By Nina Makofsky
Children will enjoy exploring New York City.
Parents often consider a visit to
New York City with trepidation, but in fact New York City is one of those places that offers something for every appetite. Children often enjoy just exploring the neighborhoods and seeing the urban theater that is Manhattan. However, if you wish to plan activities for a child-friendly visit, you should begin by focusing on the main attractions for children.
Museums
The major museums, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art, offer child-friendly tours and activities. There are also museums with exhibits devoted to younger visitors. Among these museums are the interactive Brooklyn Children's Museum; the American Museum of Natural History, with its legendary halls of dinosaurs seen in the movie "Night at the Museum"; and the Children's Museum of the Arts, featuring artwork by children and space and materials for creating your own mini-masterpieces.
Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 Fifth Avenue
212-535-7710
Museum of Modern Art
11 West 53rd Street
212-708-9400
Brooklyn Children's Museum
145 Brooklyn Avenue at St. Marks Avenue
Brooklyn, New York
718-735-4400
American Museum of Natural History
Central Park West at 79th Street
212-769-5100
Children's Museum of the Arts
182 Lafayette Street
212-274-1776
Zoos
New York is filled with wildlife, and not just on the club scene. Take your pick among the Central Park Zoo, which appears in the movie "Madagascar," the famous habitats-oriented Bronx Zoo, the Queens Zoo or the Staten Island Zoo. Bird-lovers enjoy the living exhibits at the Prospect Park Audubon Center, in Brooklyn, while fans of the underwater world go to the New York Aquarium.
Central Park Zoo
64th Street and Fifth Avenue
212-439-6500
Bronx Zoo
2300 Southern Boulevard
Bronx
718-367-1010
Staten Island Zoo
614 Broadway
Staten Island
718-442-3100
Queens Zoo
53-51 111th Street
Flushing, New York
718-271-1500
Prospect Park Audubon Center
Lincoln Rd. or Flatbush Ave. at Empire Boulevard
Wollman Rink
Brooklyn, New York
718-287-3400
New York Aquarium
Surf Avenue at West 8th Street
Brooklyn, New York
718-265-3474
High Places
Nothing beats a climb to the top of a building, monument or statue. Some of the top choices in New York are the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty and the Top of the Rock, the viewing platform at Rockefeller Center. Reservations are required to ascend to the observation deck and the crown at the Statue of Liberty.
Empire State Building
350 Fifth Ave
212-736-3100
Statue of Liberty
National Park Services Liberty Island
212-363-3200
Rockefeller Center
600 Fifth Avenue at 49th Street
212-632-3975
Neighborhood Attractions
Children enjoy exploring Manhattan's local wonders. There are the souvenir shops and dim sum bakeries in Chinatown, or the art galleries and gourmet groceries in SoHo. Greenwich Village is fun for checking out vintage clothes, antique stores, music shops and cafes. Times Square, which has been closed to traffic and now features outdoor seating, and Midtown are full of neon lights and big attractions.
About the Author:
Nina Makofsky has been a professional writer for more than 20 years. She specializes in art, pop culture, education, travel and theater. She currently serves as a Mexican correspondent for "Aishti Magazine," covering everything from folk art to urban trends. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Mills College.
Photo Credits:
new-york city image by Pierre-Emmanue Bayart from
Fotolia.com
