Best things to do on (and before) Halloween

Halloween is less than a week away, and we know how quickly a week goes by in this crazy city! In the interest of helping you Halloween procrastinators get through the holiday unscathed, we’ve put together a list of our favorite things to do with the little monsters from Friday, October 28 to Monday, October 31. We've also got all the ideas you'll need for finding costumes, making your own costumes, scoring unique (not to mention delicious) Halloween candy, planning trick-or-treat routes, reading the best new Halloween books and visiting the city’s spookiest (and most kid-friendly) haunted houses.

P.S. Don’t forget to enter your kid in our Halloween Costume Contest—the winner gets a family four-pack of tickets to see Traces!

Friday

Fri Oct 28 10am–2pm, Sat Oct 29 3-7pm. Brooklyn Children's Museum, 145 Brooklyn Ave at St. Mark's Ave, Crown Heights, Brooklyn (718-735-4400, brooklynkids.org). $10.
Start Halloween a few days early with the Monster Mash. Known as Brooklyn's best Halloween party, the Monster Mash features music, games, costume parades and much more. Secure your spot at the bash by purchasing tickets in advance. All ages.

Fri Oct 28, Sat Oct 29 at 6:30, 7:30pm. Mount Vernon Hotel Museum and Garden, 421 E 61st St between First and York Aves (212-838-6878, mvhm.org).  $25, children under 12 $10.  
Get the Scooby gang together for this Halloween-themed mystery: A (fictional) skeleton has been discovered under the floorboards of the Mount Vernon Mansion, and it's up to you and your family to figure out who's to blame! Explore the museum by candelight as you solve puzzles and collect clues with which to crack the case. Ages 8 and up.


Fri Oct 28, Sat Oct 29 6–10pm. Liberty Science Center, 222 Jersey City Blvd between Philip and Wilson Sts, Jersey City, NJ (201-200-1000, lsc.org). $15, children ages 2–12 $13, children under 2 free.
Brave older explorers can check out the Haunted High School, where guests take a seat next to zombies for a lesson about math or watch live entertainment and mingle with spooky costumed creatures. Younger kids can head straight to the “I Explore” exhibit for not-so-scary Halloween films, treats, a bug-ball dance party and costume contests. All ages.

Saturday


Sat Oct 29 at 3:30pm–Sun Oct 28 at 8am. Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditorium, 
234 W 42nd St between Seventh and Eighth Aves (212-398-3133, ripleysnewyork.com). $129 per person.
Inspired by the company’s famed Extreme Sleepovers, this overnight experience isn’t your average Halloween party. Brave guests can peruse such eerie displays as the world’s largest collection of shrunken heads and a Transformer statue made from car parts. Then, at midnight, grab your flashlight for a haunted scavenger hunt around the building. All guests must show up equipped with a sleeping bag and (of course) their most creative costume. One adult required for every four children attending. Reservations suggested. Ages 6 and up.


Sat Oct 29 10am–1pm. Citibabes, 52 Mercer St between Broome and Grand Sts (212-334-5440, citibabes.com). $35 per family.
This spooky bash offers a full day of entertainment, including readings, cookie decorating and a costume parade, among other ghoulish fun. Ages 10 and under.

Sat Oct 29 11am–4pm. P.S. 372, 512 Carroll St between Third and Fourth Aves, Park Slope, Brooklyn (718-768-3703, puppetryarts.org). Free admission; activities $1–$3.
Appealing to kids with many interests, this sixth annual blowout bash features a haunted house, puppet- and mask-making stations, face painting, carnival games and a costume contest hosted by a surprise guest. The first 200 children to arrive will receive goody bags stocked with treats from Dave & Busters, Cabot Creamery and more. All ages.

Sat Oct 29 noon–6pm. 900 Washington Ave at Eastern Pkwy, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn (718-623-7200, bbg.org). Subway: B, Q, Franklin Ave S to Prospect Park; 2, 3 to Eastern Pkwy–Brooklyn Museum. $15, children under 12 free.
Kids flaunt their eye-catching outfits alongside gigantic puppets in this daytime parade. Other entertainment offerings include a variety of Halloween-themed workshops and readings by a slew of children’s book authors. All ages.

Book Barn at Ghouls & Gourds
Sat Oct 29 noon–4pm. Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 900 Washington Ave at Eastern Pkwy, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn (718-623-7200, bbg.org). $10, children under 12 free.
This custom-built structure set right in the middle of Cherry Esplanade, part of the BBG extravaganza Ghouls & Gourds, will be chock-full of authors and illustrators all afternoon. Among the kid-lit luminaries reading from their newest works and signing books are author Lauren Thompson (Little Quack) and author-illustrator David Ezra Stein (Leaves). Mix the day up by stopping at craft stations in between readings.  All ages.

FREE 
Sat Oct 29 at 10am. Queens Library, Central Library, 89-11 Merrick Blvd between 89th and 90th Aves, Queens (718-990-0700, queenslibrary.org).

Get ready for Halloween with the Queens Library. There's something for everyone at this all-day event. Little ones and their parents can enjoy a spooky storytime (10:30am) while older kids learn the science behind skeletons, spiders and slime. Reserve a spot for pumpkin carving (1 to 2:30pm) and grab seats for the dramatization of Edgar Allan Poe's The Cask of Amontillado (3 to 4pm). With this much to do, kids may be too tired to trick or treat the next day! All ages.


Sat Oct 29, Sun 30 10am-5:30pm. Prospect Park Zoo. 450 Flatbush Ave at Empire Blvd, Brooklyn (718- 399-7339, prospectparkzoo.org) Subway: B, Q, Franklin Ave S to Prospect Park.
The Prospect Park Zoo gets a Halloween makeover as spooky creatures populate the grounds. Little ghosts and goblins can join the haunted fun with face painting, craft making and a visit to the zoo’s haunted barn. Free with admission. Ages 5 to 12.

Sat Oct 29 and Sun Oct 30 10am–5:30pm. Bronx Zoo, 2300 Southern Blvd at Fordham Rd, Bronx (718-367-1010, bronxzoo.org). Subway: 2, 5 to West Farms Sq–East Tremont Ave, then walk three blocks to the zoo's Asia Gate. $20–$30.
The annual Halloween celebration takes over the Bronx wildlife spot for five weekends in October. Kids can venture through a haunted safari, navigate a hay maze, take a spooky hayride, make Halloween crafts and watch a musical theater performance about misunderstood scary animals. Be sure kids rock their Halloween costume to march in a parade alongside ten-foot grasshoppers and eight-foot butterflies. All ages. 




Sat Oct 29, Sun 30 noon–5pm. Prospect Park Children’s Corner, Ocean Ave at Flatbush Ave, Brooklyn (718-282-7789, prospectpark.org). $2 per ride. Little ghosts and goblins can take a spooky spin on the park’s beloved carousel, which is decked out for this weekend’s holiday with frightful critters. All ages.



Sat Oct 29, Sun 30 noon–3pm. Prospect Park, Nethermead, enter at Prospect Park Southwest at 16th St, Brooklyn (718-965-8951, prospectpark.org). Suggested donation $1.
Zombies, werewolves, witches and headless horsemen lurk in the park’s outdoor version of a haunted house. All ages.

Sat Oct 29, 10am-6pm. Children’s Museum of the Arts, 103 Charlton Street (between Hudson and Greenwich Sts). (212-41-9198, cmany.org). Free with museum admission.
Join the CMA for a spooktacular Halloween parade full of tricks and treats for every age! Among the many activities will be face painting, music, and a scary story fest. Costumes are definitely encouraged, so be sure to dress your little monster up in their finest Halloween garb. Halloween activities start at 10am, and the Halloween parade starts at 3pm. All ages.

Sunday


Sun Oct 30 10am–3pm. Moomah, 161 Hudson St between Hubert and Laight Sts, (212-226-0345, moomah.com). Subway: A, C, E, 1 to Canal St. Free. 
Gear up for Halloween at Moomah.
Take your young Frankenstein for a day of Halloween candy, music and storytimes, with special prizes for those who come in costume. Ages 2 to 8.   




Sun Oct 30 1–4pm. Rockefeller Plaza, W 48th and W 49th St between Fifth and Sixth Aves (212-332-6868, rockefellercenter.com). Subway: B, D, F to 47–50th Sts–Rockefeller Ctr. Free with general admission: $23, seniors $21, children ages 6 to 12 $15, children under 5 free.
At this party on the Top of the Rock Observation Deck, kids can get their Halloween thrills with face painting, magic shows, crafts and sugary treats while parents enjoy a panoramic view of New York City. All ages.

FREE 
Sun Oct 30 at 2pm. Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd at Main St, Flushing, Queens (718-463-7700, flushingtownhall.org). Subway: 7 to Flushing–Main St.
Why is this called “Remixed,” you might ask? Attending this great Queens event doesn’t just mean you’ll be celebrating Halloween, but the whole family will be entertained by fun activities and festive games to celebrate Halloween, the Day of the Dead and All Saints Day all at once. Come adorned in your best costume. All Ages. 



Sun Oct 30 at 10am. Hudson Terrace, 621 W 46th St between Eleventh and Twelfth Aves (212-315-9400, hudsonterracenyc.com). Subway: C, E to 50th St. $20, kids under 2 free.
The popular nightclub is changing its appeal for the day just in time for Halloween! Kids and parents can participate in face painting, trick-or-treating and searching for buried treasure—after all, it is pirate themed! All pirates can purchase their tickets here. All ages.

FREE 
Sun Oct 30 noon–3pm. Winter Garden at the World Financial Center, 220 Vesey St (at West St). (212-945-0505, artsworldfinancialcenter.com). 
Eco-minded tykes can craft costumes from repurposed materials and snack on organic and fair trade goodies. Costumed kids can also take part in mini-parades throughout the day. All ages.

FREE 
Sun Oct 30 4–5pm. The powerhouse Arena, 37 Main St (at Water St). (718-666-3049, powerhousearena.com).
Celebrate Halloween with some holiday-themed children's books. During this powerHouse party, kids will enjoy readings from some spooktacular selections like Bone Soup by Cambria Evans and The Runaway Mummy by Michael Rex. Show up in costume and enjoy the spooky reads. Ages 3 to 8.

Monday

FREE 
Mon Oct 31 4–7pm. Brooklyn Academy of Music, 30 Lafayette Ave between Ashland Pl and St. Felix St, Fort Greene, Brooklyn (718-636-4100, bam.org).
This annual outdoor bash is one of Brooklyn’s hippest Halloween hangs. Costumed cuties can play carnival games, take in street performances, enter a costume contest and more. All ages. 

Mon Oct 31 4–7pm. American Museum of Natural History. Central Park West at 79th St (212-313-7161, amnh.org) Subway: B, C to 81st St–Museum of Natural History; 1 to 79th St. $10.
As if the usual dinosaur skeletons and other bones weren’t haunting enough, more than 30 of the museum’s halls will sport chilling decor for this holiday event. Kids can trick-or-treat, mingle with cartoon characters, and make arts and crafts. Past perfomers at the yearly event include David Grover and the Big Bear Band, the Big Apple Circus and pro pumpkin carver Hugh McMahon. All ages.

FREE 
Mon Oct 31 7–10:30pm. Sixth Ave from Spring St to 21st St (halloween-nyc.com).
With a theme this year of “the I of the beholder,” the city’s largest Halloween blowout focuses on what we see and how we see it. A spooky cloud of floating eyes will lead the parade up Sixth Avenue, and eyeball images sent in by spectators will be projected onto the “Great Eyeball” high above the parade. Make sure your tots are comfortable with crowds before setting out: Typical attendance tops 2 million revelers. The parade runs up Sixth Avenue from Spring Street to 15th Street. All ages.

Mon Oct 31 3:30–5pm. Hi-Art, 227 W 29th St, studio 4R between Seventh and Eighth Aves (212-209-1552, hiartkids.com). $55 per child.
Before the trick-or -reating begins, stop by Hi-Art for some candy crafts. Using their favorite sweets, kids will make amazing masterpieces, from pictures and paintings to monsters and magical worlds. Their creations will look good enough to eat! All ages.