Visiting NYC with your kids and looking for family-friendly activities to enjoy? We’ve got some amazing ideas for kids’ activities in NYC - just read on to find out!
How long do you need in New York for kids?
To get a good experience and not feel too rushed, we’d recommend a few days to really enjoy all the kids’ activities in NYC. It can be exhausting to travel the length and breadth of the city in a shorter period of time! Give yourself a few days to be sure you can get in some NYC attractions for kids, as well as have a good rest, great food and some time for the adults to have fun as well. Read our NYC itinerary for the best way to see all of New York in a New York minute.
Is New York good for kids?
New York is a great place to take kids! There’s plenty of indoor activities for kids in NYC as well as outdoor ones. Our kid friendly ideas for NYC include a mix of covered and open air activities so no matter the weather, there will be something all your kids will be excited to see.
What is there to do in New York for kids?
There’s plenty of things to do in New York for kids!
The New York Aquarium is the longest-standing US aquarium in operation, and is home to over 500 types of marine life. Your kids will marvel at the penguins, sea lions and more amazing creatures on display.
Nerds-in-the-making will love the New York Hall of Science! They can run riot exploring over 450 interactive exhibits while learning interesting STEM facts.
For kids of all interests, there’s always RiseNY! With our amazing New York immersive experience, your kids can (safely) go flying above the skyline of the city in a 40ft projection dome, complete with 4D technology! It’s similar to Disney’s Soarin’ Around the World ride at Epcot, so young fans will be thrilled!
Get your tickets for our indoor kids activity in NYC today.
Green spaces in New York for kids
There’s one brilliantly green space that’s a haven for kids in the Big Apple - and it’s Central Park.
Why is Central Park so great for kids?
The sheer variety of activities available for kids in Central Park is why it’s one of the best kid-friendly ideas in NYC. No matter what type of activity your children enjoy, you’ll find something to everyone’s taste.
For example, you can let the kids loose in several playgrounds designed specifically to entertain, or let them roam the beautiful park spaces.
Kids keen on animals will love the Central Park Zoo, while the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center, near the Harlem Meer, allows you to hire fishing rods and other equipment for a catch and release fishing experience.
There’s always baseball or softball games happening in the Heckscher Ballfields, so little sports fans can check those out. For lovers of rides, there’s the famous Carousel and its American folk art to enjoy.
How much does it cost to enter Central Park New York?
It’s free to enter Central Park, but certain activities might have a cost for a ticket - for example, entering Central Park Zoo.
Can you spend the whole day in Central Park?
Yes! You can easily spend the whole day in Central Park. It’s got lots to do and plenty of places for kids to enjoy themselves (and the adults to have a lovely time too!).
However, if you’re looking for indoor activities for kids in NYC, you might want to keep reading.
Family Friendly Museums in New York for Kids
There are so many great museums for kids in NYC, with plenty to learn and lots of fun to be had. Here’s our top picks.
What museum in NYC is best for kids?
The American Museum of Natural History has an extensive dinosaur fossil collection, which will provide hours of fun for little ones! There’s plenty to see, with Neanderthals, deep sea creatures and more to explore.
The Bronx Children’s Museum is a fun space designed for children up to the age of about 10 years old, with exhibits on the local area. Your kids can splash in replica locks and bridges, look at local flora through a microscope and much more. A great idea for indoor kids’ activities in NYC.
The Brooklyn Children’s Museum has a fascinating collection of over 30,000 historical objects, with musical instruments, fossils and more. There’s also the “World Brooklyn” exhibit where your kids can play at being a working adult with fake stores in a child-sized city!
For something a little different, there’s the Sugar Hill Children's Museum of Art and Storytelling. This museum is dedicated to expanding imaginations, hosting events with storytelling, art workshops and more, with exhibits that introduce children to fables and folktales.
We have our own fun and interactive museum exhibits that will teach children about various important parts of NYC culture, including film, theater shows, TV series, fashion and more!
Things to do in Times Square with kids
Looking for things to do in the heart of New York with kids? We’ve got the answer!
If your little ones are fans of Spiderman, Batman and other movie characters, Times Square has plenty of photo opportunities with their favorite superheroes! Immortalize their visit with a photo in front of the iconic Times Square billboards.
There’s also plenty of Broadway shows in the theater district, just moments from Times Square. You can take them to see The Lion King, Wicked, Back to the Future and more!
Of course, we recommend our immersive museum experience RiseNY. A few minutes’ walk from Times Square, your little ones can learn all about New York’s history in a replica of the first ever subway station and try their hand at broadcast radio and more in our immersive museum exhibits.
Best of all, they can fly 30ft over the skyline of New York City in our 4D flight simulation ride! It’s not scary at all, with young riders strapped in safely as they “soar” through the skies!
An immersive experience for kids in NYC
See New York history in detail with enjoyable exhibits and a thrilling ride above the NYC rooftops at RiseNY’s immersive flight simulation ride for kids.
