Thursdays are the new awesome! 

For the month of August the Carousel in Prospect Park is FREE for kids under 12 on Thursdays from 12:00 Noon - 6:00 PM. However (I learned this the hard way...) adults are NOT FREE! So bring $2 (per ride) for yourself if your little one needs you to go with them or if they are under 42" tall. There are restrooms nearby as well as a snack cart with water and ice cream (you know, the essentials). The Carousel is about a 25 minute walk from the Southern most part of the park walking north on East Drive.

Also happening on Thursdays: Nature Exploration at the Audubon Center with various events from 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM ~ FREE~

Enjoying the giant fish pillows at Animal Encounter

We attended the Animal Encounter which starts at 4:00 PM on Thursdays. The space is great with restrooms and a water fountain downstairs (convenient stroller parking!) and a wonderful animal filled room upstairs, a nice play area and there were even volunteers playing nature themed board games with older children. There's a nice bench for parents to rest their weary legs and still keep an eye on the little ones in the play area. This event seemed perfect for kids of all ages. Who doesn't want to feed a snapping turtle at a safe distance? Kids 2-7 would get the most out of this experience. Although the play space is perfect for crawlers. Just a warning to the easily grossed out, they do feed a snake a frozen mouse. Yum and wow. The feeding of the animals doesn't last very long, but I felt the trip was worth it as it was free, educational, exciting and the volunteers were great with the kids. Families lingered in the space afterwards enjoying the animals and the play area. 

Here's the full Thursday schedule for Nature Exploration: 

Discovery Pack, 12–4 pm: The Prospect Park Alliance invites you to get inspired by nature with our new Discovery Packs, a ready-to-go kits filled with nature activities for families.

Nature's Helpers, 1-2 pm: Did you know that trees help trees? After learning how mulch protects tree roots, spend time spreading wood chips around trees.

Bird Nerds Game Hour, 2–3 pm: Test your knowledge of birds in this fun, mildly competitive hour of puzzles, Bingo, card games, and more!

Nature on the Go!, 3 pm: An Alliance Naturalist will lead children and families to areas near the Audubon Center, where you can learn about the nature that is all around us and participate in a Citizen Science project.

Animal Encounter, 4 pm: Curious as to how Snappy the turtle got her name? Want to watch the snake gobble a mouse? Join Alliance Naturalists in learning more about the animals in the Audubon Center’s collection and even assist in an actual feeding.

Here's a map: Audubon Center at the Boathouse.

A VERY similar line up of events also happens on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at varying times. Check out Prospect Park's Website for a full schedule: