Just like last week, there’s another random holiday breaking up the normal public school routine. It’s a Wednesday, which means Broadway matinees are an option if you feel like spending some bucks. (You may be able to snag discounted seats. Check out our guide to scoring cheap theater tickets.) Let’s hope for the same kind of fabulous weather we had on Election Day, so we can spend the day outside. But if your brood (or you) get tired of the playground, here are a few free activity options.

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The Children’s Place is really rewarding its Facebook friends! Just a few days after its Facebook gift card giveaway ended, the kiddie clothing chain is at it again: Every day, one lucky fan will win a Leapfrog prize package worth up to $70. Just click here to become a fan. Even if you don’t snag the goods, The Children’s Place always posts great deals and discounts on its page.

“Happy Birthday to you, You belong in a zoo….”

Never will the words to that song ring truer than this Sunday, when the Bronx Zoo celebrates its 110th birthday.
The first 110 visitors to arrive will receive free admission—that’s a value $52 for a family of four—so arrive early (the zoo opens at 10am). In honor of the occasion, the wildlife conservation society is throwing a fabulous shindig (just in case seeing tons of animals isn’t enough of a draw for your kids to make the trip). On the lineup of activities is a cake-cutting ceremony (of course), performances throughout the day by the Wildlife Theater players and lots of learning demonstrations involving the zoo’s resident sea lions.

It seems like NYC’s gone nutty for Sesame Street. In honor of the iconic kids’ show’s 40th season (do you feel as old as us?), there’s an upcoming exhibit at the Brooklyn Public Library, prominently featuring the new book, Sesame Street: A Celebration of 40 Years of Life on the Street; a new Sesame Street Live stage show hitting MSG in February; and a retrospective DVD, Sesame Street: 40 Years of Sunny Days, chronicling four decades of top-notch edutainment. Time Out Kids is getting in on the celebration with two cool giveaways: Enter to win a family four-pack of tickets to see Sesame Street Live: When Elmo Grows Up and try to snag one of five copies of the new Sunny Days DVD. Nothing better than free stuff to chase “the clouds away…”

The tastes may be a bit sophisticated for tots, so think of this as your own pre-Halloween treat. In honor of Kyotofu’s third birthday today, the dainty all-things-soy-milk restaurant is giving away sample packs of its new seasonal treats: Pumpkin Kabocha Cupcakes, Chestnut Cupcakes, Japanese Sweet Potato Bites and and Ginger Spice Financiers. On second thought, who are we to say your kid won’t enjoy Japanese winter squash?

Via Serious Eats.

We adore candy corn with a love bordering on obsession, but maybe your kids want to step it up a bit this Halloween. On Saturday, October 31st between 4pm and 6pm, fancy-pants shop Maison du Chocolat is giving out free mini choco bars to kids under 13 at its three NYC locations. Your child will score either a silky, dark chocolate Akosombo bar or a creamy, milk chocolate Monsera bar—even the names sound so much more impressive than a Special Dark or a Crunch bar.

In one of the weirder (but kind of cool) tie-ins we’ve seen, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! in Times Square is offering free entry to kids sporting Yankees caps. Young fans ages 4 to 16 of the World Series-bound home team receive complimentary admission through November 6 when they visit with one paying adult. Although the tourist spot is known for its collection of bizarre rarities like shrunken heads and and six-legged animals, the museum has also acquired baseball artifacts over the years: a 1931 wooden novelty postcard signed by 16 players, including Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth, and three seats taken from the original Yankee Stadium in 1923. As for Mets fans…maybe next year.