Free kid-friendly events this week in Brooklyn (8/17-8/23)
This week is full of more summer fun for families. Check out the BioBus in Dyker Heights, the US Open ice cream truck in Williamsburg, face painting in Kensington, Family Fridays in Bay Ridge, toddler yoga in Bed-Stuy, National Park Week KickOff in Marine Park, Summer Tea in Prospect Park, and much more. There are also back to school giveaways in Canarsie and Coney Island.
MONDAY
The BioBus is coming to McKinley Park Library | Dyker Heights
Monday, August 17th | 1-3pm
Step aboard BioBus for a hands-on exploration of the microscopic world! Use research-grade microscopes to examine bugs, soil, water and other samples from the community with guidance from BioBus scientists.
Library Lab: Carnival Games | Sunset Park
Monday, August 17th | 4-5pm | Ages 5-12
Explore Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math at the Sunset Park Library with fun, free activities that will spark curiosity! At this program, children will explore physics, geometry and other STEAM concepts by playing carnival games.
TUESDAY
Storytime in the Park | Bay Ridge
Tuesday, August 18th | 10am
Celebrate Summer with a special storytime, songs, movement, crafts, and dancing at Owl’s Head Park!
Party on the Plaza at the Central Library | Prospect Heights
Tuesday, August 18th | 12-2pm | Teens
Teens are invited to a Party on the Plaza to celebrate all the amazing things Brooklyn teens have done this year! Festivities will include music, book giveaways, prize drawings, activities, and more.
Tuesday, August 18th | 1-4pm
Bring the family out for an afternoon of fun, entertainment, and community as Senator Roxanne J. Persaud hosts her annual Free Fun Day & Back-to-School Giveaway! Children must be present to receive supplies. This event will take place at Canarsie Park.
Book Adventures: Not a Box Climate Justice Storytime & Free Book Giveaways! | DUMBO
Tuesday, August 18th | 4-4:45pm | Ages 3-6 | Must register here 24 hours before event
Participants will read a Not A Box and then have a chance to use their imagination to turn their own box into something else! Plus each participant will get two books in a giveaway sponsored by Con Edison.
Sing, read, and play with librarians from Walt Whitman Library in Fort Greene Park! Have fun hearing great picture books read aloud and playing with other children during this program. For children of all ages and their caregivers. This program will be located at the bottom of the Monument stairs near Myrtle Playground and runs on Wednesdays at 11:ooam-11:45am from May 13th-October 14th.
The US Open Ice Cream Truck | Williamsburg
Wednesday, August 19th | 1-6pm
The first-ever US Open ice cream truck is coming to a park near you! The ice cream truck will visit public park tennis courts in each of the five boroughs from August 17-21 and serve up free chocolate and vanilla soft-serve, ice pops and other surprises. The truck will be in McCarren Park for its Brooklyn stop!
Face Painting | Kensington
August 17th | 3-4pm
Join in at the fun at the Kensington Branch and get your face painted! Participants will choose from a selection of designs.
THURSDAY
Prospect Park Stroller Walk | Prospect Park
Thursdays | 10am-12pm | RSVP here
Calling all parents and caregivers with children! Join a Prospect Park Alliance Naturalist for a leisurely stroll along Prospect Park’s waterways. Embrace the sound of streams and songs of birds, while enjoying fragrant flowers and the towering trees of Brooklyn’s Backyard. Please note that this walk leaves promptly at 10:00am the Prospect Park Boathouse.
Council Member Jessica Scarcella-Spanton’s Back to School Giveaway | Coney Island
Thursday, August 20th | 12-3pm
This back to school giveaway will take place at Kaiser Park. Children must present.
Thursday, August 20th | 2-3pm
Are you interested in learning to write in cursive? Join the Kensington Branch for a cursive writing program!
Fridays | 9:30am-10:30am
Come to City League Coffee Roasters through October for Family Fridays. There will be a different fun activity each week!
Namaste! Welcome to Toddler Yoga at the Library | Bed-Stuy
Friday, August 21st | 10:30-11:15am
Looking for a playful way to burn off some morning energy and bond with your little one? Bring your toddlers to the Marcy Library this summer for a fun, interactive, and completely FREE Toddler Yoga series! Through storytelling, silly songs, and gentle movement, your child will learn simple poses, balance, and breathing techniques in a relaxed, welcoming environment. This event will take place at the Marcy Library.
Magic Alive! Kids and Family Magic Show with Razzle Dazzle | Prospect Heights
Friday, August 21st | 3:30-4:30pm
Celebrate the end of summer at the library with a magic show! This interactive magic program, led by family favorite magician Razzle Dazzle, has every jaw-dropping magic trick in the book, and includes a comedic twist! Part magic show, that has families working to create the magic by clapping, laughing, and saying the magic words. Part lesson, as each attendee will learn some magic that they create right there in their hands. This event will take place the Central Library.
SATURDAY
National Park Week Kickoff | Marine Park
Saturday, August 22nd | 9am-1pm
Come to the 110th birthday of the National Park Service. Participants can enjoy kayaking, biking, tours of a restored art-deco air terminal and historic aircraft collection. The RC jet event, Big Apple Jet Rally, is happening the same day and is open for public viewing. This event will take place at Floyd Bennet Field.
Teen Service Series: Green Prospect Park | Prospect Park
Saturday, August 22nd | 10am-12pm | RSVP here
Prospect Park Alliance needs you! Get your hands dirty, make real change, and level up your community service hours — all while spending time outside in Brooklyn’s Backyard! Help remove invasive plants, maintain woodland trails and other forest restoration work to help Prospect Park thrive. All tools are provided + no experience is necessary. Earn service hours, make a real impact, and have a blast doing it!
Battle of Brooklyn Community Day at the Center for Brooklyn History
Saturday, August 22nd | 11am-5pm | Register here
Join the Center for Brooklyn History (CBH) for all-day festivities commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Brooklyn, the largest battle of the Revolutionary War. Highlighting CBH’s exhibition The Battle of Brooklyn: Fought and Remembered, this family-friendly event will offer kids’ storytime; craftmaking and hands-on activities; curator-led exhibition tours that bring the summer of 1776 alive; special access to CBH’s collection of Revolutionary War-era archival material, artwork, and historic artifacts; and joyful, authentic 18th-century-style music and dancing with Brooklyn Contra.
Saturday, August 22nd | 11am-3pm
There will be free backpacks, health screenings, fun and games. A child must be present and live in District 46 for a backpack – one per child, first come first served.
Sunday, August 23rd | 10am-1pm | Get tickets here
Step into 1776 at Green-Wood. Experience the Battle of Brooklyn with reenactments, stories, and a lively, family-friendly commemoration. Come gather where this country began. Two hundred and fifty years ago, parts of the first major battle of the Revolutionary War was fought on land that is now Green-Wood, and we’re marking the anniversary with our biggest Battle of Brooklyn event ever! Immerse yourself in August 1776 through costumed interpreters, civilian and soldier stories, diverse perspectives on this pivotal moment, and a special parade and commemoration ceremony. In partnership with institutions across New York City, Green-Wood Cemetery is offering a fun-filled afternoon that honors those who fought and invites families to reflect on 250 years of American independence. This event is for all ages.
Summer Tea in Prospect Park | Prospect Park
Sunday, August 23rd | 11am-4pm | RSVP here
This year marks the 8th year of Summer Tea in Prospect Park. Join Tea Arts + Culture and Prospect Park Alliance for a full-day gathering in the park to steep and sip tea together with arts, music, and shared appreciation of nature.
Storytime with Eugenia Mello: The Only Way to Dance | Brooklyn Heights
Sunday, August 23rd | 11-11:30am | Reserve a spot here
From the author of The Only Way to Make Bread comes a new picture book that’s a sumptuous celebration of dance from around the world, from breakdancing to bhangra to ballet. Come here the story at Books Are Magic’s Montague Street location.
The 49th Annual Brighton Jubilee | Brighton Beach
Sunday, August 23rd | 10am-6pm
Brooklyn’s biggest street festival takes over Brighton Beach Avenue from Corbin Place to Coney Island Avenue, with multiple entertainment stages, kiddie rides, international food and blocks of vendors. It runs rain or shine, admission is free, and it is the Brighton Neighborhood Association’s only fundraiser of the year.
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Updated: August 16, 2026 Featured image: Council Member Jessica Scarcella-Spanton’s Back to School Giveaway
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