New York City is not just a fun places for kids or adults for great food, culture, and entertainment. The city offers just as many activities for children as the entire family can enjoy. Numerous attractions and museums are suitable for children, and even the playgrounds in New York City are worth visiting.
Pizza places in New York City and other child-friendly restaurants provide the same quality and service to customers of all ages. There is an endless list of typical New York experiences suitable for children: Broadway shows, baseball games, Coney Island, and more.
For those who visit the city regularly, there are many options outside the city, like trails for family-friendly hiking, day trips, and weekend escapes suitable for children.
Exploring New York City with your children can be a revelation and may be tiring, but it is worth the effort.
Best things to do in NYC with kids
American Museum of Natural History:
The American Museum of Natural History, located on the Upper West Side, is popular not just in New York City. It is a worldwide attraction that draws visitors from across the world.
There is a good reason for this: From discovering different species in the Hall of Biodiversity to walking beneath the massive whale in the Milstein Family Hall of Ocean Life, visitors could spend the entire day admiring the exhibits and still not see everything in this grand building.
If the children (or even you and your partner) want to sleep under the vast whale, check out the museum’s sleepover options.
Governors Island
For a unique New York City experience, visit this former military base with brick buildings and green lawns. It feels like a New England college has been moved to an island in New York Harbor. Take a ferry ride (the island is just 800 yards from Manhattan .), and you will find yourself in a park-like environment with meandering paths, play areas, and some excellent food trucks.
It is a haven for children, a fun place to run around and let off steam. This seasonal location reopens every spring and bursts to life in the summer heat when the cool sea breezes make a trip to Governors Island a great idea.
Classic NY Pizza Restaurants
Everyone agrees that pizza is crucial to a New Yorker’s diet. The best place to find pizza in the city is a topic of debate though we do have our thoughts on this.
From traditional spots like di Fara to modern establishments like Paulie Gee’s, pizza places in NYC always leave us craving more. Involve the kids in the debate and sample them all.
Central Park Attractions
Parks and gardens Central Park Central Park’s distinctive history, easy access, and design make it the most famous park in New York City, and one of the most renowned green spaces globally.
It was the first public park in the United States, and it attracts about 25 million visitors annually. It houses 36 bridges, arches, approximately 50 monuments, fountains, sculptures, and even a castle.
Most importantly for families, the park has 21 playgrounds, the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theater, delightful paddleboat rentals, and the Central Park Zoo.
Ice Cream Restaurants
Take a look at our list of the top ice cream shops in NYC for children. Regardless of what you and your group are in the mood for, these fun places for kids are wonderful. From traditional cones and cups to more innovative options, these must-visit spots serve delicious daily treats.
New Victory Theater Theater Midtown West
As soon as the curtain lifts in this beautiful, small theatre, children feel that something truly special is about to occur; the New Vic presents high-quality, thought-provoking theatre productions for a young audience. These family-friendly shows come from all around the world, with amazing stories that include everything from stunning new plays to reinterpreted classics and huge puppets to acrobatic breakdancers.
Performances are tailored for specific age groups, including pre-schoolers, elementary school students, tweens, and teens. Activities like professional workshops, pre-show crafts, and other themed programs enhance the audience’s enjoyment of the show.
Parents will appreciate the venue’s focus on families’ affordable ticket prices, Autism-friendly performances, free lockers, stroller parking, and plenty of booster seats; these considerate features make taking kids to the theatre less stressful.
Grand Central Terminal Attractions
Historic buildings and sites Midtown East Even though 750,000 visitors pass through its doors daily, the celestial ceiling in the main terminal of Grand Central Station can virtually freeze time. Despite its dark green colour and depiction of the traditional zodiac, there is one issue: It is technically incorrect.
Shortly after it was installed in 1913, a visitor pointed out certain astronomical errors, such as the position of Orion. However, children who have not recently completed an intensive study of constellations in school will still be amazed.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art Museums
Art and design Central Park price 3 of 4 In the well-known children’s book “From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler,” a clever brother and sister make the Met their home, spending their days in the galleries and their nights in the recreated chateau bedrooms.
A stroll through the museum reveals why this fantasy is still captivating: You can go from an Egyptian temple to a Frank Lloyd Wright house to the armour of Henry VIII, and you have only seen a small portion of one floor of this enormous building.
Tips for families: Use the family entrance located on the left of grand staircase on the plaza level (it is stroller-friendly, and there are no lines .); request the free Family Guides that bring the museum to life for young minds; and do not miss the storytime events at the Nolan Library.
NYC Ferry
The most spectacular view in New York is from the centre of the East River: There is nothing like sitting on the top deck of an NYC Ferry as it sails under the Manhattan, Williamsburg, and Brooklyn Bridges. As an official part of the city’s transportation system, a ferry ride is affordable, and children under 44 inches tall ride for free.
Additional ferry routes are introduced every year; service to Coney Island is expected to start later in 2022. Travelling by boat always adds a touch of fun to your journey.
Kid-Friendly Arcades in NYC
Kids enjoy visiting arcades to play games, not on their phones or tablets. When you enter fun places for kids like Dave & Buster’s or Chinatown Fair, children get very excited, just like when they see the lights of a pinball machine. It’s important to give the children a chance to play the games.
Brooklyn Bridge
Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge, you can see beautiful sights of downtown Manhattan, including the Freedom Tower, the Statue of Liberty, and Governors Island. The bridge is also known for its famous arches. Even though there are many tourists, the view is worth it.
If you are walking from Manhattan, you can enjoy a tasty treat at Ample Hills Creamery at the end of the bridge. If you are hungry, visit Time Out Market New York for various delicious foods.
NYCFC at Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium is known for baseball, but it also hosts soccer games for NYCFC. It is a great place to take children because the atmosphere is welcoming, and the tickets are affordable. NYCFC is a strong soccer team and could win the championship. There is another soccer team nearby in Harrison, NJ, that is also good.
Roosevelt Island Tramway
The Roosevelt Island Tramway is like a ride at an amusement park but operated by the city’s transportation system. You can get on the tram at 59th St and Second Ave and enjoy views of the Queensboro Bridge and the river. Visit the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms State Park and take the tram for great views.
Children’s Museum of the Arts
This museum is a place where children can be artists. They create sculptures, paintings, and other artworks. Kids from everywhere come here to use their imagination and make art during the museum’s daily activities.
Rose Center for Earth and Space
The American Museum of Natural History is not just a place for fossils, sea creatures, and artefacts. It also houses the Rose Center for Space and Earth, which has a huge Hayden Sphere inside a glass enclosure.
Families can learn about the universe’s 13-billion-year history, discover interesting facts about stars, planets, and galaxies, and watch the “Worlds Beyond Earth” space show, which started in 2020.
Just Kidding at Symphony Space
Symphony Space has a weekend program for families that celebrates the arts. It includes music, literature, dance, and theatre events that kids will love. They can enjoy everything from rock bands and circus acts to beatboxing and puppetry.
During the Thalia Kids Book Club, young readers can participate in creative writing exercises and ask questions of their favourite authors.
New York Aquarium
The New York Aquarium is a great place to see marine life. It is located near the Coney Island Boardwalk and is home to many starfish, fish, mammals and birds that live in the water.
Kids can watch seals, otters, and penguins sunbathing on the rocks before they dive into the water to cool off or find food. Sea lions perform amazing behaviours in the aqua theatre during special shows. If you’re looking for something more thrilling, check out the sharks.
Brooklyn Bridge Park
Brooklyn Bridge Park is a beautiful waterfront area along the East River. It has sports facilities for shuffleboard, basketball, bocce, and roller skating at Pier 2. You can relax at Pier 3 with a book and blanket or take a quiet walk without traffic noise with the help of Sound Attenuating Hill.
Kids will love the playground at Pier 6, which has beautifully landscaped play areas, including the Water Lab with water for splashing and New York’s largest sandbox.
Snug Harbor Cultural Center
Snug Harbor is a scenic cultural centre with an interactive Staten Island Children’s Museum. Families can explore hands-on exhibits, participate in song and dance, and do craft projects.
Remember to visit the Connie Gretz Secret Garden, where kids can wander through a maze of shrubs inspired by Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic novel.
Visit during the Winter Lantern Festival to see the grounds transformed into a wonderland of dazzling displays featuring Asian themes, such as pandas, dragons, and flowers.
Strand Book Store
The Strand Book Store has a huge collection of more than 2 million discounted books. The store is filled with towering shelves of books, which can be overwhelming. There are discounts for reviewers in the basement, while rare books can be found upstairs.
The bookstore hosts a variety of readings by fiction writers, biographers, graphic novelists, and political analysts. Staff run weekly storytimes, popular children’s writers read there, and book characters visit.
Some Questions
What are fun places for kids in NYC?
Times Square is super fun. It’s a big, bright place with lots of screens and people.
Where can we learn about dinosaurs?
The American Museum of Natural History has a huge collection of dinosaur bones.
Is there a place to play with numbers and math?
Yes. The National Museum of Mathematics makes math really fun.
Can we see cool animals in NYC?
Yes, the Bronx Zoo has a special Children’s Zoo just for kids.
