I will tell you all the best things to do in New York with kids in just a second, but let me start by saying that I don’t actually consider New York a great travel destination for families with little kids. I know the Internet says otherwise and I am supposed to paint a rosy picture of how wonderful it is to explore the city so nice they named it twice, but I’d rather be honest. Because I wish someone prepared me for what was to come when we decided to stay in New York for two weeks with our boys (3.5 and 1.5 years old at the time).
“Decided” might be a strong word, rather we had to stay in New York so we wanted to make the best of it. This trip turned out to be one of the most stressful and exhausting we have ever had. I still think New York is an amazing city, I just don’t think it’s equipped for little humans.
The metro barely ever has elevators, so if you are traveling with a stroller you’ll have to carry it up and down the staircases a lot. Just being on the street is extremely overstimulating even for me as an adult (the sirens, the bling bling of billboards, the sheer amount of people), let alone for a baby and a toddler. The restaurants rarely have high chairs; forget about changing tables. Kid-friendly activities in NYC are few and far apart.
When you Google “the best things to do with kids in New York”, the suggestions are very much the same as when you Google “the best things to do in New York” period. Which is to say, they recommend you go to the Empire State Building, for example, without mentioning that you have to stay in a long line of people and doing it with toddlers is not fun.
Some even say, go to the MET or MOMA. Have you been to an art museum with two little kids? They run in opposite directions. You won’t be able to stay a single minute in front of a painting, let alone read the label and contemplate its meaning.
The lists of kid-friendly restaurants usually include suggestions for over-the-top desserts, but I didn’t find a single restaurant that would have a kid’s corner with toys.
All in all, I think most of the articles are geared toward older kids. I can see how New York with a 10-year-old could be totally enjoyable. But if you are traveling with a toddler (for now), then you are in the rigth place!
In the two weeks we spent in NYC, through trial and error, we found some amazing places that our kids loved and where we, as parents, felt a bit more relaxed. These are the places I want to share with you.
A few tips for traveling to New York with kids:
- If you are flying into New York, bring your own car seats. The taxi in NYC is not obliged to provide car seats for children.
- If your budget allows, rent a hotel or an apartment in a good neighborhood in Manhattan. First of all, you don’t want to spend a lot of time on public transport in the morning and then again in the evening. The city tends to suck all the energy out of you as it is. If you can walk or do a quick metro trip to your hotel, life will be easier.
- Bring a travel stroller (we have a YoYo), there will be a lot of carrying of the stroller up and down the stairs when you use the metro.
- My goal in New York wasn’t to cover all the major children-friendly entertainment spots. With little kids, you simply cannot do one thing after the other. You need breaks in between for everyone to rest, calm down, and settle. So this list includes a lot of playrounds, quiet play rooms and parks. I know it may seem boring, but it’s only after a few days in NYC with kids that I realized how I craved to be away from the hustle and bustle of the city if only for an hour.
- For me, the most successful strategy was to combine things I wanted to do with the things the kids would love. Go to a museum (nothing major like the MET), then spend an hour at a playground. Check out a third-wave coffee shop, then let the kids run around in a park. If that sounds like something you’d like to do, I included notes on cool things to do and eat for parents near the kid’s attractions I recommend.
16 Things to Do in New York with Little Kids
Color Factory
This might have been my favorite family activity in New York of all. I was skeptical and worried this place would be just a marketing ploy to extract 39 USD per person, but we ended up loving it.
Color Factory is an interactive exhibition with over a dozen rooms each dedicated to exploring color in a new, unusual way. The great thing: you can touch everything, run around, and play. My kids had so much fun in every room, but we all especially loved the disco room where you put on headphones and party like there’s no tomorrow while music is blasting in your ears.
It might have been crowded when it first opened, but when we visited few people were inside. Sometimes we would be the only ones in the room. We spent about 1.5 hours inside.
Tip: after the Color Factory (or before) you can stop at Dominique Ansel’s Bakery (a 5-minute walk away) for a coffee and a cronut or one of the many many delicious pastries they offer. It’s my absolute favorite bakery in New York, even if it makes me sound banal. 787 Coffee, a great coffee shop is also nearby.
Lego Store
There are two locations in New York: the flagship store on 5th Avenue and the Flatiron store. The flagship store is more fun for kids: more installations that little ones can explore and touch, but it is also crowded and loud. The Flatiron location we visited is smaller in comparison and quieter. My older son is very much into Lego, so we went to Flatiron specifically to buy a set for him.
Tip: right next to the Lego Store is Eataly, an Italian marketplace where we had lunch afterwards. There are several pricey restaurants inside, but if you want something more affordable they sell delicious panini. My husband and my older son ended up staying at one of the tables for another hour and building the Lego set we had bought.
FAO Schwarz
The world’s most iconic toy store (or so they claim on their website), FAO Schwarz is actually pretty cool. It was opened in 1862 by Frederick August Otto Schwarz, a German-born immigrant. Now you know what the name of the store stands for.
Since its opening, the store has been through a lot, including declaring bankruptcy, being bought over, and changing locations several times. In 2018 it reopened at its current location at 30 Rockefeller Plaza.
Inside, you’ll find several stories full of toys from all over the world. I was happy to find traditional German Steiff bears and Sri Lankan Tikiri rubber toys that my kids have. The store offers plenty of interactive experiences: there’s a build-a-bear workshop, you can style your own Barbie or try out the dance-on piano, made famous by Tom Hanks in the movie Big. It’s not that actual piano from the movie, but a smaller replica.
Pier 35
On most days in New York, I tried to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and find a quiet spot. Pier 35 was just that: a beautiful serene space where the kids could run around while I enjoyed the views of Manhattan skyline.
Pier 35 is a section of the East River Waterfront Esplanade, a two-mile-long walkway along the East River that was recently completed. The stars of the show are the massive metal swings with a view of the water and the skyline.
We came in the morning on a weekday and there were barely any people. In comparison to the narrow crowded streets of NYC, this place felt like a breath of fresh air.
Tip: as Pier 35 is located in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, it’s a good idea to grab a meal somewhere in LES, Chinatown, or Little Italy and then walk to the pier for a little impromptu picnic. You can find my post with the best restaurants in the Lower East Side here.
Children’s Magical Garden
Yet another great spot in the Lower East Side is Children’s Magical Garden, a community garden with a focus on after-school programs and events for kids and their parents (and growing vegetables and plants, of course). The garden is not a touristy spot, rather it’s aimed at local families, especially the ones who live in the LES. But it welcomes everyone, locals and tourists alike.
The garden was created by Carmen Rubio in 1982 on a burnt-down site. Over 40 years later it is still open daily, from 3 to 6 pm (from 1 to 6 pm on the weekends). It is run by volunteers. When we came here for the first time, it was closed despite the opening hours, so we had to call the number on the sign and it turned our the volunteer was running a bit late.
It is free to use. The garden is not too big but provides enough space for kids to run, play on the swing, and explore the plants (in the warmer months). Check out their Instagram and Facebook page to see if there’s an event on the day you visit.
I wouldn’t necessarily make a trip out here if you are staying in a different neighborhood and don’t have too much time in New York. But the garden is great to include in your itinerary if you are exploring the Lower East Side, Chinatown, or Little Italy. Then it can be a great resting spot after all the sightseeing to let the kids unwind.
Staten Island Ferry
Another cool thing to do in NYC that is not specifically aimed at kids, but which our kids absolutely loved is riding on the Staten Island Ferry to see the Statue of Liberty. Ok, maybe we were a little more excited about the Statue of Liberty, the kids were mainly amazed by being on a ferry.
To take the ferry you have to come to the Whitehall Ferry Terminal in Lower Manhattan. The ride itself takes about 30 minutes, after which you disembark and embark right back onto the ferry again. Then another 30 minutes back to Manhattan. With all the anticipation of the ferry, the embarking and disembarking, the wind in our face, we didn’t notice how 1.5 hours flew by.
The process sounds more complicated than it really is. If you want more details, check out this helpful guide on all things Staten Island Ferry.
Tip: if, after the ferry trip, you’d like to explore more of Lower Manhattan, go to Battery Park and ride the SeaGlass Carousel. We didn’t have the time to check it out ourselves, unfortunately, but it was high on my list of things to do with kids in New York.
Children’s Museum of Manhattan
The word “museum” in the name might give you the wrong idea because Children’s Museum of Manhattan is really a huge playroom for kids of all ages rather than an actual museum. Spread over several stories are all kinds of activities and interactive experiences for kids. What’s great about this place is that the kids don’t just play, but learn too.
The exhibit Adventures with Dora and Diego, for example, takes the form of an animal rescue mission, where the kids learn facts about animals and their habitats. Inside Art is designed to let the kids engage with contemporary art and artists. It’s the kind of space where you can let the kids run around and play while you sit on one of the benches and chill (in my books, that’s perfect!).
The games, while fun and interactive, are not too overwhelming. It did get crowded in the afternoon during our visit, but you can always go from one floor to another in search of a quieter space. It is recommended to buy tickets online in advance.
American Museum of Natural History
This museum is quite literally on every guide of things to do with kids in New York, because of dinosaurs, duh! And for once I’ll agree, that going to a museum with little kids can be cool, you just need to plan strategically.
First of all, we came right at the opening time to avoid crowds. Second, we went straight to the dinosaurs exhibit, skipping everything else, because a museum is still a museum. And even life-size dinosaurs will hold the attention of two toddlers for only so long. We covered the whole exhibit in a record one hour. The kids were amazed but moved from one dinosaur to the next so quickly that we barely had time to read the labels.
As an adult, I was fascinated myself. You can see part of the first Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton ever discovered, the skull of Triceratops, and most impressive Titanosaur, the biggest dinosaur to walk on Earth.
All in all, it was quite an expensive hour ($28 per adult, $16 for children from 3 years old), but it was fun for the whole family and I’d do it again.
Tip: afterward, you can spend time at Central Park. Below I give a few recommendations of our favorite playgrounds there.
Children’s Center
Children’s Center (at Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library) is part of the New York Public Library, just across the road from the main building. It’s located smack in the city center, on a crowded street, yet when you walk inside, it’s so peaceful and serene, as if you stepped into a different world.
There are so many things to see and do in the area: starting from the New York Public Library itself that is drop-dead gorgeous to running around in Bryant Park to exploring Grand Central Terminal. And once you feel too overwhelmed by the noise and crowds, head to the Children’s Center (ask the attendant on the ground floor how to get to the kid’s area).
Inside, you’ll find plenty of kids’ books, obviously, a few toys, tables and chairs. We spent about 2 hours here, reading, building Lego we brought with us and just taking a breather from the noise of the city.
Bryant Park
Luckily, New York has plenty of parks and green spaces where the kids can run around. Bryant Park is one of my favorites because it’s located right behind the New York Public Library that I adore. You can grab a meal from one of the restaurants in the area and have it on the grass or at one of the tables in the park.
There’s a little Breads Bakery kiosk right at the corner of the park, at the cross-section of W 42nd Street and 6th Avenue. Here you can get amazing pastries (their chocolate babka and rugelach are especially popular) and a cup of coffee. For the kids, the main attraction is the carousel.
Le Carrousel, as it’s called, was designed with both European and American traditions in mind. 14 ornate animals revolve to the sounds of French cabaret music. At $4 a ride, it’s one of the cheapest things to do with kids in NYC.
Central Park Carousel
Central Park is one of the most commonly recommended places to visit with kids in NYC. We came here multiple times during our two-week stay. It’s nice to be in nature, but my kids are not fans of simply walking around and taking in beautiful views. So even at Central Park, we tried to find some activities. There are several cool playgrounds (more about them below). But our favorite was the carousel. Yes, again! At $3.25 per ride, we did a few rounds to everyone’s immense joy. It’s cash only!
Tip: another thing that is highly recommended is the Central Park Zoo. We didn’t get a chance to visit it, but maybe you can!
Our Favorite Playgrounds in NYC
Ancient playground
Located on the east side of Central Park, at 85th Street, Ancient Playground was inspired by the Egyptian Art collection at the MET. It was designed in 1973 by Richard Dattner who created several other so-called adventure playgrounds in Central Park.
The space is made to resemble an ancient city with pyramids, an obelisk, and a sundial. It’s one of the few playgrounds in New York that has a sandpit (no idea why it’s not a common feature at local playgrounds).
Tip: nearby are the MET and Guggenheim Museum (in case one parent can look after the kids, and another enjoy art). Also nearby is Lexington Candy Shop, the only diner in NYC that still serves sodas the traditional way (by mixing syrup with carbonated water). If your kids are old enough to drink soda, this may be a fun experience.
Heckscher Playground
Heckscher Playground is the largest and oldest playground in Central Park. Its main feature is that it’s located by the Umpire Rock, a huge bedrock formed around 500 million years ago. A nice view of the Midtown skyline opens from the playground.
While it was first built in 1926, it was later reimagined into an adventure playground by Richard Dattner (the same architect who designed the Ancient playground). This type of playground is made to inspire imaginative play and encourage kids to explore on their own.
Important to know: there’s a big water play area, so bring an extra set of clothes for the kids. They will inevitably be wet from head to toe.
Tip: this playground is close to the Central Park Zoo and the Carousel. Also nearby is Venchi Chocolate & Gelato at Columbus Circle (8 min walk). The ice cream is absolutely amazing, but the shop gets crowded and there are only a few tables outside.
Police Officer Moira Ann Smith Playground (at Madison Square Park)
This playground is great if you are exploring Flatiron District. Nearby are the Flatiron building, Eataly, Lego Store, and the original Shake Shack location. It features tire swings, slides, water fountains, and water-spouting alphabet blocks. We came here several times, both in the morning and afternoon and it was always quite crowded, but not overly so. Mostly, it felt fun and energetic.
Outside of the playground is a little enclosed area for dogs to run which was an attraction in and of itself for our kids. Street musicians also often play at Madison Square Park.
Important to know: there’s a small water play area, so bring an extra set of clothes for the kids.
Bleeker Playground
This was an accidental find that made me happy. First of all, this playground has a sandpit, as mentioned before, a rarity in NYC. Second, it has plenty of toys that belong to the playground, so you don’t have to carry a bag of shovels and buckets with you. There are balls, little cars to ride, sand toys and whatnot. The toys entertained my kids fo a lot longer and gave me a chance to have my coffee in peace.
Tip: nearby there are a lot of cool things to do and eat. Chelsey Market is about 10 minutes away on foot. Magnolia Bakery is a minute walk away. Try their signature banana pudding or cupcakes if you want to be like Carrie Bradshaw. By the way, Carry Bradshaw’s apartment is also right around the corner. The building from Friends is nearby too.
Imagination playground
I have mixed feelings about this playground. I found it online and the description was quite mind-blowing: “designed by famed architect David Rockwell, an interactive, transformable space that prompts children to manipulate their environment and create a play space of their own with sand, water, and loose parts. With giant foam blocks, mats, wagons, fabric, and crates at their fingertips, children have the potential to build and explore endless possibilities.”
Once we arrived, it was clear that the playground was not conventional, but many of the promised features were simply not there. The water fountains didn’t work, there were no building blocks, mats or wagons. We still had a good time, the playground was beautiful, although with not too much to do. I wouldn’t make a trip out here just for the playground, but if you are already in the area, it’s worth it.
Tip: the playground is right by Pier 17, so you can stroll by the waterfront and the kids can run around. Also just around the corner is McNally Jackson Books, an awesome bookshop located in the historic Schermerhorn Row building, built in 1811. It spans two floors and offers over 65 000 books, including a variety of children’s books. Not the least important is that they have a coffee shop on the ground floor.
These were my (and my kids’) favorite things to do in NYC! Let me know in comments below if you have more recommendations! I’d love to hear from you!
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