Best Things to do in New York City with Kids

I’d visited New York City several times before but never with child, so I had done the fancy dinners, night clubs and shopping yet never bothered to see any of the tourist sights.  Since I was traveling with my nine year old I eagerly Googled in order to compile a list of “things to do” with kids in NYC, especially in the evenings. Sites like Time Out NY for kids were a big help but discovering new things was also important to fulfill our sense of adventure. There is so much to do in NYC so kid or not getting a list together of what you want to do is essential. Luckily we were able to hit most everything on our said list while striking a balance between adult and kid entertainment as well as local and tourist attractions. Here is a synopsis of the best things to do with your kids in NYC day and night according to Gatica’s.

During the Day

The Central Park Zoo

Although small the zoo is really quaint and will fill about 2 and a half hour of your day. The best animal attraction is the penguins you can see them right in front of you through their glass enclosed pool. The day we were there they were extremely active and got some really great pictures. We could’ve almost touched them except there was glass between us, darn it!  The penguin enclosure is a great place to cool down in the summer since they keep it ice cold. Other animals to watch for include the polar bear, snow leopard and the cutest red pandas. For a little extra cash they also offer a short 4D movie which is really fun.

Central Park

Walking through the park in itself is entertaining, after the Zoo we spent 2 hours exploring the park. Get an ice cream as you stroll along, sit at a bench, and people watch. This is a great time for pictures especially at the Alice in Wonderland statue, the fountains and lakes. Lay or sit down on the grass and really connect with the kids.

Grand Central Station

The place is so grand and fun for kids there are small restaurants where you can grab a hotdog and sit before taking the train. Since it’s been in so many movies it’s so exiting!

Museum of Natural History

This is a huge museum where you can have a great time while learning. The ticket attendant told us it takes about two and a half days to get through the whole place we did it in 6 hours. We didn’t see everything but we saw the most important parts. We started on the fourth floor with the amazing dinosaur collection and worked our way down through some of the highlights which include the Pacific peoples, human origins, minerals and ocean life halls.

MOMA

Matisse “The Dance” at the MOMA

NY has everything to offer in the arts from modern to contemporary. PS1 in Long Island City part of the MOMA offered a great interactive exhibit while we were there.  We saw many children while we were at the museum although it wasn’t a kid’s exhibit.  The MOMA’s main building in Manhattan exhibits famous works by the likes of Picasso, Matisse, Monet, and Van Gogh. It’s a great art lesson for a child and it helps that the museum is not huge so junior won’t get antsy.

Toy Stores

The famous Piano at FAO Schwarz

A no brainer, kids love toys. If your child is a girl the American Girl Place is amazing offering 3 floors of goodies including a doll beauty salon, and doll ear piercing .The café at the store is amazing and the food pretty good; they even serve adult beverages (make sure to make appointments and reservations for all these). FAO Schwarz, a place for all kids, has a wonderful selection of classics like Steiff teddy bears, Legos and an awesome minerals area which features Geode busting machine.

The sights

Statue of Liberty as seen from ferry

Ok sights can be touristy yet we must do it for the kids. The Statue of Liberty harbor cruise gets you a great view without the lines. The Empire State Building, make sure and get a fast pass also look up to make sure there is no rain coming because that can ruin the whole experience (We found out the hard way).

At Night

Broadway shows

Picture of dragon from below at Wicked

A Broadway show like Mary Poppins, The Lion King, Bring it On, and Wicked are great for older kids. You can also take the kids to time square before the show which will really make their eyes pop out of their heads.

Dinner and Candy

Table at Dylan’s Cafe

Serendipity is a great place for huge ice cream treats and the food is decent. Make sure you get there about 45 minutes before you want to eat or try to get a reservation. Their website says they take limited reservations but I was never able to get them on the phone. The service wasn’t the best but the ice cream made up for it. There is a Dylan’s Candy Bar right down the street from the restaurant so we went there to wait for our table.  Dylan’s café serves huge ice cream sundaes amongst other treats and they have candy themed adult beverages. This is an awesome place make sure you get the personalized candy bars; they never have my name, blah. Max Brenner is also a great place for kids to eat since all their items revolve around chocolate. They have a chocolate pizza, a great selection of hot chocolates; my daughter ordered spaghetti and the sauce came in a syringe, delish and fun.  Again reservations are always the way to go in NYC.

Parks

Some of the smaller parks can be fun at night, full of street entertainers for instance Washington or Union Square Parks are very active.  You can even have a Shake Shack burger at Madison Square Park it is open until 11pm again be prepared to wait. Check out their live cam at the park so you can get an idea of the wait or just for kicks.