Long Island Kids' Activities February 23 & 24: Sleeping Beauty Dreams, Maple Sugaring Demonstration, Purim Character Breakfast

This weekend, catch the opening of Marionetas de la Esquina Family Puppet Theater's Sleeping Beauty Dreams, a humorous, modern take on the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale at the Long Island Children's Museum. Make a day out of it by exploring all the museum has to offer before or after the show. Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park is hosting its Camellia House Weekend with plenty of activities for the entire family. Enjoy live music by the Chamber Players International Saxophone Duo, ukulele music with Josh Kekoa Cho, and a screening of The Great Gatsby. For the kids, there will be crafts, Mad Hatter storytelling, and bingo. Purim is this weekend, and there are opportunities to celebrate this fun and festive holiday right here on Long Island. The Sid Jacobson JCC is hosting a Purim Character Breakfast where you can join Queen Esther, King Achashverosh, and the cast of the Megillah for bagels and more.  You'll also get to make masks and bake hamentaschen. The Chabad of Mid Suffolk is hosting a Purim Family Party complete with masquerade festivities, a Megillah reading, snacks, and a clown. Also on tap: a Maple Sugaring Demonstration at Benner's Farm in Setauket, along with Tea Time with Dolly and Me at the Conklin Barn in Huntington.  As always, please check out our events calendar every day for fun activities for the family!

Saturday

Maple Sugaring Demonstration
Benner's Farm
Setauket
12:00–4:00pm
All ages
$7 adult; $6 seniors and children under 16
631-689-8172
All phases of maple sugaring will be demonstrated at this working family homestead during this popular day. Visit with the animals, help gather sap in the woods, see how the trees are tapped, what kind they are, and how to tell them from the other trees in the woods. Stand in front of the warm fire where the gallons of sap are boiled down to produce the wonderful sweet syrup we all enjoy. Taste the finished syrup and hot pancakes made from scratch.

Live Action Candyland
Farmingdale Public Library
Farmingdale
2:30pm – 3:30pm
Ages kindergarten - 2nd grade
Free
516-249-9090
Enjoy this super-size version of Candyland. Registration required.

Sunday

Purim Character Breakfast
Sid Jacobson JCC
East Hills
9:30am–11:00am
Ages newborn – 7 years
$20 per family
516-484-1545
Join Queen Esther, King Achashverosh, and the cast of the Megillah for a bagel breakfast. Then make masks and bake hamentaschen, the treats representing the villain of the story, for the upside-down, mysterious, wild party that is the holiday Purim.

Purim Family Party
Chabad of Mid Suffolk
Commack
10:00am
All ages
$18 per family
631-543-3343
Masquerade party, Megillah reading, a nosh, and a clown.

Waffle Day
Children's Museum of the East End
Bridgehampton
10:00am
All ages
$18 (includes museum admission)
631-537-8250
Children will mix and add the batter and watch Belgian waffles come out in amazing circus shapes.

Stinky Feet Stew Book Signing
Safari Adventure
Riverhead
12:00pm – 3:00pm
All ages
Free to attend signing. Fee if purchasing a book. Fee if staying for open play
631-727-4386
Author Beth Capodanno will appear for a reading and will sign copies of her book Stinky Feet Stew (available for purchase or bring your previously purchased copy). There will also be a craft activity.

Children's Movie: Trooper and the Legend of the Golden Key
South Huntington Public Library
Huntington Station
2:00pm – 4:00pm
All ages
Free
631-549-4411
Trooper the Bloodhound is a natural-born sleuth, who has just moved into a new town, which has a mysterious legend, a legend of a Golden Key that could be worth one million dollars.

Saturday & Sunday

Sleeping Beauty Dreams Opening Weekend
Long Island Children's Museum
Garden City
1:00pm and 3:00pm
Ages 3 and up
Museum admission plus $5. $10 theater only
516-224-5800
Mexico's Marionetas de la Esquina Family Puppet Theater re-imagines the Brothers Grimm fairy tale as a modern story.

Camellia House Weekend
Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park
Oyster Bay
10:00am – 4:00pm
All ages
No parking fee. Coe Hall admission $10
516-922-8678
Activities include lectures with Vincent Simeone about camellias, live music by Chamber Players International Saxophone Duo, and watercolor demonstrations with Roberta Erlagen. Ukulele music with Josh Kekoa Cho, children’s crafts, Mad Hatter storytelling with Jonathan Kruk & Andrew Sadler, bingo for children, and The Great Gatsby showing in the Buffalo Room.

Tea Time with Dolly and Me
Conklin Barn
Huntington
2:00pm – 4:00pm
Ages 7-12
$25 per child; $10 per adult
631-427-7045
Bring your favorite doll and tea cup. Share stories about your doll. Do simple embroidery, make yarn dolls, and make a toy. Have tea, finger sandwiches, fruits, and sweets. Pre-registration is required.