18 parks and nature spots for kids in Brooklyn, 14 free. Parks, gardens, farms, beaches. Includes Brooklyn Bridge Park and Green-Wood Cemetery.
A sprawling 19th-century landscape of hills, ponds and monuments where families can wander, spot birds and hunt for famous graves using a free mobile guide. Guided walking tours, two-hour historic trolley tours and events like the August Battle of Brooklyn re-enactment add to the history lesson.
An 85-acre waterfront park along 1.3 miles of the East River, with big playgrounds at Pier 6, sports courts, lawns and pebbly beaches facing the Manhattan skyline. Hundreds of free programs a year include kids' nature education, bike lessons and outdoor movies.
A 52-acre garden with cherry trees, a Japanese garden and seasonal plantings. Young kids can explore the Discovery Garden and join drop-in family nature programs.
An 18th-century Flatbush farmhouse in Prospect Park with a working garden and hands-on exhibits. Kids try imaginative play and outdoor activities while learning about the Lenape and African Americans connected to the site.
The nation's first urban Audubon Center, set in Prospect Park's Boathouse by the Lullwater. Families meet park animals at free Animal Encounter sessions, borrow gear for nature exploration and join beginner bird walks.
A waterfront learning space where kids get hands-on with East River science, from local wildlife to the park's salt marsh and plants, during free open hours and scheduled programs.
Brooklyn's 526-acre flagship park, with Brooklyn's only lake, a forested ravine, the Long Meadow, a zoo, a carousel and the Audubon Center. Kids can splash at the LeFrak Center, explore Lefferts Historic House and follow woodland trails.
Brooklyn's largest park, combining ball fields and playgrounds with a vast salt marsh along Gerritsen Creek. Families walk the marsh trail from the Salt Marsh Nature Center to see wading birds and fiddler crabs.
A hilly park on the Brooklyn–Queens border with sweeping views, playgrounds and the wooded Ridgewood Reservoir basins, a surprisingly wild spot for bird-watching.
An interactive corner of Brooklyn Botanic Garden where kids follow paths through a meadow, a woodland with raised boardwalks and a marsh crossed on logs and boulders. Staff lead free drop-in nature activities for toddlers and families.
A free, all-outdoor nature play session in Sunset Park once a month, where kids dig, climb, collect and explore with guidance from nature educators.
New York City's largest state park, built on former landfills along Jamaica Bay, with 10 miles of trails, waterfront piers, a free bike library, learn-to-kayak classes and Tot Time for toddlers.
A famous ocean beach and boardwalk next to Luna Park, the Cyclone and the New York Aquarium. Kids can combine sand and waves with rides, the aquarium and boardwalk treats.
New York City's only publicly accessible aquaponics farm, where fish and plants grow together in a recirculating system. Visitors can tour the Brooklyn farm to see carp, catfish and prawns alongside vegetables and herbs, and youth programs are offered.
A nature center at the edge of Marine Park's salt marsh on Gerritsen Creek, with a boardwalk and trail loop where kids can spot egrets, fiddler crabs and ospreys. Rangers lead free walks, crafts and marsh explorations.
Free ranger-led walks, wildlife watches and nature activities for families in Brooklyn parks such as Marine Park and Fort Greene Park. Rangers teach kids to spot birds, identify trees, explore shorelines and learn outdoor skills, with seasonal events like wildlife festivals.
A Brooklyn park by Jamaica Bay with playgrounds, ball fields and paths near restored wetland edges.
A small visitor center in hilly Fort Greene Park with exhibits and a base for Urban Park Ranger workshops and tours about the park's trees, birds and Revolutionary War history.
LittleGotham lists 18 parks and nature spots for kids in Brooklyn.
Yes. 14 of 18 are free to attend, including Brooklyn Bridge Park, Green-Wood Cemetery, Prospect Park Audubon Center at the Boathouse.
Marine Park (3), Brooklyn Heights (2), Prospect Park (2).