Guide to NYC with toddlers

Whether you’re going on a trip to NYC or simply looking to explore a new neighborhood, we want you to enjoy yourself when spending time with your little ones. At Doona, it’s our goal to make every outing easier for parents, so we put together our favorite kid-friendly spots in NYC just for you—enjoy! 

Outdoor activities

The Bronx Zoo

Neighborhood: The Bronx
Age: All ages
Price: Free admission for children 2 and under. For kids ages 3-12, tickets start at $28.75

With more than 11,000 animals and 265 acres, there’s no shortage of things to do at the Bronx Zoo. Walk around on your own to see various exhibits or enroll in an early childhood program where you can engage with the animals up close with a zoo guide. Make sure to also check for special events happening. 

Central Park

Neighborhood: Central Park
Age: All ages
Price: Free

Central Park is the perfect place to take a respite from city life and enjoy being in nature. From the Central Park Zoo to playgrounds, peaceful nature reserves to public concerts, there is plenty to do for the whole family. Bring a picnic and games and sprawl out on the grass, or stroll through the various child-friendly areas including Umpire Rock where your kids can play on the boulders, or the carousel and gift shop on 65th street for a fun treat. Make sure to look at the map beforehand to plan out your day!   

Brooklyn Bridge Park 

Neighborhood: Brooklyn
Age: All ages
Price: Free

Enjoy the beautiful landscape of the East River and the Brooklyn Bridge without venturing too far. Find numerous activities here for kids, including the historic Jane Carousel for only $3.00 per ride, several playgrounds with fun activities like water areas, rope swings, and sandboxes, and even an environmental education center completely free and open to all. You can easily spend all day here with the whole family. Before heading home, make sure to try one of the delicious restaurants on the pier, or venture down to Pebble Beach for sunset!   

Rockaway Beach

Neighborhood: Queens 
Age: All ages
Price: Free

Located on the Rockaway peninsula, this five and a half mile beach and boardwalk will make you forget you’re in a city. Stroll down the boardwalk and stop for some pizza and Italian ice, and if the weather is nice, enjoy a day by the water sunbathing and building sand castles. You can even find playgrounds and barbecue areas, making it easy to entertain your kids outdoors whether you go in the water or not.  

Indoor activities 

Museums 

Brooklyn Children’s Museum

Neighborhood: Crown Heights
Age: 6 months to 10 years
Price: General admission starts at $15.00 per person

The world’s first ever children’s museum, this historic place is specifically designed for families. Celebrating cultural identity, learning, and community, the museum offers programs in visual arts, music and dance, natural science, and world cultures. Visit the World Brooklyn exhibit where kids can visit various mini shops from different countries, based on real shops around the city. Also check out the AirMaze, an exhibit showcasing a pressurized air system in 250 feet of tubes, where children can discover and learn to influence the power of air.

American Museum of Natural History

Neighborhood: Upper West Side
Age: All ages
Price: Children under 3 receive free admission, tickets for ages 3-12 start at $16.00

This museum is a classic you won’t want to miss. Visit permanent exhibitions like a real T-rex fossil, the hall of gemstones and minerals, or a life-sized blue whale model. You can also check out in-depth ticketed exhibitions like the Secret World of Elephants, Turtle Odyssey, or World’s Beyond Earth Space Show that tell an interactive story through various mediums. Note that all tickets must be reserved online before visiting. 

Museum of Mathematics

Neighborhood: NoMad
Age: 2 years and up
Price: Children under 2 receive free admission. Tickets for kids ages 3-12 start at $20.00 

Entertainment and math meet at this unique educational museum that explains the role math plays in our daily lives. Take a ride on their famous Square-Wheeled Trike, or see smaller copies of yourself at the Human Tree exhibit, or even doodle with your finger to create symmetrical mandalas—this museum is sure to surprise you with an unforgettable experience! 

Arts and crafts

Art Strong

Neighborhood: Queens
Age: 6 months to 10 years
Price: Between $29 and $50 depending on class type

Focusing on sensory art and allowing children to explore their own creativity, this experience is as fun for parents as it is for kids. Art Strong offers multiple class series for children of all ages (starting at 6 months!), designed to foster fine motor skill development. The classes are hands-on and even include taste-safe materials with different art stations setup according to the level of the age-group. From painting to playdough to collages, this studio has it all! 

Taro’s Origami Studio

Neighborhood: Brooklyn
Age: 5 and up
Price: Between $40 and $60 depending on the level and class type

The first ever Origami studio in the United States, Taro’s Origami offers lessons on the ancient art of paper folding to people of all ages! Enjoy this cultural experience as a family in the heart of Japan Village, fostering your child’s development and encouraging an appreciation for unique technical skills. At the end of the class, you can keep your paper creations as a souvenir! Both private lessons and group classes are available and usually last for 1 hour.

Mud Genius

Neighborhood: Queens
Age: 3 and up
Price: Varies depending on class type and item

From pottery and canvas painting to candle making, this studio offers a unique experience for adults and children alike. Choose from a range of sand, gel and wax candles and get creative with their color, shape, and scent. Walk-ins are welcome, and no painting experience is required. Their staff is happy to guide you and your little ones paint a canvas. Keep in mind that if you decide to paint pottery, it takes 7 days for the final product to be ready.

At Doona, we’re always trying our very best to make parenting simpler for every family. Which is also why we’ve created our innovative and revolutionary Doona Car Seat & Stroller which transforms from a car seat to a stroller in the click of a button; and Liki Trike — the most compact folding toddler trike on the market that grows alongside toddlers with five modes of use.

*Note that all prices listed in this article reflect costs as of August 2024, and may vary. Please refer to each organization's website for the most accurate and up-to-date information.