What To Do in NYC with Kids

One of my best friends from college was getting married on the East Coast so we decided to make the trip an extra special experience for the kids. I have always loved New York City, at one point I thought I would live there to pursue my dancing career. So bringing the kids for the first time was really nostalgic for me. There were lots of fun things on our to-do list and we didn’t quite get to all of them, but all the more reason for another trip!;) Here is a list of what to do in NYC with kids…

Go Shopping in NYC with kids

We had such a fun time taking the kids to all of the elaborate stores you can only find in NYC. Like the Nintendo Store, Harry Potter Store, M&M Store, FAO Schwartz and the LEGO Store.

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Go see a Broadway Show in NYC with kids

Broadway is not just for adults. There are so many great shows that you can bring kids to see, Disney shows like Aladdin and Lion King. We wanted to see Harry Potter since we had read all the books and watched all of the movies, and the play did not disappoint! The magic was incredible, we loved it! We also wanted to see Wicked because it’s one of my favorite musicals and I had a friend from college performing in the show. Now the kids can’t stop listening to the soundtrack.

Book a Professional Photography Shoot with Flytographer

You might be asking, why this is on my list? Well, let me tell you that this was THE BEST decision we made on the trip! Have you ever gone on vacation and then looked back at photos and thought, “we never got one good one of the entire family.” That is exactly why you NEED to book a session with Flytographer the next time you are on vacation.

Flytographer has photographers all over the world shooting at the most iconic spots. It really is a no brainer to have a professional snap a few photos that you will then cherish FOREVER! I can’t recommend this service enough, trust me, BOOK THEM! Use code JENNYROSE50 for $50 off before the end of 2022 (good for gift cards too). I love our photos so much, we will definitely be using them as our Christmas cards this year and framing them for the house!;) Thank you to Flytographer for gifting us this experience.

Walk the Brooklyn Bridge with kids

We actually took the subway to Brooklyn, stopped at DUMBO street for some iconic shots, then walked across the Brooklyn Bridge back to Manhattan. It was a beautiful day, not too hot or too cold, which could make for a not so fun experience if you had extreme weather.

Go to a Museum with kids in NYC

We didn’t have enough time to do all the museum’s that we wanted to, but we did make a stop at the Natural History Museum. We wanted to find some of our favorite displays from the movie “Night at the Museum.” You could spend hours here, but we did the quick tour and headed back out to the city. Other museum’s on our list were The MET, the Children’s Museum of Manhattan, the Color Factory and Museum of Ice Cream. Just make sure to check the days they are open in advance because we missed the last two due to unforeseen days of closure.

Visit the 9/11 Memorial with kids

Of course along with all the fun things, we also wanted to educate the children while we were in NYC. Part of that is knowing our history and the impact is has on our lives forever. So we decided to take them to visit the 9/11 Memorial. My husband and I had both been there before, but it was important for us to take the kids. We showed them a short documentary made for kids before going. That way they had a better understanding of the significance behind it all. It was a somber morning, but I’m glad we went. There is a museum you can also go to, but we decided not to do that part.

See the Statue of Liberty in NYC

Our days in NYC were limited, but I knew I wanted the kids to see the Statue of Liberty. We didn’t have hours to dedicate to going to Ellis Island, nor did I think they were old enough to really appreciate that kind of experience. So we decided to take the free ferry that goes from Battery Park to Staton Island to get a good view of Lady Liberty. It was a fun experience, I suggest grabbing an outside spot so you can get some photos as you pass.

Battery Park/Sea Glass Carousel in nyc

This was one of our favorite spots in NYC. We loved the park, the kids could run around and play and be safe. We also loved the Sea Glass Carousel, it was $5 a ride, but it was pretty and worth a stop.

Central Park in nyc with kids

One of my favorite places in all of NYC, Central Park. I love the park for so many reasons. One reason is that you can leave the business of the city behind and enjoy some wide open spaces. The kids just loved watching the squirrels and other animals in the park. You could grab some food for a picnic or check out some of the playgrounds.

Visit Little Paris in nyc

Our daughter Rosalie LOVES anything to do with Paris! In fact, she had a Paris themed birthday party a few years ago. She also happens to love anything to do with carbs! So we had to stop in Little Paris to give Rosie a little bit of Parisian flare. This stop may not be for everyone because there isn’t a whole lot in this area. But we loved the little cafe, so it was worth it to us.

Eat Lots of Pizza & frozen hot chocolate in nyc

Of course we had to eat LOTS of pizza! We stopped at so many places and had fun comparing which place we thought was the best. We also made sure to go to Serendipity 3 for their famous Frozen Hot Chocolate. We ordered food and it was surprisingly good, a little pricey, but still worth the stop.

So what do you think of our NYC trip? We missed doing one of the tall skyscrapers like Empire State Building, but after we checked the prices we decided to save it for another time. Have you been to NYC? Want to see more of our travel experiences? CLICK HERE!!