Things to do with kids in New York City

Dinosaurs, then the Diana Ross Playground

Start with fossils and the Gilder Center, lunch in the museum food court, then enter Central Park at West 81st Street to play.

1. American Museum of Natural HistoryOpen daily 10am–5:30pm; dinosaur halls and the Gilder Center
2. AMNH Food CourtInside the museum on the lower level, daily 10:45am–4:45pm
3. Diana Ross PlaygroundIn Central Park near the West 81st Street entrance, at the base of Summit Rock; no restrooms

Playground free; museum pay-what-you-wish for NY residents, under 3 free

Checked Oct 19 · source: amnh.org

The Met, then the Ancient Playground

Wander armor, mummies and period rooms at The Met, grab a snack at the cafe, then climb the Egyptian-themed playground at 85th Street.

1. The Met Fifth AvenueClosed Wednesdays; 10am–5pm, until 9pm Fridays and Saturdays
2. The American Wing CafeCasual cafe on Floor 1 of the American Wing; Sun–Tue and Thu 11am–4pm, Fri–Sat 11am–8pm
3. Ancient PlaygroundCentral Park, East Side at 85th Street, beside the Met's Temple of Dendur wing; restrooms open 6:30am–dusk

Playground free; museum $30 adults, kids 12 and under free; NY residents pay what you wish

Checked Oct 19 · source: metmuseum.org

Botanic Garden and Mount Prospect Playground

Walk the fall gardens and lily pool terrace at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, eat at the outdoor canteen, then play by Eastern Parkway.

1. Brooklyn Botanic GardenTue–Sun 10am–6pm through October, 10am–3:30pm from November; closed Mondays
2. Yellow Magnolia CanteenOutdoor canteen in the garden: bowls, sandwiches, snacks
3. Mount Prospect Park PlaygroundEastern Parkway at Flatbush Avenue

Playground free; garden $22 adults ($23.67 online), kids under 12 free

Checked Oct 26 · source: bbg.org

Prospect Park Zoo and Imagination Playground

A compact zoo visit with sea lions and river otters, a snack at Sea Lion Court, then free play off Ocean Avenue.

1. Prospect Park ZooThrough Oct 31: 10am–5pm weekdays, until 5:30pm weekends; from Nov 1: daily 10am–4:30pm
2. Sea Lion Store and CaféInside the zoo: sandwiches, salads, snacks, ice cream
3. Imagination PlaygroundProspect Park at Ocean Avenue and East Lake Drive

Playground free; zoo $10.95 adults, $7.95 kids 3–12, 2 and under free

Checked Oct 26 · source: prospectparkzoo.com

NYSCI and the Playground for All Children

Hands-on science at NYSCI, lunch at the museum cafe, then a playground built from the start for kids of every ability.

1. New York Hall of ScienceWednesday–Sunday 10am–5pm, last entry 4pm
2. Butter Beans Kitchen at NYSCIMuseum cafe with hot and cold dishes; no outside food
3. Playground for All ChildrenAccessible playground at 111th Street and 56th Avenue

Playground free; NYSCI $22 adults, $19 kids 2–17

Checked Oct 12 · source: nysci.org

Movie magic at MoMI, then Bear Park

Try the hands-on exhibits about how movies, TV and games get made at the Museum of the Moving Image, then find the bear statue playground.

1. Museum of the Moving ImageThursday–Sunday; free Thursdays 2–6pm
2. Mon Amour Coffee & WineCafe in the museum lobby, free to enter
3. Playground Thirty Five (Bear Park)Honeycomb-themed playground with a bear statue on 35th Avenue

Playground free; museum $20 adults, $10 ages 3–17, under 3 free

Checked Oct 12 · source: movingimage.org

Bronx Zoo day and River Park Playground

A full day with the animals at the Bronx Zoo, lunch at the year-round cafe near Zoo Center, then swings in Bronx Park.

1. Bronx ZooNov–Mar: daily 10am–4:30pm; closed Thanksgiving
2. Dancing Crane CaféInside the zoo near Zoo Center, open daily
3. River Park PlaygroundBronx Park at East 180th Street and Boston Road

Playground free; zoo from $28.95 adults, $20.95 kids 3–12, 2 and under free

Checked Nov 2 · source: bronxzoo.com

NYBG and French Charley Playground

Dig into the Children's Adventure Garden and fall color at NYBG, eat at the Pine Tree Café, then swing in Bronx Park.

1. New York Botanical GardenTuesday–Sunday 10am–6pm; includes the Children's Adventure Garden
2. Pine Tree CaféTakeaway cafe inside the garden, among the pines
3. French Charley PlaygroundBronx Park, enter at East 204th Street and Webster Avenue

Playground free; garden pass $35 adults, $15 kids weekdays; free grounds Wednesdays for NYC residents

Checked Nov 2 · source: nybg.org

Staten Island Zoo and Clove Lakes

A manageable zoo morning with capybaras and an aquarium, lunch at the zoo cafe, then the playground in Clove Lakes Park.

1. Staten Island ZooDaily 10am–4:45pm; free Wednesdays after 2pm
2. Staten Island Zoo CaféInside the zoo: burgers, hot dogs, veggie options, ice cream
3. Clove Lakes Park PlaygroundClove Road and Cheshire Place

Playground free; zoo $12 adults, $8 kids 3–14, 2 and under free

Checked Oct 11 · source: statenislandzoo.org

Snug Harbor kids' museum and Walker Park

Hands-on play at the Staten Island Children's Museum, lunch on Snug Harbor's grounds, then toddler swings at Walker Park.

1. Staten Island Children's MuseumOn the Snug Harbor grounds, Wednesday–Sunday 10am–5pm
2. Harbor EatsOutdoor cafe on Cottage Row, open through fall, weather permitting
3. Walker Park playgroundSmall playground with toddler swings on Delafield Place

Playground free; museum $10 per person, under 1 free

Checked Oct 11 · source: sichildrensmuseum.org

Little Stony Point and Cold Spring

Metro-North Hudson Line: Grand Central to Cold Spring

About 1 hr 10 min each way, then a 4-minute walk to Main Street (weekend trolley to the trail, $2)

Trolley ($2, kids half fare) runs weekends through Veterans Day weekend

Browse Cold Spring's Main Street, then walk a flat loop to a small Hudson River beach at Little Stony Point.

Checked Oct 26 · source: parks.ny.gov

Arden Point Trail, Garrison

Metro-North Hudson Line: Grand Central to Garrison

About 1 hr 15 min each way, then a two-minute walk from the station to the trailhead

Open daily, sunrise to sunset

An easy, flat 1.2-mile river walk to a rocky bluff with a view across the Hudson to West Point.

Checked Oct 11 · source: parks.ny.gov

Philipsburg Manor, Sleepy Hollow

Metro-North Hudson Line: Grand Central to Philipse Manor

About 1 hr each way, then a 0.7-mile walk to the visitor center (Tarrytown station, about 1 mile away, has taxis)

$18 adults, $13 kids 3–17, under 3 free ($2 more per ticket bought same day)

Oct 5–29: Mon, Wed, Thu; Nov 1–29: Fri–Sun; Dec 5–20: Sat–Sun (October Fri–Sun: Headless Horseman Files only, separate ticket)

A working colonial mill, manor house and barn where guides show 1750s farm life and the lives of the people enslaved there.

Checked Oct 19 · source: hudsonvalley.org

Dia Beacon

Metro-North Hudson Line: Grand Central to Beacon

About 1 hr 30 min each way, then an 8–10 minute (half-mile) walk (free Beacon Loop bus Mon–Sat)

$25 adults, $5 kids 5–11, under 5 free

Fri–Mon 10am–4pm, arrive by 3:30pm (hours change seasonally)

A riverside former box factory filled with giant sculptures that kids can walk around, under and through.

Checked Oct 19 · source: diaart.org

Hudson River Museum, Yonkers

Metro-North Hudson Line (local): Grand Central to Glenwood

About 30 min each way, then a short walk up Ravine Ave through Trevor Park

$15 adults, $8 kids 3–18, under 3 free

Wed–Fri noon–5pm, Sat–Sun 11am–5pm; planetarium shows weekends

A riverfront art and history museum with a planetarium; weekend sky shows at 12:30, 2 and 3:30 cost a little extra.

Checked Oct 12 · source: hrm.org

Maritime Aquarium, Norwalk

Metro-North New Haven Line: Grand Central to South Norwalk

About 1 hr–1 hr 20 min each way, then a short walk from the station

$39.95 adults, $29.95 kids 3–12

Daily 10am–5pm; closed Thanksgiving and Christmas

Seals, sharks and Long Island Sound sea life inside a restored 1860s ironworks in walkable South Norwalk.

Checked Oct 12 · source: maritimeaquarium.org

Long Beach boardwalk

LIRR Long Beach Branch: Penn Station or Grand Central to Long Beach

About 1 hr each way, then a short walk to the boardwalk

Boardwalk open year-round; no swimming or lifeguards

A 2.2-mile oceanfront boardwalk with a playground and restrooms, good for scooters, sandcastles and watching fall surfers.

Checked Oct 11 · source: longbeachny.gov

Oyster Bay Railroad Museum

LIRR Oyster Bay Branch: Penn Station or Grand Central to Oyster Bay

About 1 hr 20 min each way, then an easy walk; the waterfront park is across from the station

$9 adults, $7 kids 6–17, 5 and under free

Sat–Sun noon–4pm through mid-November

Climb vintage rail cars, ride Long Island's only working turntable, then picnic at the waterfront park.

Checked Oct 26 · source: obrm.org

Liberty Science Center

PATH + Hudson-Bergen Light Rail: World Trade Center to Liberty State Park

PATH, then 5 light-rail stops, then a signed walk from the station

Varies by date; cheapest a day ahead

Early Nov: Tue–Wed 10am–4pm, Thu–Sun 10am–5pm; some Mondays closed

Several floors of hands-on science with live animals, a dinosaur dig and an enormous planetarium dome.

Checked Nov 2 · source: lsc.org

Princeton University Art Museum

NJ Transit Northeast Corridor + Dinky: Penn Station to Princeton (change at Princeton Junction)

NJ Transit, then a 5-min Dinky, then about a 10-minute walk

Open daily; closed Thanksgiving

A free campus art museum spanning ancient to modern works, an easy stroll through Princeton's leafy fall campus.

Checked Nov 2 · source: artmuseum.princeton.edu