Memorable 25 things to do with kids in New York.
Without any second opinion, New York City is the only city in the world that cares much for kids outside of their houses. The amusement parks, rides, theme parks, gardens, museums, and even restaurants have kids-friendly attractions.
While most of the outdoor activities are meant for fun, somehow they help shape up the personality of the children.
All the things to do with kids in New York are highly valuable and engaging too. The majority of things to do impress the children up to their age 10 create lasting pleasant memories.
I wish every big city in the world should copy how New York’s family attractions are designed to educate and entertain kids.
Things to Do With Kids in New York
Peruse the list of things to do with kids in New York.
Adventure activities in Hudson River.
Hudson River‘s 500+ km length is more through City. Don’t assume it is just a river to gaze, eat in the restaurants that line up on its shore, and get back.
The activities in and around the Hudson River entertain all age groups but it is the kids that are highly impressed. Invariably, your children will be reluctant to move away from the riverbank. Let us see what the kids-friendly attractions are, in and around the Hudson River.
- Boating in Hudson River
- kayaking your rented kayak will bring out the joy in them because it is their parents that row the kayak. After going some distance in the river, parents let their kids try their arms with the paddle.
- Stand Up Paddling is another entertainment in the Hudson River.
It is now called Stand up Paddleboarding (SUP).
There are wonderful parks and museums in the vicinity of the Hudson River. All of them are kids-friendly attractions.
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Hudson River Greenway
As the name suggests, it is a motor-free thoroughfare in Manhattan Island. It is a part of the Manhattan Greenway that runs for 51 km. It is divided into three sections namely:
- Hudson River Greenway
- Hudson River Greenway
- Harlem River Greenway
Isn’t it lovely?
- East River Greenway
These greenways allow only bicycles and pedestrians. The world should salute the Government to have created such a greenway. In addition, every city in the world should emulate it on this aspect.
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Hudson River Park
You must visit Hudson River Park with your family. It is not only a port of the Hudson River Greenway but comprises several big tourist landmarks.
As you walk through this 7 km stretch, you can identify the famous World Trade Center
- Tribeca residential section of lower Manhattan ,
- Greenwich Village
- Empire State Building
- Brookfield Palace
Wow! I think you will be going through the heart of the City which is undoubtedly one of the most memorable things to do with your kids in New York.
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Enjoying the Liberty State Park
Does the name sound familiar to you? You guessed it right. It is where the small Liberty Island and the unique Liberty Statue are located.
Visiting Liberty Island as one of the things to do with your kids in New York is no wonder a tale that would be received well by your children.
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Battery Park
It is a picturesque public park located in Manhattan Island, facing the scenic harbor.
There are several kids-friendly things to do in Battery Park that include:
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Visiting Clinton Castle
This historic sandstone circular building has nothing to do with the Bill Clinton that we know of. In the early 19th Century, it is where all the immigrants from various corners of the world would arrive by ship.
Narrate to your kids about the history involved with the building. They would remember to adore you when reaching your age.
Additionally, there are quite a few historic monuments in Battery Park that will make every one of you a proud American.
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Seeing the South Ferry
At the extreme left is a ferry waiting to leave the South Ferry terminal from where, the ferries take public to Staten Island, Ellis Island, Liberty Island, and Governors Island.
Certainly, the ferries terminal, the Atlantic Ocean, and all the activities there would cheer up your kids. South Ferry visit is one of the top things to do with kids in New York.
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Taking your kids to Sea glass Carousel in Battery Park
Wow! Do you really think you can convince your children to go to see the next of things to do while they are here? I am afraid not. They will not feel they had enough of the Sea glass Carousel.
The carousel has seats made of sea glass in the form of various well-known fish species. The carousel platform looks dreamy and your children are terribly impressed. They could not wait to share their experience with their friends back home.
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New York Aquarium
No kids will say ‘no’ to visit an aquarium. It is more attractive if the aquarium is big and is also one of the important tourist landmarks.
The aquarium is built on a 14-acre land and houses nearly 300 spectacular marine lives.
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Coney Island Boardwalk
A boardwalk if lined with eateries selling ice creams and chocolate, will certainly hook a kid-right?
Also known as Riegelmann Boardwalk, it runs for a little over 4 km along Coney Island’s shoreline, right on abutting the Atlantic Ocean. The entire length of the promenade is made of wooden planks.
As you walk with your family on the boardwalk, you will notice several kids’ entertainment sections including the aquarium.
Other attractions include:
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Luna Park (an amusement park facing the Atlantic Ocean)
Obviously, Luna Park offers around twenty different rides and wheels of which the biggest attraction for the kids is the Tea Party ride.
They go crazy when they cuddle inside the cup structures that move on the platform.
Another ride is the thrilling Coney Island Cyclone Roller Coaster.
At one of the descents, you will be plunging at the speed of just about 100 km per hour. Oh man, can you hear your own scream then?
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Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement park
In this amusement park, the kids get special attention by way of 16 rides whereas their parents can enjoy only 6 ides.
The giant Ferris wheel that you see in the above image is naturally the star of attractions. When your car goes to the top, you will be staring at the ground (150 feet below!) in disbelief.
If you turn your head in the other, it is the turn of the Atlantic Ocean to star at you.
What a kids-friendly attraction!
I would rank Riegelmann Boardwalk as one of the top 10 things to do with kids in New York.
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Nathan’s Hot Dog
When you are visiting the attractions in Coney Island, you won’t fail to notice the billboards of Nathan’s.
It is where Nathan’s Hot Dog chain was started in 1916. Do you have any doubt whether your children would ask you to take a photograph of them with the Nathan’s in the background?
They would feel the thrill of being part of America’s consumer brand history.
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American Museum of Natural History
This visit is one of the most important things to do with kids in New York. As the museum’s main displays include the skeletons of numerous pre-historic animals, your children’s curiosity will be piqued to the hilt.
To tell you briefly, the huge museum that occupies a mind-boggling two million sq. ft, houses an incredible 34 million objects that are conveniently categorized that will make the students take notes and remember.
You get to see the remains of not only the animals and birds (I am deeply interested in this section) but also plant life, rocks, minerals, and even outer-world objects.
Just make you make up your mind to visit this kid- friendly attraction in the City, I give below a few examples of displays.
- 122-foot-long Titanosaur
- Skuas (extinct)
- Secretary Bird
- Bustards that measure up to 150 cm in length
- Komodo Dragon
- Blue Whale that was 98 feet long
- Costumes of African Tribes
- Meteorites that fell from space
- Fossils of Tyrannosaurus
The list of museum displays would go on and on. If you think your kid’s curiosity cannot be easily addressed, you would need to visit the American Museum of Natural History two consecutive days on a conservative estimate.
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Little Island
This is an incredible feat achieved by the men of New York’s Hudson River Park team. It is an artificial island that was opened just three months ago.
Looking at some of its videos, I think only the children of age 10 to 14 would show some interest here.
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Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Looking at the short video clip, it suggests you need more than three hours to spend inside the museum for children and by the children.
You will be only too happy to visit this America’s first-ever museum for children. It is one of the biggest hits on the list of kids-friendly attractions in New York.
The large museum is housed in a multi-level subterranean structure.
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Museum of Mathematics
What is life without mathematics? It is very much so in the life of children. While the majority of them hate mathematics, a few really excel in the subject.
Even those who are not very comfortable in mathematics would enjoy the math museum. The star of attraction in this museum is a tricycle whose wheels are designed in the shape of square instead of the usual circle!
Look at this video.
There is no other museum of this kind anywhere in the United States.
The exhibits are specially developed for interaction with the children which I am damn sure would kindle their latent talent in solving puzzles.
The next interesting display in the math museum is the laser show called the ‘ring of fire’.
Surprisingly, the math haters who would sit quietly in the mathematics classroom have shown much interest in the interactive games here. They are seen volunteering to participate.
To cut the story short about the long list of things to do with kids in New York, I mention below the names of several more kids-friendly attractions. The names are suggestive as to what is in store for the kids.
- New York of Hall of Science
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Unisphere
It is better represented by a video.
Do you think your kids would enjoy this place in New York?
- Hayden Planetarium
- Prospect Park where kids skate on ice
- Botanical Garden
- Washington Square Park
Children enjoy getting wet by splashing around the mammoth fountain.
Conclusion:
You don’t know how many things to do for adults in New York that I omitted because this post is to highlight the kids-friendly attractions in New York.
Just for your academic interest, here are some deliberate omissions by me.
- Moreau Lake State Park
- Croton Point Park
- Storm King State Park
- Mountain State Park
- High Peaks Wilderness Area
- Hudson Highlands
Visiting these places would not engage kids.
How many days do you require in New York to spend with your children?
I reckon you need a fortnight considering many more unexplored things with kids in New York. If you add a day or two to take them on exclusive eating sprees, you need a minimum of 18 days.
