Forest Hills Kids Neighborhood Guide

Back in 2010, we posted our first roundup of cool Queens party places, including favorites like Astoria Sports Complex and the Queens Zoo. But there are so many other awesome birthday spots in the borough—including a few that recently opened like Astoria's Kids Playhouse and Oliloli Studio in Forest Hills—that we decided to do a second post with 10 more options.

These Queens birthday party places cater to all kinds of kids, from active to artsy to animal lovers. And as a Queens mom with two children myself, I've been to many of these spots personally. You can find additional birthday inspiration in our Party Guide.

Known as one of the ritziest areas in Queens, Forest Hills is especially attractive to families due to its quaint ma-and-pa boutiques and restaurants, excellent public schools and lovely real estate. The neighborhood is divided into three main sections: apartment buildings near Queens Boulevard, single and multifamily homes from the 1920s to 1940s to the west and south (like 20 Ingram Street, a.k.a. the fictional home of Spider-Man's Aunt May), and Forest Hills Gardens, a stunning planned community that was founded in 1909 and looks like an old English village. When I was growing up in Queens, I used to stroll through the Gardens, marveling at the Tudor- and Colonial-style mansions and pretending I was in the "Old World." The gateway to this historic development is the stately Station Square.

While much of this Queens neighborhood is residential with a decidedly suburban vibe, it's easily accessible by subway and the LIRR, and has two commercial drags: Austin Street and Metropolitan Avenue. I love taking my family here to browse the swanky boutiques on Austin Street, and the antique shops and old-school eateries on the quieter Metropolitan Avenue. We also spend a lot of time in the 544-acre Forest Park, strolling, playing or riding on the the historic carousel. (While Flushing Meadows Corona Park is Forest Hills' eastern border, most of the green space's big attractions are located on the Corona side.) Local families keep up on everything happening in the area by reading the Forest Hills Rego Park Times or joining the Forest Hills Mommies and Daddies Yahoo group.

Throughout March, we'll be highlighting all of the things Forest Hills has to offer families, both residents and visitors. For the purposes of our posts, our boundaries are the Long Island Expressway to the north and Jackie Robinson Parkway to the south, Yellowstone Boulevard/Queens Boulevard to the west, and Flushing Meadows Corona Park to the east. We kick off our series of posts with our list of the top 25 things to do with kids in Forest Hills, Queens.

As a proud Queens native, I'm always looking for new ways to encourage others (including my own family) to explore my home borough. And since it's famous for being culturally diverse, a do-it-yourself food tour is a great way to get a taste of all the different neighborhoods.

Queens boasts some of the best kid-friendly restaurants in New York City—and I'm not just saying that because I was raised here. You can introduce your children to a wide variety of authentic cuisine at reasonable prices, and the portions are so big you always end up with leftovers to take home. Plus there are off-the-beaten path gems that have incredible kid appeal, like coffee house Waltz-Astoria and its family concerts and old New York soda fountains Eddie's Sweet Shop and Jahn's.

I thought about all of the places I've eaten in Queens over the years and came up with my personal list of the top ten restaurants, bakeries and ice cream parlors that are all worth schlepping the kids to, even if you live in another borough. See if your favorites made the cut and feel free to share your additions in the comments as I know there are many, many more.