp program is an exciting chance for children to have a fun-filled summer. Campers engage in sports, fitness, and outdoor adventures while taking part in many of New York’s rich cultural and educational opportunities.

     For ages 6 to 13. Sign up here.

     Free. Mondays through Fridays through August 22. Two sessions: 9 to 5 and an extended day, 8 to 6. At J. Hood Wright Park in Lower WaHi on Fort Washington Avenue at 175th Street. 

     Not sure about your next step after high school? 

     Ask one a young adult librarian for advice at a career and college counseling open house. The staff will help you find resources so you can choose your best path forward.

     Free. Monday afternoon at 2 at the Fort Washington Library’s teen center in Fort George on 179th Street between St. Nicholas and Audubon Avenues. Also on July 28.

     The quiet life of a terrier named Max is upended when his owner takes in Duke, a stray whom Max instantly dislikes. Fast-paced and funny, The Secret Life of Pets offers a cheerfully undemanding family-friendly film.

     In English with Spanish subtitles, the screening is part of Inwood Art Works’ summer Film Works al Fresco series. Reserve your seats here.

     Free. Monday night at sunset (8:26) with a performance by Kinesis Dance Project at 7:30 at The Hudson in Inwood in the Dyckman Marina.

     Does your child have an interest in abstract concepts? What about spacial interpretation?

     If so, Join Carole Mulligan for a fun-filled excursion of exceptional learning.

     Free. Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 10 in Bruce’s Garden, a spot in Isham Garden in Inwood across from 10 Park Terrace East (not west!), near 215th Street.

     Look, listen, sing, and have fun with storytime at the Met cloisters. The museum and Literacy INC shares tales through picture-book readings in English and Spanish connected to objects in the  Cloisters’ collection.

     Recommended for families with children ages 18 months to 6 years. Participants will receive a free book with onsite registration.

     Space is limited; first come, first served.
     Free with Museum admission; admission is pay as you wish for New York state residents, and free for children under 12 with an adult. Tuesday mornings at 11:30 at the museum in Fort Tryon Park.

     The NYPL’s bookmobile provides access to the library’s riches.

     You can sign up for a library card, browse a small collection of books for people of all ages, speak with a librarian to get reading recommendations, reference services, and return and renew books.

     What’s more, the bookmobile is proof that reading takes you places!

     Wednesdays from 11 to 3 near the Moriah Center in Hudson Heights at 90 Bennett Avenue.

     Do you love anime? Join the club! 

     Drop in on the weekly anime watch party, courtesy of Crunchryoll. One Piece? Atelier Meister? Demon Slayer? Or something else?

     You pick the shows, the library brings the snacks.

     Free. Wednesday afternoons at 3:30 at the Fort Washington Branch of the NYPL in Fort George on 179th Street between St. Nicholas and Audubon Avenues.

     Take your young ones to story time for kids with books, music, and movement.

     The weekly sessions take place in the Riverside-Inwood Neighborhood Garden, where families can enjoy the flowers, fish, and other outdoor life. 

     Free. Thursday mornings at 11 at the RING garden in Inwood at the conflunce of Broadway, Dyckman Street, and Riverside Drive. Through October.

     Get some stress out during a creative session of arts and crafts.

      It’s collage night, when you can repurpose old book materials, magazines, and more.

     Supplies & vibes will be provided. 

     Free. Thursday evening at 6:30 at Recirculation in Lower WaHi at 876 Riverside Drive near 160th Street. Monthly on the third Thursday.

     Channel your inner artist this month during a workshop that’s  inspired by a Dutch farm’s blooming eight-bed garden.

     You can make your own artist book using techniques for capturing flowers, fruits, and veggies on the page. You can also take a guided stroll through the garden.

     Saturday from 1 to 3 at the Dyckman Farmhouse Museum in Inwood on Broadway at 204th Street.

     Like all New Yorkers, wildlife in the city loves to explore the parks, like this peregrine falcon near the Hudson River.

     Use the city’s wildlife calendar to learn about what’s happening with Uptown wildlife neighbors each month, and find parks where you might be able to better see them in action.

     Most of New York’s wildlife is not dangerous; however, maintaining a safe distance is the best way to protect your safety and the safety of your wild neighbors. If you see an injured animal, leave the animal where it is, give it some distance, and call 311.

     Can you find the flora and fauna in an Uptown park?

     The next time you’re exploring Isham Park, head to Bruce’s Garden. Then, click this link on your cell phone for clues to find the treasures in this prized patch of greenery.

      Isham Park is in Inwood, at 213 Park Terrace East (not West!) and is open every day.

     Where are you going?

     Use a compass rose to help you get there. A video from the Hispanic Society will show you how to make one with a potato, some paint and a few more household objects.

     You’ll also learn a bit about maps through the centuries and how explorers used them to travel to places they’d never seen.

     Here’s a way to make your next outing with the kids a little different.

     Print out a family scavenger hunt booklet and take a walk through Fort Tryon Park’s historic estate remnants.

     Find, draw, and map natural marvels and constructed treasures while you explore the path network that leads from Billings Lawn to the Palisades Overlook.

     The booklet is provided by the Fort Tryon Park Trust.

     Need something new for the kids to do?

     The Hispanic Society of America offers several coloring pages, each based on one of the most famous paintings in the museum’s collection. Recognize the Duchess of Alba? Download the pdf below.

      For adults, the society has posted several lectures here.

¿Necesita algo nuevo para que hagan los niños?
      La Hispanic Society of America ofrece varias páginas para colorear, cada una basada en una de las pinturas más famosas de la colección del museo. ¿Reconoces a la duquesa de Alba? Descargue el pdf a continuación.
       Para los adultos, la sociedad ha publicado varias conferencias aquí.

     Embark on a poetic journey and let nature become your muse.

     In this Uptown Stories’ workshop, you’ll join a vibrant group of young poets to venture into Uptown’s flourishing summer landscapes and find poetry in the world around you.

     As you write and read poetic verse you’ll discover what’s beneath every rock, leaf, and flower, open yourself to all of your senses, and use what you find to create drawings, fairy dwellings, pocket pals, and whatever calls your imaginations.

     For ages 8 through 12. Once you’ve completed this workshop, consider applying to Snobby Poetry in the autumn.

     Pay what you can. Monday through Friday, July 21–25, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., meeting in the schoolyard of Hudson Cliffs P.S. 187 in Hudson Heights on Cabrini Boulevard just about 181st Street.

     What does the Dyckman Farmhouse look like through your eyes?  Visit the Museum this month for the chance to take film photos of the museum and gardens.

     As a part of the Dyckman Through Your Eyes project, the museum seeks your photos and written reflections of what most interests you about the farmhouse and the land around it.

     Thursday afternoon, July 24, from 1 to 3 at the museum in Inwood on Broadway at 204th Street. Also on July 31.

     Take a blanket, beach chairs, snacks, and drinks and enjoy a summer night tradition.

     Puss in Boots: The Last Wish follows Puss as he discovers that his passion for adventure has taken its toll: He’s burned through eight of his nine lives. Launching an epic journey to restore them, Puss seeks the mythical last wish.

     No tickets or registration required. 

     Free. Thursday night, July 24, at sunset (around 8:18) in Roger Morris Park in Lower WaHi.

     Learn the ins and outs of how to grow vegetables, flowers, culturally relevant crops, and more.

     On this volunteer gig, you can help the New York Restoration Project care for twenty raised beds, a three-bin compost systems, and its famous mushroom cultivation operation. The Riley-Levin Demonstration Garden includes peach trees, blueberry bushes, and strawberry patches. 

     Free. Friday morning, July 25, from 10 to noon at Sherman Creek just off Tenth Avenue between Academy Street and Harlem River Drive. On the fourth Friday through October.

     Sketch from works of art in The Met Cloisters galleries and experiment with different drawing approaches. Build your skills with a teaching artist and share your works of art with other teens.

     Thinking of applying to an art high school or college? These classes are a great way to build a portfolio. For ages 12 to 18.

     Museum admission is free, with registration, for teens as part of this program. All experience levels welcome; all materials provided.

     Free with registration. Saturday afternoon, July 26, at 1 in Fort Tryon Park. On the second and last Saturdays of the month.

     To provide power to the city, monsters have to scare children so their screams can be converted to energy. The children, however, are toxic to the monsters, and after a child makes it back to the monsters’ HQ, two monsters realize things may not be what they think.

     Monsters, Inc., stars Billy Crystal and John Goodman. 

     Free. Sunday, July 27, at a time to be announced later at the United Palace in Lower WaHi on Broadway at 275th Street.

     If you can’t wait to turn the page, the writer  succeeded in telling you a great story.

     What does it take to develop characters, settings, dialogue, and plot elements that have you on the edge of your seat?

     In this Uptown Stories’ workshop you’ll discover the elements of fiction when you break down the parts of creative writing and test what you’ve learned with some on-the-spot stories.

     For ages 8 to 12.

     Pay what you can. Monday through Friday, July 28–August 1, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Cornerstone Center in Hudson Heights on Bennett Avenue at 189th Street.

     Manhattan’s only only untouched forest grows in Uptown, which adds to the preserve’s biodiversity.

      Discover what makes these trees, plants, and animals unique in the region on a ninety-minute hike with the Urban Park Rangers.

      Free. Saturday afternoon, August 2, at 1 in Inwood Hill Park; meet at 218th Street and Indian Road.

     Pack a picnic of hors d’oeuvres to enjoy a concert en plein aire with the Washington Heights Chamber Orchestra.

     The summer concerts are casual, last an hour or less, and are open to everyone.

     Free. Saturday evening, August 2, at 5 on the lawn of the Dyckman Farmhouse Museum in Inwood on Broadway at 204th Street.

     Little Lions Camp is a kid-centered, fun-based day camp with a focus on keeping kids physically and creatively active.

     Kid-centered programming means our camp staff keeps campers buty with their likes and dislikes in mind, so daily schedules might change based on the counselors' overview of the day. The activities feature an ever-changing combination of classic PE games, backyard favorites, sports, and special surprises to keep kids happy, active, and engaged.

     A highly trained, eclectic staff of teachers, athletes, camp veterans, creative types and child care specialists ensure that the games are always changing and that counselors can tailor programming to fit children’s needs and likes.

     Register here. Discounts are available for families with more than one child enrolled, or any child enrolled for both weeks.

     $545 per week. August 4 through 8 and August 11 through 15 at the Baker Athletic Complex in Inwood at 533 West 218th Street.

     There’s always more to learn for a fiction writer.

     If you’re one, come build on the skills you’ve already got, and dig deeper into the qualities that give all the best stories that extra pop. Any genre of fiction you prefer (historical, fantasy, realistic, you name it) is welcome.

     You’ll focus on the fine details that will take your writing from good to great: Natural, character-driven dialogue; proper pacing; inciting incidents; raising the stakes; plot-twists; and, of course, the art of the satisfying ending.

     This workshop from Uptown Stories is for students ages 12 to 17 who are familiar with the basics of fiction writing, and who would like to grow as writers.

     Pay what you can. Monday through Friday, August 4 through 8, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Cornerstone Center in Hudson Heights on Bennett Avenue at 179th Street. No class on April 15, Through May 20.

     Discover the city’s original night life on a family camping expedition.

     We camp to create lasting memories, connect with the natural world, and bond with our families. The Urban Park Rangers invite you to take part in the tradition of camping.

     Families are chosen by lottery.

     Free. Friday night, August 8, at 7 through Saturday morning in Inwood Hill Park. Details will be shared with participants. Also on August 31.

     Learn the ins and outs of how to grow vegetables, flowers, culturally relevant crops, and more.

     On this volunteer gig, you can help the New York Restoration Project care for twenty raised beds, a three-bin compost systems, and its famous mushroom cultivation operation. The Riley-Levin Demonstration Garden includes peach trees, blueberry bushes, and strawberry patches. 

     Free. Saturday morning, August 9, from 10 to noon at Sherman Creek just off Tenth Avenue between Academy Street and Harlem River Drive. On the second Saturday through November.

    Do some digging, then get in some riding with your BMX buds and ride the most progressive urban bike park in America, with the help of the New York City Mountain Bike Association.

     There will be light trail maintenance tasks for all ages in the morning. Every volunteer receives a free 20-minute clinic and, in the afternoon, a guided ride throughout the trails from 12:30 to 3. Even better, bikes and helmets are provided, so you don’t need your own.  

     Uptown is the home of the city's first mountain biking course, 3 miles of trails of varying difficulty and a free-ride trail that includes drops, steeps, and berms. The park also features a dirt jump park and pump track, making it a good place to develop different skills at all levels.

     Free. Saturday morning, August 9, from 10 to 3 in Fort George at the BMX trailhead in Highbridge Park, on Fort George Avenue, just northwest of the Buczek Ballfield. Monthly on the second Saturday.

     Let your kids explore life in colonial New York at Manhattan’s oldest remaining house, where the Morris-Jumel Mansion offers family-day programming with a fun, hands-on activity for children and their care-givers.

     Last month kids created a festive folk art paper star banner. In Colonial America, stars were popular motifs in folk art, symbolizing guidance, hope, and patriotism, and were often crafted from simple materials to decorate homes and celebrations. 

     All materials will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Masks are not required outdoors; masks are optional inside the Museum.

     Free. Saturday afternoon, August 9, from 1 to 3 at the mansion on Jumel Terrace in Lower WaHi. On the second Saturday of the month.

     You know it, love it, you can’t get enough of it — and when it comes to anime, neither can Uptown Stories. 

     Whether it’s Speed Racer or Dragon Ball, Naruto or My Hero Academia, we are obsessed. The only thing better than watching anime the entire week of spring break would be drawing our own anime characters and adventures. Grab your pens, and let’s ikō!

     For ages 10 to 14.

     Pay what you can. Monday through Friday, August 11–15, from 11 to 3 at the Cornerstone Center in Hudson Heights on Bennett Avenue at 189th Street.

     It’s time for you to be the master of your universe.

     Join new friends to explore worlds of your own creation, inhabited by beings that only you can imagine. In this workshop from Uptown Stories, you’ll work together to bring your ideas to life, whether they lie in fantasy, science fiction, magical realism, or dystopia. 

     You’ll map out stories rich in symbolism, unleash your hidden storytelling skills, and be each other’s sounding boards along the way.

     For ages 8 to 11.

     Pay what you can. Monday through Friday, August 18–22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Cornerstone Center in Hudson Heights on Bennett Avenue at 189th Street.

     The internet is a crazy place, but it gives us powerful tools to tell our stories. 

     A new workshop from Uptown Writers will help you figure it out. Scoop, There It Is! is all about using the digital world to your advantage.

     Through writing, video, and audio, you’ll learn the fundamentals of storytelling, reporting, and online journalism in unconventional ways. You’ll investigate questions like: What makes a compelling news story? How do we verify facts? And how can content like TikTok videos and mini podcasts be used to inform our audiences? 

     By the end of this workshop you’ll be a certified a young journalist, creating your own captivating multimedia projects for the world to see.

     For ages 10 to 14.

     Pay what you can. Monday through Friday, August 25–29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Cornerstone Center in Hudson Heights on Bennett Avenue at 189th Street.

     Discover the city’s original night life on a family camping expedition.

     We camp to create lasting memories, connect with the natural world, and bond with our families. The Urban Park Rangers invite you to take part in the tradition of camping.

     Families are chosen by lottery.

     Free. Sunday night, August 31, at 7 through Labor Day  morning in Inwood Hill Park. Details will be shared with participants.

     Word Up Books presents its annual celebration of reading, Uptown Kid Lit. 

     This year’s details are still in the works, but you can expect music, games, prizes, and books too of course.

     Free. Sunday, September 9, at a time to be announced later.

     The kids from Cocomelon are coming out way.

     This live, sing-along performance features the loveable kids singing their favorite songs — and they want you to join in.

     $33 to $86.90. Saturday afternoon, October 4, at 2 at the United Palace in Lower WaHi on Broadway at 175th Street.

     It’s been ninety years!

     Fort Tryon Park opened to the public on October 13, 1935, with remarks by John D. Rockefeller, Jr., whose family donated the land.

     The park’s design was entrusted to the Olmsted Brothers, the renowned landscape architecture firm led by the sons of Frederick Law Olmsted, the designer of Central Park. Their vision transformed the rocky terrain into a scenic retreat featuring rolling lawns, curving pathways, and meticulously planned gardens.

     Spend some time this month exploring the park that’s called a crown jewel of Manhattan. Here are resources from the Fort Tryon Park Trust and from the NYC Parks.

     Share the joy of Nutcracker, the Christmas ballet for everyone. Tchaikovsky’s timeless score sets the stage for a family holiday.

     In this production, an international cast, whimsical puppetry and opulent costumes and sets from Europe will delight your senses.

     $47.30 to $211.20. Friday night, November 28, at 7:30 at the United Palace in Lower WaHi on Broadway at 175th Street.

     Is your teen interested in the sciences? Maybe she’s thinking about a career in medicine?

     If so, consider the Lang Youth Medical Program at the Columbia Medical Center. It’s a free opportunity to expose high school students to the science of medicine and aims to inspire teens to achieve their college aspirations through hands-on learning and mentorship.

     It’s open only to students in WaHi who attend a Community School District 6 school. The program meets on seventeen Saturdays through the year and during the entire month of July. Find out more here.

     The deadline for the next session is in March.

     The annual Drums Along the Hudson began in 2002 as a traditional Pow Wow to celebrate Native American heritage and culture, and also to commemorate the Lenape people who first inhabited Inwood Hill Park, or Shorakkopoch (“edge of the water”).

     This 2025 celebration featured the Thunderbird American Indian Dancers, Kalpulli Huehuethlatholi Aztec Dancers, drummers from around the world, international food, and crafts.
     Free. Usually on the first Sunday in June from 11 to 6 in Inwood Hill Park at Indian Road and 218th Street.