If you’re looking for something fun to do with your kids, New York City is the place to go. The city is filled with activities like the Central Park Zoo and the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theater. Families with children can also enjoy Governors Island, a scenic 172-acre island accessible by ferry from Manhattan and Brooklyn. Families can also cycle around the island and enjoy five miles of bike lanes. There are also plenty of playgrounds on the island, including Blazing Saddles (Colonels Row) and the Hammock Grove Play Area. The latter features 50 hammocks and a play structure.
Hudson Yards candy shop
If you’re looking for a new candy shop for kids in New York, you’ve come to the right place. Dylan’s Candy Bar, a popular Upper East Side candy store, is now expanding into the Hudson Yards area and the Columbus Circle Turnstyle Market. The store offers every type of candy and imaginative treats. There’s even a Dylan’s Candy Cafe with sundaes and frozen treats.
This 24-hour candy shop is a must for New York city kids. It has all the typical convenience store candy but also offers unique treats, like dark chocolate-covered gummies. The store also offers a free bag of candy for every $20 Visa purchase. There’s also a kids’ Halloween package, complete with Halloween-themed decorations.
Another great place to take your kids is the Economy Candy Store on the Lower East Side. This shop features handmade and mass-market candies, including nostalgic novelty candies of my childhood. It also has sections for Asian, British, and Canadian candies. There’s also a 99-cent table. Another great place to buy candy for kids in New York is Queens Creamery, an old-school ice cream parlor with a candy shop.
Bronx Zoo
If you’re planning a day trip to New York City with your kids, you’ll want to consider visiting the Bronx Zoo. While the zoo has several animals and exhibits, it’s not large enough to be toured in one day. Instead, plan on spending about half a day here. There are several food options available at the Dancing Crane Cafe, benches throughout the zoo and plenty of water fountains. Also, check the Bronx Zoo’s website for a schedule of animal feedings.
The Bronx Zoo is open year-round, but it’s best to visit in the fall or winter when temperatures are cooler and animals are more active. Special events occur at the zoo annually, including the Run for the Wild 5K to support animal conservation efforts. Another popular event is Boo at the Zoo, which takes place during Halloween. The Bronx Zoo also hosts a holiday light display known as Holiday Lights.
Kids can also check out the zoo’s collection of native animals. There’s a large herd of American bison and rescued grizzly bears and bald eagles. Families with children can also take advantage of discounted group rates.
The Cloisters
When you’re looking for things to do in New York for kids, one of the top choices should be The Cloisters. Located in Fort Tryon Park in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Upper Manhattan, the Cloisters showcase European medieval architecture and art. This unique museum specializes in Gothic and Romanesque periods.
Children can participate in seasonal family programming, exploring different aspects of the museum. The next session will begin in November 2018. Past topics include medieval knights, birds in medieval art, and mythical creatures from the Middle Ages. The Cloisters also offer bilingual tours and workshops for families. The museum is easily accessible via Fort Tryon Park and by subway.
The Cloisters is a beautiful museum that includes several unique artifacts. The Museum’s Treasury Room displays hundreds of items from the ninth to fifteenth centuries. Visitors can also explore the Boppard Room Gallery, where they can see stained glass windows from a 15th-century German church. There are also several tapestries to view. The museum’s Trie Cloister houses 80 species of plants. It comprises two early 16th-century structures and has a large fountain.
For children looking for a place for quiet reflection and imaginative play, the Met Cloisters is an excellent choice. The museum’s medieval art and architecture collections are housed here, and a path through the museum leads to a medieval-style castle. The Met Cloisters was constructed with materials from five medieval French cloisters and is known for its Unicorn Tapestries and the famous Annunciation Triptych by Robert Campin.

Empire State Building
When visiting New York with kids, a trip to the Empire State Building is a great activity. It’s a popular attraction that can get crowded, so it’s best to purchase tickets online ahead of time. You should plan to spend two hours touring the building. Kids under 6 are free.
The building offers two types of dining options. Fast-casual self-service restaurants are available on the ground floor. Both options offer full menus and bar and lounge snacks. If you’re planning on dining inside, try Tacombi Mexican restaurant, which features margaritas and Mexican food.
The Empire State Building is one of the most iconic buildings in New York. The spire is 16 stories tall and contains breathtaking views of Manhattan. The 102nd floor houses a second observatory. A great way to spend an afternoon in the city is to take in the 360-degree views of New York City and Manhattan.
Kids will love exploring the history of the Empire State Building, and the building is perfect for families to visit with young ones. With so many floors, kids will love the experience of exploring its many levels. There’s even an elevator for little ones to climb! Kids will love the many interactive exhibits that will make the trip fun.
New York City History Museum
If you’re visiting New York City with kids, you might want to visit a history museum. These museums have some interesting exhibits for children. There are children’s books about important historical events, such as the Orphan Train Movement, which relocated thousands of orphans. You can also find information about important people, such as Steve Bellan, who became the first Latino professional baseball player in the United States and fought for child labor laws.
Another interesting museum in the city is the New York Transit Museum. This museum spans a city block and houses a rotating exhibit of 20 subway cars, some more than a century old. You can even let your children “drive” one of the vintage vehicles. Other exhibits include a fleet of vintage city buses, cars, and fire hydrants. In addition, there are some exciting pieces of equipment for collecting fare, such as ticket machines.
Another great history museum for children is the DiMenna Children’s History Museum, located on the Lower Level of the New York Historical Society. This museum is accessible to children with strollers and is free to visit. Tickets cost $21 for adults and $6 for children 5-13, while admission is free for those under four. There are membership packages that start at $160 for a family.
Brooklyn Public Library’s children’s library
Brooklyn Public Library’s children’s library is situated in a landmark Victorian Gothic building that exudes a Harry Potter-like vibe. The building boasts stained-glass windows, carved-wood doorways, and mural-sized artwork. It also features an old-school spiral staircase. The building also hosts storytimes, craft sessions, and festivals for families. The building is currently under a two-year renovation project.
In response to the controversy over censorship and banned books, the Brooklyn Public Library has launched the Free Speech Zone. This innovative program was created to combat censorship in schools and libraries nationwide. It features illuminated triptychs and backlit portraits of those who were affected by the bans. The exhibition also features passages from several challenging books. These include Ulysses, Naked Lunch, Tropic of Cancer, and more recently, Native Son.
Aside from the children’s library, the Brooklyn Public Library also offers a youth center and other facilities. Its Imagination Playground foam blocks and an outdoor garden are ideal spaces for storytelling and other activities. These programs help children find their passion for reading and exploring literature. A recent poll of Brooklyn public library patrons revealed overwhelmingly support constructing an 18 to 24-inch statue of the iconic Knuffle Bunny. The statue would be permanently attached to the seats of the outdoor storytelling garden.
Brooklyn Public Library’s Aquatic-Inspired Carousel
Many places in New York offer carousel rides for kids. Brooklyn’s Battery Park Carousel is an aquatic-themed attraction. This carousel features 30 luminescent fish. Its design pays tribute to Battery Park’s maritime history, and the motors are hidden under the floor. You can ride the carousel with your kids and enjoy sweeping views of Manhattan and the surrounding areas.
This iconic carousel is a classic New York attraction. It’s over 100 years old, and features hand-painted pictures of New York landmarks. Kids can ride classic carousel horses or exotic animals, and the carousel is accessible to children with disabilities. It’s also open seasonally.
Prospect Park is a great option if you’re looking for a great place to take your kids for a carousel ride. Lions and tigers pull its chariots, and you can ride on two dragon-pulled chariots. The carousel can be reached via the J or Z subway lines. During the summer season, it is open seven days a week. It’s also open on weekends during the fall season.
Hi, my name is Charlotte and I am the author of the Sandbox Playground. I believe that play is an essential part of a child’s development and that playgrounds and sandboxes are a great way to inspire kids’ imaginations.
I have been working with children for many years, and through my work I have seen the amazing things that they can achieve when they’re given the opportunity to play. I hope to continue inspiring kids all around the world with my writing.