16 Awesome Things to Do in NYC With Kids

Zoie Kingsbery Coe

Two kids look through the telescope at the Rockefeller Center roof.

There is SO much to discover in NYC with kids. Depending on what your children are into, there are heaps of parks and outdoor activities for younger kids, as well as museums and great places to eat for older kids and teens.

With three children in tow and different ages to entertain, I’m always looking for the best things to do in New York City with kids in this ever-changing city.

It can be daunting to take kids to a big city, but it’s worth it! Get yourself a great travel stroller for those busy sidewalks and load up your Tripit itinerary with these favorites from my visits over the years.

Our 8 Favorite Things to Do in NYC With Kids 

1. Intrepid Museum

The boat exterior of the Intrepid Museum in New York City.

My 10 year old son loves the Intrepid Museum on the West Side Highway. It’s interactive and so much fun for the older set, with virtual adventures, simulators and exhibits all about technology and transportation.

  • Activity type: Museum
  • Neighborhood: Pier 86, Hudson River Park
  • Ages: School age and up
  • Cost: From $24; under 4’s free

2. Spyscape

A visitor experiencing a spy laser activity at Spyscape in NYC.

On my most recent trip, both my son and my 7 year old daughter had an amazing time at the spy museum Spyscape. The exhibitions are all about hacking, surveillance, intelligence and cool spy gadgets, as well as an interactive spy experience.

  • Activity type: Museum
  • Neighborhood: Hell’s Kitchen
  • Ages: School age and up
  • Cost: From $37 

3. MOMA

The exterior view of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

When my arty daughter was younger, we loved the Museum of Modern Art ‘tours for fours’ on Sundays and now they run regular gallery talks and art workshops. Almost all the museums have great family programming these days and visiting museums with kids is such a fun thing to do.

  • Activity type: Gallery
  • Neighborhood: Midtown
  • Ages: All ages
  • Cost: From $28 for adults; children under 16 go free

4. Children’s Museum of Manhattan

Kids playing at the Children's Museum of Manhattan.

Ideal for pre-schoolers, this has really fun and interactive exhibits, including a hands-on arts area, immersive comic experience and a drop in play center. The River Road Playground is just down the street, too.

  • Activity type: Exhibit
  • Neighborhood: Upper West Side
  • Ages: Babies and up
  • Cost: From $16.75; babies under 1 go free

5. Central Park Zoo

A zoo keeper and a sea lion at Central Park zoo.

Central Park Zoo is cute and much less commitment than the big Bronx Zoo, plus they have a truly fantastic playground just outside. They have everything from sea lions to snow leopards, as well as rides and animal experiences, all in the heart of Manhattan.

  • Activity type: Zoo
  • Neighborhood: Central Park
  • Ages: Toddlers and up
  • Cost: From $14.95, children under 3 go free

6. New Victory Theater

The outside of New Victory Theater in New York City.

We LOVE the New Victory Theatre. They do such creative and refreshingly lo-fi theatre for kids. My two eldest grew up going there. Choose from musicals, family workshops, acrobatics, puppetry, circus skills and more.

  • Activity type: Theater
  • Neighborhood: Midtown
  • Ages: Toddlers and up
  • Cost: Varies depending on event type

7. City Playgrounds

Kids playing at Pier 51 water park along the Hudson River in NYC.

NYC has such great playgrounds. There are fantastic ones on the West Side Highway, such as Pier 51, and it’s a great place for a family stroll and always nice to see the water and remind yourself that NYC is an island after all!

  • Activity type: Outdoor activities
  • Neighborhood: All over
  • Ages: Babies and up
  • Cost: Free

8. Maths Museum

The interior exhibitions at the Maths Museum of NYC.

The National Museum of Mathematics is more fun than it sounds! It’s also really conveniently located across from the Lego Store and Madison Square Park, which has a super fun playground and a Shake Shack which is a firm family favourite. 

  • Activity type: Museum
  • Neighborhood: Nomad 
  • Ages: Toddlers and up
  • Cost: From $20

More NYC Activities For Kids

3 Day Family-Friendly NYC Itinerary

A father and daughter walking through New York City.

Navigating this huge city can be hard for younger kids, so try to split your activities by area to explore different NYC neighborhoodshttps://www.kidandcoe.com/blog/where-to-go-in-nyc-with-kids each day.

Day 1 – Central Manhattan

  • Explore Central Park, with its playgrounds, zoo and carousel
  • Hit the museums in Midtown and Hell’s Kitchen
  • Wander around the tourist spots that everyone feels they should tick off a must-see list, like Broadway, 5th Avenue, Times Square and Rockefeller Center

Day 2 – Brooklyn

Day 3 – Downtown

Book Your Memorable Family Vacation in New York

Whether you’re looking for a family vacation rental in Upstate New York or hoping to live like a local in New York City, you can find your next kid-friendly vacation destination on Kid & Coe.

Is NYC Kid-Friendly?

Extremely. It’s so very walkable, and really not that large, geographically speaking. There is something for everyone there.

What Areas of NYC Are Best for Kids?

I like downtown the best: Greenwich Village, Tribeca, West Side Highway. You can hit a park every few blocks and there are great kids shops, bookstores and restaurants on every corner.

Where Should I Eat in NYC With Kids?

I have a long list of favourite restaurants, but with the kids we usually keep things pretty simple. We adore Otto’s, Mario Batali’s casual Italian restaurant in Greenwich Village, that does fantastic pasta, pizza and seasonal vegetables / salads for the adults. The food hall at the Plaza can be fun too after hitting a museum or Central Park uptown. It’s a veritable fun feast for everybody to pick their own flavor.

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Zoie Kingsbery Coe

Founder, Kid & Coe

After years traveling the globe with her family, Zoie has become an authority on what makes a stay comfortable. If there’s a place in the world that she hasn’t visited, there’s probably a good reason why.

    Stay in the world's most

    Kid-friendly Homes

    View our top destinations and book your perfect family vacation today.