Free kid-friendly events this week in Brooklyn (8/31-9/7)

It is the last full week before school, and Carnival weekend on top of it! Families can check out the Junior Carnival costume parade in Crown Heights, Islands in the Park with Smorgasburg and a steel pan band in Prospect Park, three nights of free Trolls films on the lawns in Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights and Sunset Park, back-to-school chalk runs in Canarsie and Marine Park, outdoor storytimes in Fort Greene Park and Cadman Plaza, and more!

One service note before you plan: the Brooklyn Children’s Museum is closed for its annual maintenance from Monday, August 31, and reopens Friday, September 11.

ALL WEEK

Long Live J’ouvert! Pop-Up Installation | Prospect Lefferts Gardens

Through Sunday, September 6 | all day | outside Lefferts Historic House, Prospect Park | Free, no registration

An outdoor installation on the history of J’ouvert, from Prospect Park Alliance and the JouvayFest Collective, sitting at the tollbooth outside Lefferts Historic House. Sunday is the last day, which pairs neatly with Carnival weekend.

Free Summer Meals in Prospect Park | Prospect Park

Monday, August 31 to Friday, September 4 | 10am-4pm | Prospect Park | Free | Anyone 18 and under

Weekday meals for children and teens, no registration and no paperwork.

Environmental Education Center Open Hours | DUMBO

Thursday and Friday 3-5pm, Saturday and Sunday 1-5pm | 99 Plymouth Street | Free, drop-in

A 250-gallon East River aquarium, a ten-foot model of the park, crafts and a reading corner. Walk in, no booking.

MONDAY

Summer Film Extravaganza at Brower Park Library: Mufasa: The Lion King | Crown Heights

Monday, August 31 | 1-3pm | Brower Park Library, 155 Brooklyn Avenue | Free, no registration | Designed for ages 6-18; younger children welcome with an adult

The 2024 Lion King prequel, rated PG, in the air conditioning.

Choo Choo Train Time at Cortelyou Library | Ditmas Park

Monday, August 31 | 10:30-11:30am | Cortelyou Library, 1305 Cortelyou Road | Free, no registration | Birth to five

Wooden trains and open play for the under-fives.

TUESDAY

Movies Under the Stars: Trolls | Bay Ridge

Tuesday, September 1 | 7:30-9:30pm, film at dusk | lawn at Owl’s Head Park, Shore Road at 68th Street | Free

Rated PG. Bring a blanket; the lawn fills early on a warm night.

Kids in Motion | Crown Heights, Bed-Stuy, Dyker Heights and Brownsville

Tuesday, September 1 to Saturday, September 5 | 10am-6pm daily | five playgrounds | Free, drop-in

Parks staff run active outdoor play at St. John’s Park in Crown Heights, Brevoort Playground in Bed-Stuy, John J. Carty Park in Dyker Heights, Brownsville Playground and Nostrand Playground. No age range is published.

DUPLO Lego Time at Macon Library | Bedford-Stuyvesant

Tuesday, September 1 | 1-2:30pm | Macon Library, 361 Lewis Avenue | Free, no registration | Five and under with a caregiver

Big bricks, small hands.

WEDNESDAY

Cadman Park Library Storytime | Brooklyn Heights

Wednesday, September 2 | 10:30-11am | Cadman Plaza Park, on the grass by the Juneteenth Grove | Free, no registration | All ages with a grownup

Outdoor storytime on the lawn.

Library Storytime in Fort Greene Park | Fort Greene

Wednesday, September 2 | 11am-12pm | Fort Greene Park, northwest corner near the monument stairs | Free | All ages with a caregiver

Weather dependent; the library updates the listing the day before.

Movies Under the Stars: Trolls World Tour | Dyker Heights

Wednesday, September 2 | 7:30-9:30pm | lawn at McKinley Park, 73rd Street at Fort Hamilton Parkway | Free

Rated PG.

Summer Spruce Up | Prospect Park

Wednesday, September 2 | 10am-1pm | Prospect Park, meeting spot emailed after you RSVP | Free, registration required | Older kids and teens who can handle garden tools

The last volunteer session of the summer: invasive plant removal, trail maintenance and litter pick-up alongside Prospect Park Alliance staff. The group meets somewhere different every week, so the RSVP is what gets you the location.

THURSDAY

Prospect Park Stroller Walk | Prospect Park

Thursday, September 3 | 10-11am | Audubon Center at the Boathouse | Free, RSVP required | Caregivers with strollers

An hour’s walk at stroller pace with the Alliance.

Lavender Blues with Brower Park Library | Crown Heights

Thursday, September 3 | 10:30-11:30am | Shirley Chisholm Circle in Brower Park, weather permitting | Free | Babies and toddlers

Live music written for the very young. If it rains or tops 85 degrees it moves indoors at Brower Park Library, 155 Brooklyn Avenue, with free tickets handed out at 10am.

Movies Under the Stars: Trolls Band Together | Sunset Park

Thursday, September 3 | 7:30-9:30pm | Central Lawn, Sunset Park, 41st to 44th Street | Free

The third Trolls film in three nights, rated PG.

Tween and Teen Create Space at Adams Street Library | DUMBO

Thursday, September 3 | 4:30-5:30pm | Adams Street Library, 9 Adams Street | Free, no registration | Grades 4-12

Open making time for older kids, which is a harder thing to find for free.

Like Ah Boss Screening at Central Library | Prospect Heights

Thursday, September 3 | music 7pm, film about 8pm, ends 9:30pm | Central Library plaza, 10 Grand Army Plaza | Free | An evening one — better with big kids and teens; bring chairs or a blanket

Soca star Machel Montano introduces Like Ah Boss: Journey of a Soca King, projected onto the library’s façade, with reggae, dancehall and soca sets on the plaza first. The library’s registration is already at capacity, and the rain date is Tuesday, September 8.

FRIDAY

Movement in the Park | Brooklyn Heights

Friday, September 4 | 6-7pm | Pier 2 Turf, Brooklyn Bridge Park | Free | Open to all ages and abilities; advance registration encouraged, walk-ups as space allows

A waiver is required once per season.

Sensory Garden Hour at Greenpoint Library | Greenpoint

Friday, September 4 | 10:30-11:30am | Greenpoint Library rooftop garden, 107 Norman Avenue | Free, no registration | Birth to five

On the roof, so bring hats.

Summer at the Library Closing Ceremony | Brighton Beach

Friday, September 4 | 2-4pm | Brighton Beach Library, 16 Brighton First Road | Free, no registration | Kids

The end-of-summer party for the reading programme.

Teen Service Series: Green Prospect Park | Prospect Park

Friday, September 4 | 10am-12pm | Prospect Park, meeting spot emailed after you RSVP | Free, registration required | Teens

School service hours banked before school has even started. Teens work alongside Alliance gardeners on invasive plant removal, trail maintenance and litter pick-up, with tools provided.

SATURDAY

WIADCA Junior Carnival and Youth Fest | Crown Heights

Saturday, September 5 | parade meets 9am at St. John’s Place and Kingston Avenue | programme at the Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway | Costumed bands are children up to 17

The children’s day of West Indian American Day Carnival: a youth costume parade, then Caribbean music and dance at the museum. The parade is free to watch from the street; WIADCA has not yet posted whether the museum programme is ticketed, so check its events page before you plan around it. The big parade and J’Ouvert fall on Labor Day, Monday, September 7.

Youth Volleyball Clinics, season finale | Brooklyn Bridge Park

Saturday, September 5 | 10am-12pm | sand courts at Pier 6, Atlantic Avenue at Furman Street | Free, register through Big City Volleyball | Ages 8-16, all levels

The last one of the summer.

Pop-Up Audubon | Prospect Park

Saturday, September 5 and Sunday, September 6 | 12-4pm | LeFrak Center at Lakeside and the Tennis House | Free, drop-in | Families, children and caregivers

Two stations both days: pond water under magnifying glasses at Lakeside, fish-print art at the Tennis House.

NYRR Open Run: Back to School Chalk Challenge | Canarsie

Saturday, September 5 | 9am-12pm | Canarsie Park House, 88th Street at Seaview Avenue | Free, sign up through NYRR

A weekly open run with a chalk drawing challenge attached. The Marine Park edition runs Sunday at the Carmine Carro Community Center, 3000 Fillmore Avenue.

Nature Exploration: Urban Wildlife | Bedford-Stuyvesant

Saturday, September 5 | 11am-12pm | east lawn, Saratoga Park, Halsey Street between Howard and Saratoga Avenues | Free, no registration

An Urban Park Ranger hour on the animals that actually live here.

Love-All Street Open | Bedford-Stuyvesant

Saturday, September 5 | 2–7pm | 10 Lexington Avenue | Free with RSVP | A street block party — great for kids who want to try a racquet, skews social

All-Love Racquet Club teams up with Jordan to take over the block with tennis clinics, King of the Court, a one-point tournament, live music and food. RSVP here.

Bargemusic: Labor Day Here and Now Weekend | Brooklyn Heights

Saturday, September 5 | 2-3pm | the barge at Fulton Ferry Landing, GPS 10 Montague Street | Free, no tickets or reservations, doors 20 minutes before

An hour of contemporary classical on the water, no interval. Realistically one for older children who will sit. A world premiere by David Shohl follows on Sunday at the same time.

ReImagine Lefferts Open Hours | Prospect Lefferts Gardens

Saturday, September 5 | 12-5pm | Lefferts Historic House, Prospect Park | Free

The house is open, and the J’ouvert installation is right outside it.

FIDO Coffee Bark | Prospect Park

Saturday, September 5 | 7:30-8:30am | The lawn just south of the Picnic House | Free | All ages, plus dozens of dogs

Coffee and pastries for the grown-ups, biscuits for the dogs, and a great deal of off-leash romping for children to watch. Hosted by FIDO of Brooklyn during the park’s morning off-leash hours.

Dance Fitness with Shape Up NYC | Prospect Park

Saturday, September 5 | 10-11am | Prospect Park Boathouse and Audubon Center | Free, drop-in | All ages, children welcome with a grown-up

An hour of Zumba at the Boathouse, built on Latin and international dance music. No experience and no booking needed.

Introduction to Birdwatching Outings | Prospect Park

Saturday, September 5 | 10am-12pm | Prospect Park, start point varies from week to week | Free, no registration | All ages; under-12s must be with an adult

A Brooklyn Bird Club member leads a relaxed 1.5 to 2 mile loop with frequent stops, covering binoculars, calls and what to look for. A limited number of binoculars are there to borrow. No dogs on this one, and it runs rain or shine.

Molière in the Park: Don Juan | Prospect Park

Saturday, September 5 and Sunday, September 6 | times below | LeFrak Center at Lakeside, 171 East Drive | Free, RSVP required | Easier with teens than with little ones

Brooklyn’s free outdoor theater opens its run of Molière’s most subversive play, in Stephen Wadsworth’s translation, and keeps going through September 27. It is billed as all ages, but it is a two-hour seventeenth-century satire about a serial seducer, so the Sunday afternoon show is the more manageable one with children.

• Saturday, September 5 | 7-9pm

• Sunday, September 6 | 3-5pm

SUNDAY

Islands in the Park: A Caribbean Jam | Prospect Park

Sunday, September 6 | 11am-6pm | Smorgasburg at Breeze Hill, enter at Lincoln Road | Free entry, food priced by the vendor | All-ages arts and crafts

Smorgasburg gives its Sunday over to Carnival weekend: guest chefs, island vendors, DJs and a steel pan performance, with crafts for all ages running through the afternoon.

Nature Exploration: Tree Appreciation Month | Prospect Park

Sunday, September 6 | 10am-1pm | Audubon Center at the Boathouse | Free, drop-in

Also Thursday and Friday, 10am to 3pm, and Saturday, 10am to 1pm.

NYRR Open Run: Back to School Chalk Challenge | Marine Park

Sunday, September 6 | 9am-12pm | Carmine Carro Community Center, 3000 Fillmore Avenue | Free, sign up through NYRR

The Sunday half of the chalk challenge.

MONDAY, LABOR DAY

West Indian American Day Carnival Parade | Crown Heights

Monday, September 7 | Eastern Parkway, Utica Avenue to Grand Army Plaza | Free to watch from the street

North America’s largest Caribbean celebration, and the reason a good part of the borough stops on Labor Day: steel pan, soca, mas bands in full costume and around a million people along the Parkway. It has stepped off mid-morning in past years, but WIADCA had not posted an official 2026 start time when we checked, so look at its events page over the weekend before you set out. Younger children generally do better at Saturday’s Junior Carnival, listed above — the crowd on Eastern Parkway is dense and the sound systems are loud, and strollers are hard work in it.

Two practical notes for the holiday: Brooklyn Public Library branches are closed on Labor Day, and the subway runs a holiday schedule, so trains come less often than usual. The Brooklyn Children’s Museum remains closed for maintenance until September 11.

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