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New York City is one of the most exciting and electrifying cities for people of all ages. Here are best ten child-friendly attractions in New York City that kids will love:
1. Children’s Museum of Manhattan Children’s Museum of Manhattan is right on top of the
list when it comes to fun activities for kids in NYC
Central Park: With over 840 acres of space, Central Park is a great place for kids to explore and run around. The park is home to many playgrounds, a carousel, and numerous statues and landmarks that kids will
2. Brooklyn Bridge (Pedestrian & Bike Promenade)
If you have seen any film set in New York, the Brooklyn Bridge is certainly going to make its way into one of the shots.
The pedestrian and bike promenade on this historic bridge is a great way to enjoy the Big Apple’s skyline.
The walkway is 1.3 miles long and you can cover it on foot in about half an hour, perhaps longer if you make many stops.
Though this does not sound like the typical New York’s kids’ activities, I am suggesting this because this is an incredible place to capture family memories in photographs.
However, let me warn you that this can be quite a walk even from the nearest subway station.
3. Central Park
Central Park: With over 840 acres of space, Central Park is a great place for kids to explore and run around. The park is home to many playgrounds, a carousel, and numerous statues and landmarks that kids will enjoy
4. New York Hall of Science
If you are looking for something to do indoors, especially when it rains, but do not want to waste a day of your vacation in the incredible city, New York Hall of Science is a great place to visit.
The museum is tailor made for kids, so much so that they will have an absolute blast without even realizing that they are learning something.
Say goodbye to textbook education when learning can be so fun and interactive!
Some of the most exciting exhibits and a few of my favorites include Seeing the Light, Sound Sensations: The Inside Story of Audio, Realm of the Atom, and more.
The Sports Challenge is one of the hit exhibits with the little ones where they can test their reflexes through fun activities.
When the weather clears up, you can also step outside to play some miniature golf!
5. Dylan’s Candy Bar
Dylan’s Candy Bar is one of the most fun places to take the young members of the family (and also the older members, let’s not pretend the adults dislike candy).
The ‘bar’ has an incredible lollipop tree in the center and the decor will truly blow you away.
The confectionary is supposed to have over 7,000 selections of candy so there is surely going to be something at the store that will satisfy your palate.
You will have to pay by weight at the store so simply take a bag and get started!
Fill the bag up to your and your child’s heart’s content.
There are also some souvenirs you can take back from the store, such as pillows, personalized mugs and more.
The fudge station is at the lower level, and at the level above you can select the scoops you want for your special sundae.
6. Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Brooklyn Children’s Museum has to be mentioned in a list of NYC children’s activities.
The historic museum dates back to 1899 and is the first of its kind in the city.
The museum has recently acquired more space and is twice the size.
I think Collections Central will be a favorite among the kids so you should just hit that exhibit first thing since that is also expected to take some time.
At this exhibit, you can explore the permanent collection of almost 30,000 objects that the museum houses.
The highlight, of course, is the skeleton of an Asian elephant.
Next, Neighborhood Nature is something the kids should certainly explore.
This includes a tunnel inside the pond aquarium, crawling through which the kids will be able to get a fish-eye view of the pond.
They can also dig around in the mud for fun and sow pretend plants in the garden.
There are several incredible activities to enjoy here and I think the kids will have a memorable time.
7. Bronx Zoo
The Bronx Zoo is world renowned and is the largest city zoo in the country.
There are approximately 4,000 animals that the zoo is home to.
Naturally, I would suggest setting aside a full day if you want to cover the zoo in its entirety.
Even with a whole day, there may be some parts you may not be able to cover with satisfaction, but it will certainly be a valiant effort.
The children’s zoo, of course, is a big hit with the kids.
Here, they will be able to interact with the animals and even feed some of the tame ones.
I would also recommend the African Plains where you can observe zebras, giraffes, lions and other incredible animals.
The Madagascar section is my personal favorite—I cannot get enough of the lemurs swinging from the trees and putting on an incredible show.
The kids can also go on a camel ride and the bug carousel is also a mandatory zoo experience.
8. Madame Tussauds Wax Museum
New York is a happening city for showbiz, but there is no guarantee you will run into any celebrities walking the streets.
However, you can get incredible photos with some very famous people at the Madame Tussauds Wax Museum.
From sports stars to movie stars and franchise superheroes, the museum has wax models that look very close to the real person, though some, of course, are slightly off the mark.
Some of the figures popular with the kids are cartoon characters like SpongeBob or characters from famous kids movies like ET.
9. DiMenna Children’s Museum at the New York Historical Society
DiMenna Children’s Museum at the New York Historical Society is a great place for kids between the ages of 8 and 13.
The museum of history will allow the kids to go back in history and discover more about the city from its modern origins.
Some of the biggest hits at the museum include the exhibit where you can flip a switch to see what a street looked like a century ago and compare it to the present.
The kids can also practice cross-stitching and see how they fare to get a taste of how people would sew their own clothes in 20th century New York.
If you are traveling with young as well as old kids, there are separate exhibits that both can enjoy without taking away from each other’s experience.
10. Coney Island & the New York Aquarium
Coney Island & the New York Aquarium is one of the oldest ways to have a blast in the city but the experience still holds up.
The arcades, aquarium, and the 2.5-mile boardwalk that leads to the waters are great ingredients for an incredible day with the family.
The Luna Park amusement center is one of my favorite things about the island and I would recommend definitely giving the 1918 Wonder Wheel a try.
For the older kids and the more courageous adults, the 1927 Cyclone roller coaster is also a great option.
But for most people, the New York Aquarium makes the trip to Coney Island memorable, and the recently added exhibit Ocean Wonders: Sharks is an incredible experience.
Comment below with what is your favorite kids attraction in NYC….