A Group of Kids' Musical Carnival

A bunch of kids are surrounding Laura Nupponen, the performer. Zhuoya Ma took the picture on May 1st, 2025.

CAROLINE MCCARTHY, THE HOST.

It’s a sunny spring Thursday in Manhattan, with summer just around the corner. Summer city events are already kicking off…today was the first in the series of concerts for kids in Riverside Park. Uptown radio reporter Zhuoya Ma reports from the opening day of the Moosiki concerts for kids.

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MA: The New York City parks department hosts a wide range of outdoor concerts in the summer, One of them is specifically for younger audiences. Very young. At today’s Moosiki concert, members of the audience danced on blankets, sang along, and waved shakers or other toys along with the performance.

Teddy is here for his first ever concert in Riverside  park. He is 20 months old and joined by his babysitter, Sarah. She says Teddy already has a background in music.

Sarah: We actually have been doing music since Teddy was four months old. He's very familiar with music, and he loves to dance and sing and all the fun things, and so we are just happy to be here. We're excited.

Right, Teddy?  Wow. You want to say something, Teddy? Can you say something, Teddy? No. 

MA: The Moosiki concerts include both music performed live with a band, and storytelling with each show sharing a tale from a picture book. Laura Nupponen is the founder and lead performer of Moosiki kids. She says she developed the shows when she was approached by parks department.

Nupponen: Two years after I started my company, they contacted me and they said, would you do these concerts for kids? And I was very excited about it because I'd always been wanting to do it. 

MA: This is Nupponen’s 9th year of hosting the show…they’re weekly, and free to audiences.

Nupponen: Many of them come every week, which is great. Some of them just come when they can. 

MA: She says although her goal is to entertain, she thinks music brings other benefits for the young audience. 

Nupponen: develop mentally good for their children and fun for them and something that everybody enjoys and being outside enjoying the beautiful weather is wonderful for kids, obviously.

Laura Nupponen, Moosiki founder. Zhuoya Ma took a picture in the riverside park on May 1st, 2025.

MA: Maylene works at Riverside Daycare, she’s been attending the Moosiki shows for the past three summers. Today she’s joined by about a dozen toddlers on a big blanket. Most were dancing along with the music and waving their hands…although one was crying.  

Maylene: The kids absolutely love it. They get so into it. It's very interactive. It keeps the kids' attention so well. They play songs, they give them little shakers and scarves and they do story time and they just soak it all up. They love it. So, will you keep coming for this event? Absolutely.  Every time this year?  Yes. 

MA: Moosiki kids’ concerts are Thursday from 10:30 to 11:15,  from today through June 26th in Riverside Park.

Zhuoya Ma, Columbia Radio News.