Free and cheap things to do over Columbus Day weekend with NYC kids

Saturday October 8

The Amazing Maize Maze  
Sat Oct 8 11am–9pm. Queens County Farm Museum, 73-50 Little Neck Pkwy (between 73rd Rd and 74th Ave). (718-347-3276, queensfarm.org). $9, children ages 4 to 11 $5, children under 3 free.
Kids track down clues, solve puzzles and ultimately find their way out of the labyrinthine maze made of corn stalks. All ages.

Medieval Arts Children's Workshop
Sat Oct 08 10am–noon. Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, 1047 Amsterdam Ave (at 112th St). (212-932-7347, stjohndivine.org). Subway: 1 to 110th St–Cathedral Pkwy. $6, adults and children under 2 free.
Tykes get the chance to carve a block of limestone, create illuminated letters, design gargoyles and learn weaving techniques at the uptown cathedral. Ages 4 and up.

FREE Go, Diego, Go! Double Feature
Sat Oct 8 12pm. Sony Wonder Technology Lab, 550 Madison Ave, Sony Plaza (at 56th St). (212-833-8100, sonywondertechlab.com). Subway: N, Q, R to 59th St–Lexington Ave; 4, 5, 6 to 59th St; E, M to Fifth Ave–53rd St; F to 57th St.
Watch as Diego and Kicho help save Benito the Beatle's dance partner by shrinking themselves to the size of a bug in “It's a Bug's World.” Then, see Diego and Baby Jaguar help transport penguins from the rain forest to the Arctic in “Diego the Hero.” Ages 1 to 6.

FREE Pumpkin Patch and Oktoberfest
Sat Oct 8 noon–5pm. Sunnyside Gardens Park, 48-21 39th Ave (at Barnett Ave). (718-672-1555, sunnysidegardenspark.org). Subway: 7 to 52nd St.
Step into the members-only Sunnyside Gardens Park; it's open to the public for one day only. Once inside, you and your kids can explore playgrounds, nosh on German food and, of course, pick out the perfect pumpkin. All ages.

FREE Queens Comic Con
Sat Oct 8 10:30am. Queens Library, Steinway Branch,  21-45 31st St (between Ditmar Blvd and 21st Ave). (718-990-0704, queenslibrary.org). Subway: N to Ditmars Blvd.
Prepare for NYC's Comic Con with Queens' very own version of the event. Along with amazing visual exhibits, including a fashion shows, kids can attend a comic writing workshop and meet several local comic book authors. All ages.

FREE Hispanic Heritage Street Fair
Sat Oct 8 10am. 126 Saint Felix St (Between Third Ave and Hanson Pl). (347-256-0914, x1brooklynmusic.org). Subway: A, C, J, Z, 2, 3, 4, 5 to Fulton St (Nassau St).
Head down to Brooklyn and celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with the Brooklyn Music School. Enjoy authentic food and music from various performers while kids participate in art and dance classes. All ages.

FREE Pumpkin Day
Sat Oct 8 11am–1pm. McCarren Park, Bayard St to Nassau Ave (between Leonard and North 12 Sts). (718-609-1090, townsquareinc.com). Subway: L to Lorimer St, G to Nassau Ave.
Can't make it to a real pumpkin patch? No worries: At this annual Brooklyn event, kids can pluck pumpkins from a man-made "patch" and then decorate their gourds in spooky styles. Before helping your babe carry his find home, stick around to enjoy live music, sample yummy treats and help your darling make other kiddie crafts. All ages.

Sunday October 9

FREE A Closer Look for Kids
Sun Oct 9 10:20–11:30am. Museum of Modern Art, 11 W 53rd St between Fifth and Sixth Aves (212-708-9400, moma.org). Subway: D, F to 47–50th Sts–Rockefeller Ctr; E to Fifth Ave–53rd St.
Youngsters get a chance to tour MoMA's permanent collections and temporary exhibits (this month's "Closer Look" theme being "Artful Objects"), and are encouraged to voice their opinions about what they dig (Mom and Dad can speak up too). Tickets will be distributed on the day of the program, beginning at 10am, at the information desk in the museum's main lobby. Ages 5 to 10.

The Art of Bookmaking
Sun Oct 9 10am–12:30pm. Children's Museum of Manhattan, 212 W 83rd St (at Amsterdam Ave). (212-721-1223, cmom.org). Subway: 1 to 79th St (Broadway); B, C to 81st St–Museum of Natural History. Free with museum admission.
Let your little ones publish their own bestseller. At this drop-in program, kids will learn about the techniques used to create books. Following the lesson, kids can make their own books using stamps, drawings, words and pictures. All ages.

FREE Kayaking on the Hudson  
Sun Oct 9 10am–5pm. Pier 40, W Houston St (at the Hudson River). (downtownboathouse.org).
The New York City Downtown Boathouse offers complimentary kayaking every weekend through October at three Hudson River docks. No need to make a reservation; just walk right up and wait in (a bit of a) line. Never kayaked before? Not to worry: The nautical experts provide the equipment and the know-how—although they do ask that you sign a liability waiver and wear a bathing suit, shorts and T-shirt. Kids under 16 must be accompanied in the boat by an adult. Ages 2 and up. 

Camel Days
Sun Oct 9 10am-3:30pm. Staten Island Zoo, 614 Broadway, (between Clove Rd and Forest Ave). (718-442-310, statenislandzoo.org). From the Staten Island Ferry, take the S48 bus to Broadway. Free with zoo admission.
Celebrate the humped desert creatures with this weekend-long event at the Staten Island Zoo. Kids can brush up on their camel facts, ride a camel ($5) or have their picture with one ($5). Camel rides end at 4:45pm. All ages.

FREE The Haunted Pumpkin Garden
Sun Oct 9 10am–6pm. New York Botanical Garden, Bronx River Pkwy (at Fordham Rd). (718-817-8700, nybg.org).
Get a spooky fix in this scary patch filled with  frightening spirits lurking in between the gourds. Weekend programming includes parades, where kids can get some extra mileage out of their costumes. Older visitors can enjoy sessions such as a pumpkin carving demo with Ray Villafane. All ages. 

Monday October 10

Columbus Day Festival: Sailor Hats
Mon Oct 10 10am, 1pm–11:15am, 2:30pm. Children's Museum of Manhattan, 212 W 83rd St (at Amsterdam Ave). (212-721-1223, cmom.org). Subway: 1 to 79th St (Broadway); B, C to 81st St–Museum of Natural History. Free with museum admission.
You can't set sail without the right hat. Let your little one decorate their own paper sailor hat. As part of the PlayWorks program, this class teaches process of creation, color recognition and sensory awareness. Ages 4 and under. 

Columbus Day Festival: Spyglass Telescope
Mon Oct 10 3pm. Children's Museum of Manhattan, 212 W 83rd St (at Amsterdam Ave). (212-721-1223, cmom.org). Subway: 1 to 79th St (Broadway); B, C to 81st St–Museum of Natural History. Free with museum admission.
Before discovering a new world, your little explorer will need the right equipment. At this Columbus Day event, kids are invited to make their own telescopes. Perfect for any adventure. Ages 5 and up. 

FREE National Museum of the American Indian
Mon Oct 10 10am–5pm. 1 Bowling Green between Broadway and Whitehall St (212-514-3700, americanindian.si.edu). Subway: J, M to Broad St; R to Whitehall St; 1 to South Ferry; 4, 5 to Bowling Green.
While much of the city is high-fiving over ol' Columbus, you might want to show the kids that not everyone benefited from his "discovery." At this Smithsonian institution devoted to American Indians—which is always free and is open every day of the year save Christmas—you'll find art, artifacts and interactive stations, as well as "Beauty Surrounds Us," an exhibit that looks at traditional objects from various tribes. All ages. 

FREE Columbus Day Parade & Festival
Mon Oct 10 at noon. Fifth Ave from 47th St to 72th St, then east to Third Ave (212-249-9923, columbuscitizensfd.org). Subway: D, F to 42nd St–Bryant Park; 7 to Fifth Ave.
Let's face it: Columbus Day is all about honoring our nation's Italian-American communities. (Never mind that Columbus sailed under the Spanish flag.) Today, take the family to midtown, where CNBC anchor Maria Bartiromo will serve as grand marshal, leading visiting dignitaries, ethnic bands in traditional costumes and various Italian-American associations up Fifth Avenue alongside colorful floats and open-topped convertibles. Down on Broadway, hundreds of vendors proffer cannoli, pizza, gelato and delicious treats. Mangia! All ages.