10 Things to Do in Park Slope with Kids

By Allison Ingrum August 13, 2018

As one of the most family-friendly neighborhoods in Brooklyn, Park Slope has an endless amount of things to do with kids right outside your Brooklyn door. From puppet theater, art and design classes, and parks to museums, science classes, and movie theaters, there’s never a shortage of fun things to do in Park Slope with your kids.

Brooklyn Arts Exchange
421 5th Ave.

With a broad range of more than 45 classes focusing on technical skills such as dance, theater, and tumbling, Brooklyn Arts Exchange is a space in which artists of all ages are supported and uplifted. It is a unique environment in which children study and professional artists create and perform in the same building. Performing arts youth classes such as physical theater, drag performance, circus arts, and more are taught by professional staff and are offered for children ages 1-18, based on the five core values of BAX: skill-building, creative choice, collaboration, performance, and community.

Nitehawk Cinema Prospect Park
188 Prospect Park West

Slated to open in 2018, this cinema is one to keep your eye on as it takes the place of the classic, beloved, and recognized Pavilion Theatre, which closed its doors in 2011 after 90 years of operation. Nitehawk claims this location will have a similar experience to that of its original location in Williamsburg: a dine-in theater experience with a similar menu, hours of operation, vibe, and diverse mix of repertory and first-run programming, including more family-friendly programming. Watch out because the opening date is to be announced this summer!

Old Stone House in Washington Park
366 3rd St.

Sitting in Washington Park, Old Stone House is a reconstruction of the 1699 Vechte-Cortelyou House, an important landmark in the battle of Long Island, also known as the Battle of Brooklyn, in the American Revolutionary War. The house also memorializes the birthplace of the Brooklyn Dodgers (now the Los Angeles Dodgers) as it was the team’s original clubhouse when they played in the park. Visit the Old Stone House to step back in history, educate children, or attend regularly programmed events for families of all ages, including performances, workshops, readings, and even a farmers’ market! Then, venture out into the 3½-acre Washington Park to find the JJ Byrne Playground, a skate park, and a dog run.

Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture
53 Prospect Park West

Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture is a welcoming, inclusive community of people from all traditions, backgrounds, races, family configurations, and sexual orientations. Founded in 1906, the society is a liberal and educational fellowship without a formal creed or dogma that holds a strong, shared faith in the potential of human beings and aims to create a caring, just, and sustainable world. The center holds programs for families and children, giving children the skills and knowledge to make ethical choices and respect the worth of every human being. The Ethics for Children Program focuses on care for the self, family, community, earth, and world, and offers classes for all ages and families.

Private Picassos
237 5th Ave.

Offering art classes for adults and children as young as 18 months, Private Picassos aims to refine students’ fine motor skills and art techniques, as well as boost self-confidence and improve verbal and visual vocabularies. The studio focuses on more than just arts and crafts. The goal is to have all of the art teachers instill elements of the fine arts so students leave with a better appreciation of the arts, as well as of their own thoughts and abilities. Though the program is offered throughout the tri-state area, the Park Slope location is home to the Art Studio and Shop, which is suited for Drop-In Art Projects, classes for all ages, birthday parties, and unique retail items.

Taro’s Origami Studio
95 7th Ave., Second Floor

In a venture to spread his love and joy for the origami culture around the globe, Taro Yaguchi started with a simple paper airplane and has since expanded into two studios, the first being in Park Slope and the second being in Oakland, CA. Taro’s Origami Studio aims to create an environment in which freedom of expression is encouraged through origami folding with hands-on corners, classes, and workshops for all levels and ages. Though no experience is required, it is recommended that students be at least 5 years old to take one of the 45-minute classes, offered Tuesdays-Saturdays.

Tiny Scientist
1624 8th Ave. (and Windsor Place)

With a mission to bring out the inner scientist inherent in every child, Tiny Scientist offers hands-on and minds-on classes for children to understand scientific principles, build vocabulary, work together, and engage in scientific discussion. Classes are available for children in pre-K through fifth grades, and their days are packed with tons of learning activities.

Main Image: Children can take drawing classes at Brooklyn Design Lab in Park Slope, in which they’ll practice drawing based on still life.
Credit: Courtesy Brooklyn Design Lab