Planning to pay a visit to New York City with the family? There are plenty of fun things to do in NYC with kids. Whether it is their first time in the Big Apple or have been there many times before, there is always something new to see and explore.
The city that never sleeps offers a variety of activities for children. Museums, parks, vintage trains, climbing walls, space shuttles, climbing coasters, zoos, playgrounds are just a few of the kid-friendly entertainment found around New York City.
Family-friendly and Fun Things to Do in NYC with Kids
A trip to New York City with kids will yield plenty of wonderful memories and there is much to take in.
In this article, we try to cover places and attractions that are specifically well suited for kids and families, and not replicate our list of things to do in New York City for first time visitors. Here’s our take on the best and most fun things to do in NYC with kids.
Museums
In New York City, there is a museum to suit every age, interest, and attention span. While some are specifically geared towards children, you shouldn’t limit yourself or your children to these “children’s” museums.
Many of the major institutions, including MoMA, the Guggenheim and the Met will provide activities for younger visitors. You can ask the admission desk or check online for the latest details.
Nonetheless, if you feel that your toddler would do better in play areas that are specifically tailored to their needs there are such child-friendly museums too. At these type of institutions, you will find facilities like a play centre and interactive exhibits made for children under the age of five.
Let’s dive into our picks of museums that you can visit in New York City with kids.
American Museum of Natural History
Children of all ages and interests should visit the American Museum of Natural History while in New York City.
The American Natural History Museum is the biggest in the world with 45 exhibition halls that take up four city blocks and houses more than 34 million items from the land and the sea, and even space.
The enormous blue whale and the gigantic dinosaurs fossils on display alone are worth the trip.
The iconic and breathtaking collection of dinosaur and mammal fossils that occupies the entire fourth floor is where the majority of visitors start.
Highlights include a T. rex, an apatosaurus and the titanosaur, whose head protrudes out the exhibit hall’s door because it is so long—122 feet— and can’t fit inside.
The dinosaur specimens are grouped together based on their shared traits.
Add to it a wildlife diorama, an IMAX theatre, and exhibits on ancient cultures and you can easily spend hours at the museum.
The American Museum of Natural History also explores the cosmos and highlights how little we actually know about it. Dark Universe at the Hayden Planetarium is a must-see. Then pay a visit to reptiles and amphibians on the third floor to see the Komodo Dragon and a 23-foot-long python.
American Museum of Natural History’s new Gilder Centre connects to the rest of the museum’s four floors and offers new exhibition galleries and one-of-a-kind experiences, such as an insectarium, butterfly vivarium, floor-to-ceiling collections displays, and more.
Kids will also love the immersive experience Invisible Worlds and the Davis Family Butterfly Vivarium, both of which require additional tickets.
The space shows at the Hayden Planetarium (separate tickets required) are a big hit too!
Lower East Side Tenement Museum
The Lower East Side Tenement Museum gives visitors a look into the early New Yorkers’ lives, specifically those of immigrant families.
Ages six and up can take guided tours of restored tenement homes and get a taste of history as you step through the museum.
New York Transit Museum
The New York Transit Museum offers an overview of the history of NYC’s public transportation, from horses to the subway.
This museum is located in downtown Brooklyn and is housed in a former subway station. It has a pretend-drive bus, vintage subway cars and old advertisements and maps.
Experience this entertaining museum’s displays of vintage trains and memorabilia by descending into an old 1930’s subway station that houses the museum.
You can walk through turnstiles and trains while sitting behind the wheel of a former city bus. This gives off a vintage vibe thanks to its original signage, upholstery, and advertising.
The New York Transit Museum gift shop sells novelty items like socks inspired by the tube system and replicas of decorative tiles.
If you are looking for something slightly off the beaten path for things to do with kids in nyc, especially kids who are crazy over buses, trains and transportation, a visit to the New York Transit Museum is a must-do.
Where: 99 Schermerhorn St, Brooklyn, NY 11201, USA
Website
Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Children can run, touch, and be kids the Brooklyn Children’s Museum. A working greenhouse and art experiences are among the exhibits at the museum but the focal point is World Brooklyn, a maze of rooms devoted to various cultures found in New York City, including an Italian pizzeria, a Hispanic bakery, and an MTA bus replica.
Founded in 1899 as the world’s first children’s museum, The Brooklyn Children’s Museum develops activities that spark curiosity, celebrate individuality, and promote joyful learning.
The Brooklyn Children’s Museum has cultural and natural history collections that cover antiquities and archeology, African culture, along with a geological collection and more. The most well known collection in the museum is its dolls. This is made up over 2,000 objects collected from around the world.
A particular highlight is the rare 36-piece set of Queen Elizabeth II coronation dolls created by Madame Alexander in 1953.
It has other fantastic interactive exhibits, like a greenhouse, and is best suited for children under eight years old.
The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
An aircraft carrier turned museum, the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum is home to the first space shuttle, the world’s fastest jets, a submarine from the Cold War, the interactive Exploreum Hall, flight simulators, and other exhibits.
Manhattan’s only floating museum, the Intrepid, a 900-foot-long aircraft carrier that was launched in 1943 and decommissioned in 1974, is a historic, nonprofit, and educational institution unlike any other.
A moving multimedia presentation recounts the carrier’s most trying day of service—the day kamikaze pilots attacked it during World War II.
28 aircraft, including a Lockheed A-12 spy plane and an Avenger torpedo bomber from World War II, are located on the ship’s various indoor and outdoor decks.
Kids will especially love the interactive Exploreum where they can use a flight simulator, send Morse code messages, and experience what it was like to live on the enormous carrier through hands-on exhibits.
On the flight deck of the Intrepid, the space shuttle Enterprise—NASA’s initial prototype orbiter that helped launch the space-shuttle program—is kept in a climate-controlled pavilion.
On the flight deck of the Intrepid, the space shuttle Enterprise—NASA’s initial prototype orbiter that helped launch the space-shuttle program—is kept in a climate-controlled pavilion. The history of the shuttle and NASA’s decades-long space-shuttle programme are shared by the surrounding exhibits. Growler, the only American guided-missile submarine accessible to the general public, is berthed next to the Intrepid. Growler provides visitors with an up-close tour of the former “top-secret” missile command centre as well as an inside look at life in a submarine.
The world’s fastest passenger jet, a retired British Airways Concorde, is also included in the museum’s collection. The Concorde Alpha Delta G-BOAD, a world-record-holding aircraft, currently holds the record for the quickest Concorde Atlantic crossing.
Where: Pier 86, W 46th St, New York, NY 10036, USA
Website
Museum of Mathematics
Through interactive puzzles, games, exhibits, and hands-on tools like square-wheel tricycles, the Museum of Mathematics (MoMath) makes learning about what some kids may find a tedious subject fun.
It is the only math-focused cultural institution in North America and at the modern, two-storey Museum of Mathematics achives the ideal fun-to-math ratio.
Children can learn about swarm robotics and interact with twenty small, glowing robots that resemble Roombas at the well-known Robot Swarm exhibition.
There are also square-wheel trikes, human fractal trees, virtual 3-D geometric shapes (which can be printed out on a 3-D printer for a fee), the use of lasers to explore object cross sections, a variety of puzzles, and other mind-bending activities are all available for kids.
Preschoolers can enjoy many interactive exhibits like the Math Square, a light-up floor programmed with math games, simulations, and patterns
Overall, the exhibits at the Museum of Mathematics are best suited for children ages six and up.
Children’s Museum of Manhattan
The Children’s Museum of Manhattan, which is housed in a lovely Upper West Side neighbourhood, is more about activities than exhibits. Here, kids can easily pass three to four hours exploring the museum’s four levels.
Each level focuses on a different area of the physical and intellectual growth of children. This place is tons of fun for young children.
Kids can paint their own masterpieces, float boats down a “stream” (if the weather permits), save animals with Dora and Diego (in an exhibition made in collaboration with Nickelodeon), and walk through enormous interactive human organs.
The lower level H2O water play area is a favourite spot for many kids. There are many boats, fish, and water spouts and sprays to pique the interest of aspiring young scientists.
The third floor, another favourite area, has a huge fire truck and bus as well as a kitchen area with a tonne of pretend food. There is even a fireman pole that kids can slide down.
Special exhibits at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan are well-planned and entertaining.
With so many different play areas and rooms to explore, you may find that kids won’t want to leave. It is especially great for children under the age of eight.
New York City Fire Museum
The museum, located at 278 Spring Street in Hudson Square, west of SoHo, is housed in a restored 1904 Beaux-Arts firehouse. Here, you can view a collection of fire-related artwork and artifacts, dating from the 18th century to the present.
Firefighting equipment on display include hand-pumped fire engines, horse-drawn vehicles, early motorised apparatus, and tools and equipment for fighting fires.
The New York City Fire Museum provides excellent overview of the NYC Fire Department’s history in the city. There are 19th-century antique fire engines have been painstakingly restored, and there is also a collection of memorabilia from the city’s various volunteer and eventually professional firefighting organisations.
For kids who are interested in fire fighting, this is a fun thing to do in NYC.
Where: 278 Spring Street, between Varick and Hudson Streets, in Manhattan’s Hudson Square district.
Website
Parks and Playgrounds
Central Park
Central Park’s 843 acres are a good place to start if you are looking for a place where the kids can enjoy some outdoor breathing room while in NYC.
There are rowing boats on the lake, a carousel ride, zoos to explore, bike rentals, picnicking, or simply opportunities to stroll around and taking in the park’s musicians, performers.
And did we mention that Central Park has 21 playgrounds? No wonder plenty of families will make a day or half a day at Central Park part of their holiday itinerary in New York City with kids.
The Battery
In the southernmost part of Manhattan, The Battery, previously known as Battery Park, offers a getaway from the Financial District’s congested, winding and busy streets.
The SeaGlass Carousel, numerous monuments, and Castle Clinton, an old fort, are among the park’s attractions.
Several ferry terminals can be found in the vicinity. These include the Whitehall Terminal for the Staten Island Ferry, and the boat launch for the Statue of Liberty National Monument (which includes Ellis Island and Liberty Island), as well as the boat jetty for Governors Island.
Kids can also pay a visit to The Battery’s Playscape, the park’s children’s playground. Kids can explore five ecological zones: Bluff, which features five granite slides; Riverbed and Marsh, which feature expansive gardens that can withstand saltwater, elevated tree houses, and sand and water play; and Dune and Meadow, which is home to ShowBox, the first improv/puppet theatre in a NYC playground.
Spend some time to sit on a bench and enjoy the view, which includes Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.
On clear days, you can see as far as the shipping cranes in Port Elizabeth, Governors Island and hilly Staten Island in the distance.
Brooklyn Bridge Park
Brooklyn Bridge Park has several creative playgrounds, Jane’s Carousel, the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory, a public swimming pool, and a variety of kid-friendly music, arts, and kite-flying festivals.
You can also pack a picnic and enjoy the waterfront views found at Brooklyn Bridge Park.
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Brooklyn Botanic Garden or BBG, a lush 52-acre oasis, enchants with its assortment of “gardens within the garden,” which include a charming Shakespeare garden, a stunning rose garden, and a Japanese hill-and-pond garden.
Every spring, the Japanese cherry arbour transforms into an incredible cloud of pink, and the Sakura Matsuri two-day festival of cherry blossoms is the biggest public garden event in America.
There are numerous entrances, and numerous free garden tours are accessible with payment of admission.
There are entrances to the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens at 150 Eastern Parkway, 455 Flatbush Avenue, and 990 Washington Avenue.
Chelsea Piers
Chelsea Piers along the Hudson River, between 17th and 23rd Streets in Manhattan, is a sports and entertainment complex is the size of four flat-roofed 80-story buildings and is a fantastic example of adaptive reuse.
It is a location that almost every type of spot available. It has climbing walls, batting cages, ice rinks, basketball and volleyball courts, indoor soccer fields, bowling, sailing, golf, including an all-weather driving range, gymnastics and a toddler gym with a ball pit and slides.
It is a fun location where kids can have a sporting time out in Manhattan, no matter the season.
Some of the city’s boat tours and dinner cruises also depart from Chelsea Piers.
It is located within the broader Hudson River Park.
Where: 62 Chelsea Piers, New York, NY 10011, United States
Website
Governors Island
Governors Island is a popular destination for locals for biking by the water, summer festivals, art shows, concerts, and family activities.
It is open to the public seasonally and can be reached via a quick, free ferry ride.
The New York City Police Museum is also located on Governors Island.
The island was named after His Majesty’s Governors in 1784, and the American military occupied it until the Coast Guard took over in the 1960s. After their facilities were abandoned in 1995, the city bought the island in 2002, and in 2003 it opened its doors to visitors.
If you wish to pay a visit to Governors Island, the ferry leaves from Brooklyn’s Pier 6 and the Battery Maritime Building in Lower Manhattan.
Hudson River Park
Want to get away from the never ending bustle of the city to a waterfront park? Hudson River Park is a 5-mile path that runs through from Battery Place to 59th Street. This riverside stretch is a landscaped park with walking and cycling paths. There is also a seasonal minigolf course, along with dog runs, and skate parks that incorporates the piers that jut out into the Hudson.
Piers 25 and 26 are located in TriBeCa and offer picnic areas, playgrounds, and a sand volleyball court.
Attractions
Central Park Zoo
Small but well-loved, the Central Park Zoo in Manhattan is well-known to young children as the location for the Madagascar animated films. It only takes about an hour to visit this small but charming menagerie at your own pace and can turn out to be one your favorite things to do in New York City with kids.
You can see grizzly bears, red pandas, snow leopards, a penguin house, performing sea lions, and more at the Central Park Zoo.
More than 130 different species can be found at Central Park Zoo.
Separate exhibits for each of the Earth’s major environments are gathered around the central Sea Lion Pool: penguins and polar bears reside at the Polar Circle and the chattering monkeys are the stars of the open-air Temperate Territory. The flora and fauna of rain forests can be found in the Tropic Zone.
Don’t miss the sea lion feedings at Central Park Zoo.
Children can feed sheep, goats, cows, and pigs at the Tisch Children’s Zoo. No additional ticket is needed.
The 4-D cinema screens family-friendly films that last 15 minutes and include sensory effects like wind, mist, bubbles, and scents.
Bronx Zoo
The Bronx Zoo is notable for being the biggest metropolitan wildlife park in the city and the entire country. It is home to more than 4,000 animals, including endangered and threatened species.
Children and families can spend an entire day here viewing animals in exhibits such as Tiger Mountain’s Siberian cats and the Congo Gorilla Forest’s gorillas.
Where: 2300 Southern Blvd, Bronx, NY 10460, USA
Website
Coney Island
The entire family can enjoy a stroll along Coney Island’s well-known boardwalk to take in the beach. Over Luna Park, there are plenty of amusement rides, the most famous of which is the Cyclone wooden roller coaster.
You can catch the Coney Island Circus Sideshow. Sword swallowers, fire eaters, knife throwers, contortionists and Serpentina the snake dancer are among the talented performers who continue Coney Island’s funfair tradition.
At Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park, the 150-foot-tall towering Wonder Wheel is te main draw. The Coney Island Ferris wheel, which has been operating since 1920, offers breathtaking views of a significant portion of the coastline. The Dizzy Dragons, the Pony Carts, and a vibrantly painted carousel are some of the other kid-friendly attractions here.
You may also be able to catch a minor league baseball games at the Cyclones’ stadium (MCU Park).
Don’t forget to try the famous Nathan’s hot dogs too.
New York Aquarium
Located at Coney Island is the New York Aquarium, an incredibly stunning place that you should see if you are in New York with kids. When visiting this place, both kids and adults can become engrossed in the wonder of the underwater world. There is a ton of things to learn and discover. It is simply relaxing and entertaining to view the sharks, jelly fishes and other marine creatures at the aquarium.
Be sure not to miss the sea lion show either. Even thought it is only 7 minutes long, it is well worth the experience.
Where: 602 Surf Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11224, USA
Website
Miniature World
View scale models of the world’s most famous cities and landmarks at this attraction in New York City. Start your 90 minute trip around the world at a 1,000-square-foot scale model of the Big Apple itself.
From there, take a walk through the expansive exhibition to see 300 small-scale scenes representing 40 different countries, including the Taj Mahal, Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower, and Machu Picchu, all created by model makers and artists from the respective region.
Additionally, there are thousands of trucks, trains, boats, planes, and cars scattered throughout, 3,200 feet of railway track, more than 100,000 tiny people, and a fully functional miniature airport where kids can watch planes take off just like they do in real life.
Other highlights of this kid-friendly attraction is the chance to watch model makers at work in the gallery and to be able to use a digital key to bring scenes to life. Even better, you can enter a specialised 3-D modelling device to have a scan of yourself turned into a lifelike miniature souvenir that you can either take with you when you go home or display on the model for all visitors to see.
It is a fun attraction in New York City for kids. Take note that in 2023, it is currently relocating. Stay tuned on the website for the latest information.
SlooMoo
Through sensory play, Sloomoo Institute celebrates happiness. The goal is to use vibrant colour, the sense of smell, tactile materials, and alluring visuals and sounds to embrace the power of satisfying.
Immerse your hands in more than 30 vats of fragrant, textured slime. An EEG machine can display your brain as a slime. At the ASMR sound station, unwind while immersed in gratifying CGI movies. The slime is scented and fluffy. You can also choose to go under “Sloomoo Falls” and get slimed or go to Lake Sloomoon and walk over 350 gallons of slime.
It is a fun thing to do in NYC with kids.
Where: 475 Broadway, New York, NY 10013
Website
Spyspace Museum and Experience
An espionage-focused attraction, Spypace caters to kids who have always dreamt of being a spy.
At this NYC attraction, you can solve time-limited coding puzzles in the Encryption Gallery, take a lie detector test in the Deception Gallery, manoeuvre through a maze of lasers in the Special Ops Gallery, view the exclusive 007 exhibit, and read about the exploits of real spies throughout history.
Immersive environment and interesting content make the attraction enjoyable and you can spend up to several hours here. It is surprisingly educational but you won’t realise it because it is so much fun that you are unaware of how much you are learning.
Where: 928 8th Ave, New York, NY 10019, USA
Website
Museum of Ice Cream
Immerse yourself in your favorite dessert at the Museum of Ice Cream, where flavour and fun collide!
Experience a fusion of creativity and sweetness through 12 various multi-sensory installations, allowing you to indulge a picture worthy getaway. A good area for toddlers is the playground with swings and seesaws. Then make a splash in the Museum of Ice Cream’s famous sprinkle pool and embark on a delectable tour through the fascinating history of ice cream.
Where: 558 Broadway, New York, NY, 10012
Website
Color Factory
A celebration of your senses, Colour Factory aims to create experiences that make people of all ages smile, connect, remember, and feel like kids once more.
Inspired by the joy of colour and the expression of art this NYC experience has over a dozen immersive installations that push the boundaries of perception, encourage play and exploration, and surprise the senses.
The 14 immersive art exhibits are interactive and cute and fun way for families to spend time together.
Where: 251 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013
Website
Shows
You are in the Big Apple, the center of the universe for shows and musicals! So, one of the things to do in New York City with kids is to catch a musical, of course!
Disney The Lion King
Even if you have watched The Lion King, there is nothing like watching the musical adaptation of the animated film. With vibrant colours and costumes, the production is absolutely gorgeous! There is no better place in the world to watch it than in New York City where you can expect an outstanding cast was outstanding.
It is no wonder that Disney The Lion King is the 3rd longest running Broadway show, having been on Broadway since 1997.
Wicked
This is a wonderful telling of the “backstory” to the Wizard of Oz. We first meet the witches in college, when they are forming a friendship and eventually fight over a boy. They then move on to fight for equality and peace for everyone in the land of Oz while pondering why we shun those who are different. It is a musical that will leave you inspired by the magic of musicals.
Disney Aladdin
The musical is feels like it is based on witty Broadway musical comedies from the 1960s, complete with passing scenes performed “in-one” in front of a curtain to conceal changes in set design. The lighthearted musical caters Disney audience, who probably prefers familiar formats, and works well for an entertaining time at the theatre.
Gazillion Bubble Show
You don’t need to stick to Broadway shows for family entertainment. You can watch one of the Off-Broadway shows in a smaller venue too. At the Gazillion Bubble Show, kids will be entertained by bubble magic and awed by a bubble tide, delighted by an unbubblievable experience, and some even find themselves INSIDE a bubble.
You’ll smile, laugh, and remember what it’s like to be a kid all over again as you witness mind-blowing bubble magic, breathtaking laser lighting effects, and fleeting soapy masterpieces at this entertaining show.
The Quantum Eye
The Quantum Eye is a sophisticated and kid-friendly investigation of mentalism, magic, perception, and deception where extraordinary ability, a warm sense of humour, and audience participation combine to create a distinctive performance each and every time.
It will be suitable for families with teens and pre-teens who are looking for something out of the ordinary and away from the razzmatazz of Disney musicals.
New Victory Theatre
You may wish to note that the New Victory theatre in Times Square is the only theater in New York City dedicated to presenting family-friendly works. Its mission is to introduce its audiences to new cultures, artists, and stories with the goal of making extraordinary performing arts an essential part of everyone’s life from the earliest years on.
So check out what’s on at the New Victory for the latest in family-friendly entertainment with kids while in New York City.
Where: 209 W 42nd St, New York, NY 10036, USA
Website
Symphony Space
A multidisciplinary performing arts venue, Symphony Space fosters lasting connections between artists and audiences through its daring programming and welcoming atmosphere.
You can check online about what’s on at the performing arts venue on Broadway and West 95th Street as it often features both well-known and up-and-coming family-friendly artists.
Where: 2537 Broadway at 95th St., New York, NY 10025-6990
Website
Have a Wonderful Time with Kids in NYC
We hope that this list of things to do in NYC with kids has sparked off some ideas to plan out your itinerary. You may also find out map of NYC attractions useful as well.
Have a great time with the family in New York City!
