One PSP member asked their yearly baby group:
“My daughter is turning 5 this weekend and wondering if anyone has any ideas on fun activities to do with her 1-1 or with both parents and possibly her 6 year old brother? Her bday party is at the Prospect Park Zoo with classmates, but we're looking for ideas on something to do as a family.
She loves art, animals, cooking/baking, and gymnastics (though not sure if there's a non large group gymnastics outing). We took them to the BK Children's Museum, the Rockettes, and Shipwrecked recently already.”
Members had lots of suggestions!
Food/Drinks
Hot chocolate from Angelina in Bryant Park
Chelsea Market: “Chelsea Market is good for the walking around and the food.”
Peak at Hudson Yards: “The Peak at Hudson Yards is cool.”
Time Out Market: “Time Out Market in dumbo is again fun for people watching, has kids activities and can try many food options!”
Activities & Attractions
Launch Trampoline Park: “We recently went to Launch Trampoline Park in Queens - it was fun and they did a decent job with timed entries. The small "arcade" area gets overwhelming…”
Brookfield Place: “The Brookfield Mall in Battery Park is always fun for our daughter and friends. They have plays and a santa there. And the playground next to it is fun.”
Painted Pot: “My son recently went to a 5 year old bday party at the painted pot and had a great time, they are open late Friday and with like dinner / dessert and some art as a family I think would be fun (and warm!) the only trouble is that you have to wait for them to fire the pot and he, as a 5 year old, is short on patience and now asking daily if his pot is ready.”
Cake the Fun Part: “There is also that new store, Cake on 7th, where you can get a decorate a cake as family -- they provide all the stuff.”
Industry City: “Similarly I think there are a ton of places like that for cookies or other things (I think someone said jewelry) in Industry City which also has some fun holiday stuff throughout.”
“Industry City is always a fav and has kids events or just especially in the summer a great outdoor hang.”
Koneko Cat Cafe: “My son had a great time at the cat cafe koneko on the LES.”
Go to the top of a tall building: “All the tall buildings I think make for great days such as Empire State Building, Freedom Tower, and One Vanderbilt.”
Macy’s: “Macys now has a Toys R Us in it which was nice and a nice Italian restaurant below it which we enjoyed.”
Sloomoo Institute: “We have been to Sloomoo and it was fun but it did get crowded, especially in the play area near the exit - but we went on a weekend, so may be different on a weekday…”
Double-decker bus ride: “One thing I'd add, though haven't yet tried, is that my 5yo has been asking to take a double decker bus ride, which actually sounds pretty fun :-) There's a pickup point in Battery Park which is pretty easy from Park Slope.”
American Dream Mall: “Greetings from New Jersey where I have found my latest obsession: the American Dream mall! Highly recommend the indoor Nickelodeon amusement park for a special occasion. The indoor Dreamworks water park is also amazing, but better for slightly older (like 8) or especially strong swimmers.”
“Nickelodeon World at the American Dream Mall was a lot of fun.”
Brooklyn Botanical Garden (they usually have a light show during the winter months!)
New York Botanical Garden: “Our family tries to make it to the train show at the Bronx botanical gardens, followed by a meal on Arthur Ave. every year.”
Bowlero or other bowling alleys: “I met up with a couple of my single girlfriends at Bowlero in Times Square with my son in tow - and he actually had a lot of fun. We bowled and then we played in the arcade...there are other bowling places NOT in Times Square, though, which might be better (we lucked out and it wasn't crowded).”
Museums
The Met: “Going to the Met is surprisingly fun with little kids.”
Liberty Science Center: “Liberty Science Center and NY Hall of Science are great but Liberty is an amazing place we go to regularly especially in the cold.”
Museum of Mathematics: “We recently took our daughter to the Museum of Mathematics (Madison Square Park) and it was a huge hit - for kids and adults. Really cool interactive exhibits. Highly recommend.”
Theaters & Shows
New Victory Theater: “New Victory Theater is made for kids; saw two great shows there and my 5 year old loved it!”
Puppetworks: “Puppetworks in park slope is a nice small theater for an easy afternoon activity.”
“Puppet show at Puppetworks on 6 ave and 4th Street, followed by pizza/dinner and dessert on 5 Ave.”
Nitehawk: “The movies! Not many great choices but Nitehawk is always a good time with the right movie.”
“We recently took our son to see ‘Strange World’ at Nitehawk Cinema by Prospect Park and had a fun time - we love going there because we can order food and drinks (adult drinks too! lol) and have spacious lounge and watch movie experience.”
Big Apple Circus: “We just went to the Big Apple Circus this past weekend - our second year going. Last year he loved it this year he was a little afraid of the clown for some reason, and it kind of soured the show for him - he kept loudly saying he wanted to go home! But it’s definitely a fun experience!”
Broadway show: “I took my daughter to the Aladdin Broadway show a few months ago, and she had fun!”
Gallery Players: “I recently took [my son] to the local Brooklyn theater Gallery Players, to see Peter and the Starcatchers. It was a ticket promotion thing through his school, and while he was a little young for some of the jokes, he really enjoyed it. The show is the prequel to Peter Pan, which he knows nothing about lol… the great thing about this being his first theater experience is this theater is super small and he could see everything!”
Radio City Rockettes: “He loved the radio city Rockettes, bc Santa was there :) But it’s def insane. We waited online ‘forever’ to get in - they do back to back shows it’s like a factory now! Fun but chaotic and rushed.”
Koch Theater: “She has also liked NYC Ballet shows at the Koch Theater.”
