I’ve been meaning to write up my New York guides for an age. It’s my favourite city hands down and we just got back from my 7th trip there! It’s a city that has me pining to go back before I’ve even left, it really is so iconic.
We were there for October half term which coincided with Halloween - in my opinion the best time to visit. I’ll share separate posts about our love for all things spooky in the city, there’s nowhere like NYC for Halloween. And I’ll also share our full itinerary and suggestions for where to stay {and eat! the food is such a highlight in New York} if it’s your first time to visit or maybe you’re returning & want to try a few different, more local things this time.
But today I’m prompted to write this post as I can’t fit my suggestions for the best spots to visit with kids into an Instagram DM reply.
People are always really surprised when I tell them we’re going to New York with our kids {our first visit was with a 4 month old - which I don’t really think counts as all a 4 month old wants is to be fed, carried and walked and have a cosy space to sleep, things to look at and occasionally kick around so actually that was incredibly easy & we didn’t adapt what we did. We used our trusty ergo carrier mainly, walked for miles & took a blanket with us to put down for a playmat for a stretch out on cafe benches!}. But 2 years ago we visited with a 5 & 3 year old and then last week took this trip with a 7 & 5 year old. Our kids absolutely LOVE it. And gosh, there’s just endless amounts of things to do! I think it has a real appeal to older kids & teens too who will by that age have a real appreciation for the cool Americana culture and appeal the city has from all of the TV shows & movies.
It’s surprisingly child friendly, there are playgrounds on every block, splash pads, free clean toilets at playgrounds & along all of the piers, water fountains. I’d say just choose your time of year to visit carefully as the winters can be bitterly cold!
Here is a bumper list of the best things to do in the city - and find them all on this handy google map here!
I partnered with the NYC Tourism board to visit some of these attractions but all opinions are my own.
The ultimate list of things to do in New York with kids
Sloomoo Institute is brilliant for slime-obsessed children — ours could not get over it. It’s the number one slime experience in the world & encourages a love for play at any age. Is there anything better than hearing your children exclaim how fun something is? There are tonnes of hands-on sensory stations for adults to join in with too, vats of slime to play in with all different textures, a DIY slime bar where we all enjoyed choosing our own colours, scents and charms for our own slime to take home, a mini soft play at the end where you can walk through and you can even get slimed! Use code STERLING10 for $10 off tickets here.
Museum of Ice Cream and Color Factory are similar alternatives if you love immersive, colourful experiences. They have completely different themes, but both make a fun indoor activity. We went to the Color Factory on our last visit which has a slide into a ball pit at the end & a few gifts included.
Governors Island is one of our favourite NYC family discoveries. Take the ferry over {from Manhattan or Brooklyn, free before 10am} for huge open spaces, brilliant skyline views, hammocks, car free bike hire, Slide Hill and the adventurous Yard playground on selected days. There is also a Junior Ranger programme at the National Monument. We love the pumpkin patch there every October.
Mercer Labs is a really cool mix of interactive science, art and technology. Expect immersive rooms that blew our kids {and our!} minds with plenty of lights & mirrors, hands-on sections to sculpt sand & draw and a huge ball pit to play in — it feels much more playful than a typical museum.
American Museum of Natural History is an absolute must. The CityPASS is well worth getting as it includes general entry plus one paid exhibition inside it alongside the admission, alongside other major NYC attractions including Top of the Rock and the Empire State Building and saves up to 51%. We chose the Davis Family Butterfly Vivarium alongside our entry, where majestic butterflies swoop around you and sometimes land on your clothes. The dinosaur fossils there are the best we’ve ever seen — being face to face with a whole T. rex skull feels epic. For a smoother visit, use the Gilder Center or accessible side entrance, which often has shorter queues and is much easier with a buggy. Start at the top and work down, rather than trying to see everything at once. Don’t miss the Discovery Room: a calm, hands-on children’s space with lovely staff, where we happily spent over an hour.
The Intrepid Museum is another CityPASS option and looked amazing — a huge aircraft carrier with fighter planes on top, the space shuttle Enterprise and lots of hands-on exhibits. Raffy would have loved it; we just ran out of time this trip sadly!
SUMMIT One Vanderbilt is my favourite observation deck with children. We’ve been twice now and I’d go back every visit. There are the famous giant silver floating balloons to play with, exciting glass floors looking down onto the streets below and spectacular views up & down the city right out to the water. It’s such an iconic and well designed city that has to be seen from above. Book an earlier slot if you can, before it gets busier. There’s no time limit once you’re in but you do move around the rooms without returning so be sure to have had enough fun before you go to the next part.
NYC playgrounds are a reason to visit in themselves. You’re never far away from one! There are some really well designed and our highlights to save are:
Domino Park in Williamsburg; Pier 6 and the Brooklyn Bridge playgrounds; Battery Park City. Both Chelsea Waterside with its caterpillar and Pier 26 Science Playground, with its brilliant whale-and-fish design are by Danish playground creators Monstrum. Central Park has loads too — Heckscher Playground and Adventure Playground were two of our favourites.
Central Park is always worth a visit. The Sheep Meadow grass is lovely for picnics and a run-around, while the huge boulders dotted around the park are ideal for climbing. We hired a rowboat on the lake this time, which was such a gorgeous family activity — the children even spotted terrapins.
The LEGO Store on Fifth Avenue is so much fun, particularly the giant NYC taxi children can sit inside. Don’t miss the quieter Flatiron store either: we made custom mini figures there. And if you have a LEGO passport you can collect stamps, if you don’t then be sure to ask for one in store - they’re free.
American Girl is the ultimate doll store, with a café, salon experiences and beautifully designed displays. Book dining or experiences ahead — and be prepared that it’s $$$.
The Jellycat Diner experience at FAO Schwarz is a very special one for Jellycat fans. Booking ahead is essential.
Climb to the Statue of Liberty crown. This was a major highlight for our children. They could not believe they were actually going over to Liberty Island and climbing inside the crown. Tickets need booking months ahead through the official National Park Service/Statue City Cruises route only — I booked ours in July for an October visit — and the ferry is included.
Even without crown tickets, Liberty and Ellis Islands are well worth visiting for the views, ferry ride and Junior Ranger activities. Children can complete booklets and earn special National Park badges.
Collect National Park stamps and Junior Ranger badges around the city. Castle Clinton in Battery Park is an easy one to add before or after the Statue of Liberty ferry, but there are also programmes at places including Governors Island, Ellis Island, Federal Hall, the African Burial Ground and Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace. Castle Clinton itself is free to visit.
See the skyline from the water. A sightseeing boat tour is included as one of the CityPASS choices, or take the completely free Staten Island Ferry for brilliant Statue of Liberty and Lower Manhattan views. It is not a sightseeing cruise, but it is a very good free alternative. You have to get off in Staten Island, you can either visit the Empire outlets or get back on again. There is a children’s museum in Staten Island which was on my shortlist but we didn’t get there in the end & it would have been a 40 minute walk from the ferry terminal.
Ride the magical SeaGlass Carousel in Battery Park. The glowing fish, music and movement make it feel really memorable.
Jane’s Carousel in DUMBO is another lovely one, right beneath the Brooklyn Bridge. Combine it with Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pebble Beach and the brilliant nearby playgrounds. It is especially gorgeous around sunset.
If you have more time outside Manhattan, visit LEGOLAND New York Resort for a full theme-park day, or LEGO Discovery Center New Jersey in Jersey City for a smaller indoor LEGO day.
CAMP stores has immersive family experiences behind its famous Magic Door. At the moment it is Bluey’s House, where children can step into the Heeler family home and meet Bluey and Bingo. It is a proper booked experience, not just a shop visit.
Central Park Zoo is a sweet, manageable zoo with iconic sea lions and city views. It is not enormous, which makes it ideal for a shorter visit. Choose the Bronx Zoo instead if you want a much bigger full-day zoo experience.
Children’s Museum of Manhattan is a great rainy-day option, especially for younger children, with imaginative and active play spaces.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum is another good rainy-day choice, with more room to play and explore and huge water play exhibits — though it is less convenient from central Manhattan, so best combined with a Brooklyn day.
National Museum of Mathematics (MoMath) is one I would love to do next time. It’s meant to be full of interactive maths-based exhibits and feels much more like a play space than a traditional museum.
FAO Schwarz by Rockefeller Center is worth browsing even if you do not book the Jellycat experience. Don’t miss the famous giant floor piano.
The New York City Fire Museum is a smaller, more unusual museum option for children who love fire engines. You can also pop into a real fire station if the crew are around and it is a quiet moment — they are often incredibly kind with children, giving out hats and stickers.
Space Club in Brooklyn have a few locations and look brilliant for a rainy or cold day: beautifully designed, parent-pleasing soft play with magnetic tiles, creative areas and imaginative play mixed in. They were on our list but we had such good weather that we were outside for as much as possible in the end.
New York’s public libraries are gorgeous for a quiet reset between bigger sightseeing days. The main New York Public Library beside Bryant Park is especially beautiful; Bryant Park itself is lovely for snacks, a run-around and seasonal activities. NYC’s library systems also run plenty of family events. There’s also Brooklyn too which we’ve enjoyed for some colouring breaks before.
The new Lapland Christmas Store on Fifth Avenue is one to add for a festive NYC visit with immersive actors and mini shows. It opened on 4 November 2026 at 3 West 57th Street, close to Central Park and Fifth Avenue’s Christmas sights.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art looks surprisingly good with children. We’ve been when Freya was a baby. It is huge, so do not try to do it all — choose one or two galleries and make it a short, focused visit. The Egyptian galleries, armour, musical instruments and rooftop garden are all great options. There’s a whole children’s room. Check family programmes and activity guides before you go, as there are often workshops and child-friendly trails.
MoMA works well for a shorter art museum visit, with colourful and recognisable works including Van Gogh’s The Starry Night, Matisse and Picasso. Let children choose their favourite pieces rather than trying to “do” the museum properly. Check for family guides and creative programmes before visiting.
A Broadway show would be such a lovely option towards the end of a trip, once everyone is less jet-lagged. Look for family-friendly matinees and check age guidance carefully, as some shows are more suitable than others. The Lion King and Aladdin are fantastic choices for younger children, while Wicked and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child are better suited to older children. Do check age recommendations and running times before booking, as some productions are surprisingly long. I'd look at matinee performances if you're travelling with younger children, and book ahead for popular shows.
Collect Ana Inciardi mini prints around the city. These tiny artwork vending machines turn sightseeing into a fun mini scavenger hunt and make a really lovely addition to a scrapbook. Keep an eye out for NYC-themed designs and limited editions, including Richard Scarry prints.
Books Are Magic in Brooklyn is special to us — we always let the children choose a book there. It is a lovely independent bookshop to add to a Cobble Hill or Brooklyn day.
Look out for quirky little NYC details. There are so many fun discoveries that children notice before adults do: look up the LEGO-style street art on the Upper West Side, the Chelsea treasure hunts, interesting shop windows, subway musicians and seasonal installations. Letting them pick out a few “treasures” as you walk makes a big sightseeing day feel much more fun.
Little Island is a free floating park on the Hudson with unusual architecture, little pathways, grassy areas and music to play. It is ideal combined with the High Line, Chelsea Market and Pier 57.
Walk the High Line — the elevated former railway is one of the easiest ways to make a city walk fun for children without traffic, especially if you build in snack stops and do only part of it. Start or finish at Hudson Yards, Chelsea Market or Little Island rather than trying to walk the entire route & look for the elevators for strollers.
Add Pier 57 rooftop park when doing Little Island and the High Line. It has a huge free rooftop with panoramic Hudson River views, plus a food hall downstairs and an environmental education space. It is a brilliant, mostly under-the-radar place for children to let off steam.
Ride the Roosevelt Island Tram. It costs the same as the subway, gives amazing views over the East River and feels like an attraction in its own right. Combine it with a wander around Roosevelt Island, Four Freedoms Park or the small playgrounds there.
Visit Grand Central Terminal. Even if you are not catching a train, children will love the celestial ceiling, the whispering gallery outside Oyster Bar and the buzz of the main concourse. It is an easy stop near SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, Bryant Park and the NYPL.
Coney Island is worth considering in warmer months or if you have a spare day. Think boardwalk, beach, old-school rides, arcade games and Nathan’s hot dogs — a very different side of New York.
Times Square is one of those iconic New York experiences children have to see at least once: the enormous screens, yellow taxis, costumed characters and all the noise and buzz feel completely surreal. Go after dark if you can, when the lights are at their best, then combine it with the LEGO Store, M&M’s World, Hershey’s Chocolate World or a Broadway show. It can get very busy, so keep a close hold of younger children and avoid eating in the big chain restaurants unless that is part of the fun for you.
The Art of Play has become famous recently for the wrong reasons perhaps but we passed it a few times whilst walking in Brooklyn and went in as I knew my kids would love the interesting and quirky play pieces in there, the staff are lovely and encourage children to touch and play. Not somewhere to seek out specifically but if you are in Brooklyn it’s worth a stop!
On our last visit we went to the EDGE viewing platform at Hudson Yards, it’s got an incredible peninsula out looking over the city, is open air, has a big glass floor and has recently added an immersive section.
Visit Harry Potter New York. If you have any Harry Potter fans in the family, this three-storey flagship store next to the Flatiron Building is well worth a visit. It's so much more than a shop, with beautifully themed rooms, interactive experiences, magical photo opportunities and an enormous collection of Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts merchandise. There's even a Butterbeer Bar where you can try the famous wizarding drink, alongside Butterbeer ice cream. You can personalise some of the merchandise too, making it a lovely place to pick up a special souvenir. I'd combine it with a wander around the Flatiron district.
Visit Nintendo NY at Rockefeller Center. A fun stop for children who love Mario, Pokémon, Zelda and all things Nintendo. Spread over two floors, the store has character displays, exclusive merchandise, games and interactive gaming areas where you can try out some of the latest Nintendo games.
Practical FAQs for visiting New York with kids
Should you take a stroller to New York?
Yes — you will walk for miles, even when you are using the subway and ferries. We would definitely take one, but choose a lightweight, compact stroller that is easy to steer along busy pavements and lift up the occasional set of stairs. We leave our bigger bike trailer-style buggy at home for New York.
Not every subway station has an elevator, so it is worth checking routes before you set off. In Google Maps, choose the accessible route option if you would like to prioritise stations with lifts.
What is the best way to get around New York with children?
We used a mixture of the subway, NYC Ferry and lots and lots of walking. The subway is fast and surprisingly easy once you get the hang of it, while the ferry is a much more scenic way to get between parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn — the children loved it.
Try not to over-plan each day geographically. Pick one or two neighbourhoods, add a playground or food stop, then leave space for wandering. I’ll link to our itinerary planned by area when it’s ready.
Where should you eat in New York with kids?
New York is brilliant for casual family food. We loved grabbing bagels for breakfast {our kids love the rainbow bagels!}, slices of pizza for an easy lunch and tacos or burrito bowls when we wanted something quick - Chipotle and Tacombi are great for families. Food halls such as Chelsea Market, Market 57 at Pier 57 and the Tin Building are ideal when everyone wants something different. For health we would buy snacks from Trader Joes, fruit/veggies from the markets or TJs and go to Wholefoods or Sweetgreen.
There are also brilliant bakeries, cookie shops, frozen yogurt bars to build your own and ice-cream stops everywhere — perfect for breaking up a big walking day. Don’t feel you need to book every meal; some of our favourite food stops were the spontaneous ones.
How do you manage jet lag with children in New York?
Try to get outside in daylight as soon as you can, even if everyone is tired, and aim to follow New York time from the first evening. Don’t overload your first few days with evening plans as if you’re coming from the UK, you’ll be shattered in the evenings but up early for the first few days.
For the first few mornings, use those inevitable early wake-ups to your advantage. Book popular attractions early, walk around quiet neighbourhoods or head to a bakery before the city gets busy. By the time the children are tired in the afternoon, build in a park, playground, boat ride or slower museum visit.
How many days do you need in New York with kids?
I think four or five full days is a lovely amount of time for a first family trip — enough to see the classics, have a few slower moments and explore a little beyond Midtown. But you could easily fill a week, especially if you want Brooklyn days, museums, ferries, playgrounds and an outing further afield.
Is New York good for children?
Absolutely. It is busy and full-on, but that is part of the magic. There are playgrounds everywhere, brilliant museums, ferries, parks, food stops and constant things to spot. The secret is not trying to see everything: plan one main activity per day, then let the city fill in the gaps.
Before you go: we found it nice to read a few books on New York before our visit to get the kids familiar with the skyline & from this they loved spotting the yellow taxis/hot dog stands/pretzels/the subway steam etc.
These are some great ones: https://link.amazon/B0fAil5Fm
And https://link.amazon/B02DWfbTO
And this activity book https://link.amazon/B0dleJVbC
Find the whole story highlight from our trips here, here and here with more photos and a day by day account.
