New York City, also known as The Big Apple and The Capital of The World, is a wonderful city that many families visit every year. When you are in NYC with kids, you are going to be looking for fun things to do that can keep them busy and tire them out over the course of the day. Here are six suggestions for where you can take your kids during a day in the big city.
Angry Birds Universe
If your kids are fans of Angry Birds, they will absolutely love visiting Angry Birds Universe: The Art and Science of a Global Phenomenon, which exists in the Hall of Science. It is for kids of all ages and includes hands-on activities related to the mobile game; Angry Birds, that teach kids about science topics, such as, architecture, machinery, energy, mass, and more. The exhibit makes learning fun and includes races with handheld vehicles, giant slingshots, and plenty of info about different kinds of birds.
The Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum
There is enough to do at the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum to take up an entire day. Whether your kids are boarding and exploring an enormous, historic aircraft carrier, climbing into a helicopter, or steering the wings of a plane, they are sure to come away from the experience happy and enriched. This exhibit is generally for older kids who are interested in learning about history.
Children’s Museum of Manhattan
Made, specifically, for children six years and under, the Children’s Museum of Manhattan is a magical place. Kids between the ages of two to six can have fun with Adventures with Dora and Diego, and younger visitors will love Playworks, which is a 4,000 square foot area that includes Alphie—a giant talking dragon who gobbles up letters, a soft space for crawlers, and other features that combine fun and play. The City Splash water play area is great for when it is hot and features painting, playing with sand, and opportunities to sail a boat.
Natural History Museum
This large museum is as big as two city blocks and most people do not have time to see everything it offers all in one day. You can skip long lines by purchasing tickets in advance, and there are plenty of restaurants nearby to keep everyone fed and ready to go. Featured in the museum are gems, minerals and treasures, large-scale replicas of a giant blue whale and dinosaurs, and even a room where kids have a chance to play-hunt animals. Next door is the Rose Center for Earth and Space, which has some awesome shows and a Planetarium.
Staten Island Ferry
The Staten Island Ferry runs 24 hours a day/ 7 days a week and is a 25 minute sail that is completely free. The views it offers of New York Harbor, Ellis Island, skyscrapers, and the Statue of Liberty are amazing. You’ll want to do your best to avoid the morning and evening rush hours, because the ferry is one way that many people get to and fro from work. In fact, if you happen to be in NYC during the weekend, this is the best time to go for a ferry ride.
Bronx Zoo
What kid doesn’t like the zoo? NYC happens to be home to the largest city zoo in the United States, and that zoo is the Bronx zoo. It contains around 4,000 animals and includes a children zoo where kids can feed animals or participate in other activities, such as, climbing into a birds nest.