# Things to do with kids in Manhattan (1032)

> 1,032 kid-friendly places and programs in Manhattan, led by sports, playgrounds and theater. Includes Grand Central Terminal and Nintendo New York.

URL: https://littlegotham.com/borough/manhattan/

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## Things to do with kids in Manhattan

1,032 kid-friendly places and programs in Manhattan, led by sports, playgrounds and theater. Includes Grand Central Terminal and Nintendo New York.

[Filter & map these](https://littlegotham.com/explore/?boro=Manhattan) 391 free 693 indoor 

### By category

[Art 37 ](https://littlegotham.com/borough/manhattan/art/) · [Dance 59 ](https://littlegotham.com/borough/manhattan/dance/) · [Galleries 7 ](https://littlegotham.com/borough/manhattan/galleries/) · [Gymnastics 32 ](https://littlegotham.com/borough/manhattan/gymnastics/) · [Language 14 ](https://littlegotham.com/borough/manhattan/language/) · [Libraries 43 ](https://littlegotham.com/borough/manhattan/libraries/) · [Museums 75 ](https://littlegotham.com/borough/manhattan/museums/) · [Music 58 ](https://littlegotham.com/borough/manhattan/music/) · [Nature 26 ](https://littlegotham.com/borough/manhattan/nature/) · [Playgrounds 184 ](https://littlegotham.com/borough/manhattan/playgrounds/) · [Play spaces 55 ](https://littlegotham.com/borough/manhattan/social/) · [Sports 224 ](https://littlegotham.com/borough/manhattan/sports/) · [STEM 47 ](https://littlegotham.com/borough/manhattan/stem/) · [Stores 26 ](https://littlegotham.com/borough/manhattan/stores/) · [Swimming 56 ](https://littlegotham.com/borough/manhattan/swimming/) · [Theater 81 ](https://littlegotham.com/borough/manhattan/theater/) · [Zoos 8 ](https://littlegotham.com/borough/manhattan/zoos/) 

### Neighborhoods in Manhattan 60 

[Battery Park City 16 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-battery-park-city/) · [Carnegie Hill 5 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-carnegie-hill/) Central Harlem 1 [Central Park 23 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-central-park/) · [Chelsea 69 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-chelsea/) · [Chinatown 7 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-chinatown/) · [Civic Center 5 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-civic-center/) · [Columbus Circle 4 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-columbus-circle/) · [East Harlem 40 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-east-harlem/) · [East Village 41 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-east-village/) · [Financial District 26 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-financial-district/) · [Flatiron 15 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-flatiron/) Fort George 1 [Garment District 9 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-garment-district/) · [Governors Island 2 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-governors-island/) · [Gramercy 6 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-gramercy/) · [Greenwich Village 27 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-greenwich-village/) · [Hamilton Heights 25 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-hamilton-heights/) · [Harlem 71 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-harlem/) · [Hell's Kitchen 36 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-hell-s-kitchen/) Herald Square 1 [Hudson Heights 5 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-hudson-heights/) · [Hudson Square 2 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-hudson-square/) Hudson Yards 1 [Inwood 17 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-inwood/) · [Kips Bay 8 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-kips-bay/) Koreatown 1 [Lenox Hill 9 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-lenox-hill/) · [Lincoln Square 24 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-lincoln-square/) Little Italy 1 [Lower East Side 41 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-lower-east-side/) · [Manhattan Valley 2 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-manhattan-valley/) · [Manhattanville 5 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-manhattanville/) · [Meatpacking District 2 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-meatpacking-district/) · [Midtown 38 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-midtown/) · [Midtown East 13 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-midtown-east/) · [Morningside Heights 18 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-morningside-heights/) · [Murray Hill 8 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-murray-hill/) · [NoHo 3 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-noho/) · [Nolita 4 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-nolita/) · [NoMad 4 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-nomad/) · [Randall's Island 7 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-randall-s-island/) · [Roosevelt Island 4 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-roosevelt-island/) · [SoHo 8 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-soho/) · [South Street Seaport 3 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-south-street-seaport/) · [Stuyvesant Town 4 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-stuyvesant-town/) Sugar Hill 1 Sutton Place 1 [Theater District 19 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-theater-district/) · [Tribeca 36 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-tribeca/) · [Tudor City 2 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-tudor-city/) · [Turtle Bay 7 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-turtle-bay/) · [Two Bridges 6 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-two-bridges/) · [Union Square 7 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-union-square/) · [Upper East Side 75 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-upper-east-side/) · [Upper West Side 128 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-upper-west-side/) · [Washington Heights 31 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-washington-heights/) West Harlem 1 [West Village 25 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-west-village/) · [Yorkville 30 ](https://littlegotham.com/neighborhood/manhattan-yorkville/) 

[Nintendo New York](https://littlegotham.com/activity/nintendo-new-york/): Midtown Free Nintendo Nintendo s two-level flagship at Rockefeller Center, where kids can try the latest Switch games and browse Mario, Zelda and Pokémon merchandise. Upstairs, a small display shows off vintage Nintendo consoles. All ages Daily Indoor

[Top of the Rock](https://littlegotham.com/activity/top-of-the-rock/): Midtown $42 Tishman Speyer / Rockefeller Center Three stacked levels of indoor and outdoor decks atop 30 Rockefeller Plaza give kids wide-open views of Central Park and the Empire State Building. Add-on experiences include a rotating open-air SKYLIFT platform and a photo op on a replica steel beam. All ages Daily

[Abrons Arts Center](https://littlegotham.com/activity/abrons-arts-center/): Lower East Side Price on site Henry Street Settlement A Lower East Side arts center with free contemporary art galleries, theaters and studios, run by Henry Street Settlement. Families can visit exhibitions and attend performances and community arts events. All ages Daily Indoor

[American Museum of Natural History](https://littlegotham.com/activity/american-museum-of-natural-history/): Upper West Side Kids $22 The city s famous natural history museum, home to dinosaur skeletons, a life-size blue whale, gem halls and planetarium shows. Kids can explore dioramas, the Gilder Center s insectarium and butterfly vivarium, and hands-on discovery rooms. Ages 2–17 Daily Indoor

[Apollo Theater](https://littlegotham.com/activity/apollo-theater/): Harlem $17 The Apollo Harlem s legendary performance hall offers reservation-only guided tours that take visitors backstage and through the history of the artists who launched careers on its stage. Families can also catch performances such as the famous Amateur Night, and school groups can book curriculum-based tours. All ages Mon, Wed, Sat Indoor

[Arsenal Gallery](https://littlegotham.com/activity/arsenal-gallery/): Central Park Free NYC Parks A small free gallery on the third floor of the Arsenal, NYC Parks headquarters inside Central Park near the zoo. Rotating shows often explore nature, parks and the city, making it an easy art stop during a Central Park outing. All ages Mon–Fri Indoor

[Asphalt Green Upper East Side – AGUA Swim Academy](https://littlegotham.com/activity/asphalt-green-upper-east-side-agua-swim-academy/): Yorkville Price on site Asphalt Green Asphalt Green s Yorkville campus hosts its AGUA Swim Academy, with song-and-game classes for babies and toddlers, preschool lessons for ages 3–5, and Foundations and Core levels for kids 5–16\. A free parent-and-child Water Explorers program is also offered. Ages 0–16 Daily Indoor

[Central Park Zoo](https://littlegotham.com/activity/central-park-zoo/): Central Park Kids $16.95 Wildlife Conservation Society A small zoo in the southeast corner of Central Park featuring sea lions, snow leopards, penguins and a tropical rainforest building. Admission also covers the Tisch Children s Zoo and a 4-D theater film. Ages 0–12 Daily Outdoor

[Cooper Union Saturday Program](https://littlegotham.com/activity/cooper-union-saturday-program/): East Village Free The Cooper Union A free Saturday visual arts program for New York City public high school students, held on Cooper Union s East Village campus. Teens take studio classes in drawing, painting, design and more, with portfolio courses for juniors and seniors heading to art school. Ages 14–17 Sat Indoor

[Grand Central Terminal](https://littlegotham.com/activity/grand-central-terminal/): Midtown Free Metropolitan Transportation Authority The Beaux-Arts train station where kids can spot constellations on the Main Concourse ceiling, test the Whispering Gallery and watch trains come and go. Official 90-minute guided tours explore hidden corners. All ages Daily Indoor

[Harlem Stage Kids Day](https://littlegotham.com/activity/harlem-stage-kids-day/): Hamilton Heights Free Harlem Stage Harlem Stage opens its Gatehouse venue for a free Saturday of live children s music and performance by well-known kids artists, paired with an outdoor book fair where families can pick up free books. During the school year the organization also runs student matinees with pre-show workshops and artist Q&As. All ages Sat

[Intrepid Museum](https://littlegotham.com/activity/intrepid-museum/): Hell s Kitchen Kids $28 A museum aboard a retired aircraft carrier docked on the Hudson, where kids can see fighter jets on the flight deck, go inside the submarine Growler and view the Space Shuttle Enterprise. Interactive exhibits cover flight, naval life and space exploration. Ages 3–17 Daily Indoor

[M&M s Store Times Square](https://littlegotham.com/activity/m-m-s-store-times-square/): Theater District Free Mars A two-story candy destination with a towering wall of M&M s in every color and flavor. Kids can mix custom blends and print personalized candies with messages or pictures in a couple of minutes. All ages Daily Indoor

[Marshall Chess Club Junior Programs](https://littlegotham.com/activity/marshall-chess-club-junior-programs/): Greenwich Village Price on site Marshall Chess Club One of the oldest chess clubs in the country hosts Sunday junior tournaments and runs the Marshall Chess Academy with classes and school-break camps for young players. Kids get to play rated games in a historic Greenwich Village brownstone. Ages 5–17 Mon, Wed–Sun Indoor

[National Jazz Museum in Harlem](https://littlegotham.com/activity/national-jazz-museum-in-harlem/): Harlem Suggested $10 A Harlem museum celebrating jazz history with listening stations, instruments and exhibits about the neighborhood s musical legends. It also runs workshops and tours for school groups and families. Ages 5–17 Thu–Sat Indoor

[National Museum of Mathematics (MoMath)](https://littlegotham.com/activity/national-museum-of-mathematics-momath/): Flatiron Kids $20 National Museum of Mathematics An interactive museum where kids play with math: riding square-wheeled trikes, designing patterns, and solving puzzles through dozens of hands-on exhibits. It makes geometry, logic and numbers feel like a playground. Ages 4–17 Daily Indoor

[New York City Fire Museum](https://littlegotham.com/activity/new-york-city-fire-museum/): Hudson Square Kids $6 Set in a restored 1904 firehouse, this museum shows antique fire engines, helmets and equipment tracing the history of firefighting in New York. Kids love the horse-drawn rigs and learning about fire safety. Ages 3–12 Wed–Sun Indoor

[NYPL Children s Center at 42nd Street](https://littlegotham.com/activity/nypl-children-s-center-at-42nd-street/): Midtown Free New York Public Library The children s room on the ground floor of the landmark Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, stocked with picture books, chapter books, audiobooks and kid-only computers. It hosts story times, music and theater performances, and visits from authors and illustrators. Ages 0–12 Tue–Sun Indoor

[Pier 57 Rooftop Park](https://littlegotham.com/activity/pier-57-rooftop-park/): Chelsea Free Hudson River Park Trust / Pier 57 A public rooftop lawn on a restored pier with wide Hudson River views and family-friendly events like outdoor film screenings. Downstairs, the Market 57 food hall and educational spaces with a Discovery Tank round out a visit. All ages Daily Outdoor

[The Frick Collection](https://littlegotham.com/activity/the-frick-collection/): Upper East Side Kids free A Gilded Age mansion museum filled with old master paintings, sculpture and decorative arts, reopened in 2025 after a major renovation. It suits tweens and teens, who can explore the historic rooms free of charge. Ages 10–17 Mon, Wed–Sun Indoor

[The High Line](https://littlegotham.com/activity/the-high-line/): Chelsea Free Friends of the High Line / NYC Parks A public park built on an old elevated rail line, where families stroll through gardens, public art and overlooks above the West Side streets. Free docent-led tours and seasonal family programs run through the year. All ages Daily Outdoor

[The Metropolitan Museum of Art](https://littlegotham.com/activity/the-metropolitan-museum-of-art/): Upper East Side Kids free New York s giant encyclopedic art museum, where kids can wander past Egyptian tombs, knights in armor, musical instruments and period rooms. Family guides, drop-in art-making and family programs help younger visitors engage with the collection. Ages 3–17 Mon, Tue, Thu–Sun Indoor

[The Morgan Library & Museum](https://littlegotham.com/activity/the-morgan-library-museum/): Murray Hill Kids free J.P. Morgan s former library, with soaring bookshelves, rare manuscripts, drawings and early printed books. Families can visit the historic rooms and check the calendar for occasional family days and programs. Ages 6–17 Tue–Sun Indoor

[The Skyscraper Museum](https://littlegotham.com/activity/the-skyscraper-museum/): Battery Park City Free A small Battery Park City museum about tall buildings, with models, photos and exhibits on how skyscrapers are designed and built. Great for kids fascinated by the city skyline and construction. Ages 6–17 Wed–Sat Indoor

### Quick answers

How many places and programs for kids are there in Manhattan?

LittleGotham lists 1,032 places and programs for kids in Manhattan. The largest groups are 224 sports programs, 184 playgrounds, 81 theater programs.

Are there free things to do for kids in Manhattan?

Yes. 391 of 1,032 are free to attend, including Grand Central Terminal, Nintendo New York, Pier 57 Rooftop Park.

What can kids do indoors in Manhattan on a rainy day?

693 listings are indoors, such as Grand Central Terminal, Nintendo New York, Abrons Arts Center.

Which neighborhoods in Manhattan have the most places and programs?

Upper West Side (128), Upper East Side (75), Harlem (71).

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