Queens Neighborhood Guide

Relatively inexpensive housing in wonderfully rich ethnic enclaves like family friendly Astoria and Jackson Heights. Families also love visiting the NY Hall of Science, the Queens Museum of Art and the Queens Farm Museum. But that's not all. Use the map, articles and other resources on this page to continue exploring Queens.

Latest news from the area

May 15 2013

Best Ice Cream and Ices in Queens: 9 Sweet Scoop Spots

Things to do with kids: Best Ice Cream and Ices in Queens: 9 Sweet Scoop Spots

While Queens may not be chock-full of high-end gourmet creameries like Manhattan and Brooklyn, that doesn't mean we've only got Mister Softee. From authentic old-fashioned sofa fountains serving up insane sundaes to cool new ma-and-pa parlors like Long Island City's Malu, Queens has got its share of ice cream places worth traveling to—whether you live in the borough or are just passing through. These nine sweet spots are all family favorites for me and my brood. And if you don't dig ice cream, don't worry: Some of these shops are best known for other cold treats like Italian ices—a staple of my home borough.

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May 6 2013

Sensory City: New Long Island City Play Space for Kids of All Abilities

Sensory City: New Long Island City Play Space for Kids of All Abilities

An amazing state-of-the-art play space has opened up in Long Island City, but it's no run-of-the-mill kiddie gym. Sensory City is a sensory gym and pediatric occupational therapy practice where kids can enjoy a wide variety of stimulating stations including a swing, a ball pit, a play castle and even a zip line.

While Sensory City was specifically designed to help visitors work on their sensory, fine motor, gross motor and communication skills, children of all abilities are welcome and can benefit from the experiences the gym has to offer. My family and I recently dropped by for an open play session, and my kids had a blast. After all, who doesn't love to romp in a ball pit?

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May 5 2013

Miniature Golf Courses for NYC Kids

Things to do with kids: Miniature Golf Courses for NYC Kids

I admit it: Mini golf is one of those things I endure for the sake of my son. I never enjoyed it as a kid and I don’t love it as an adult, but my kid could play every day. I know that for many families, mini golf is a quintessential warm weather activity that they look forward to every year. And spring is definitely a great season to play before the summer humidity kicks in.

While there are plenty of courses on Long Island and in New Jersey , you don't need to head out of town for putt-putt golf. There are currently a dozen places to play mini golf right here in New York City (including one indoor course), complete with spinning windmills, bridges, water features, you know, the works. Even the course at Pier 25 in Hudson River Park, which was closed due to damage caused by Hurricane Sandy, has reopened.

Find out where else you can play mini golf in NYC. See you on the green!

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Apr 28 2013

32 NYC Festivals, Street Fairs and Carnivals May 2013

Things to do with kids: 32 NYC Festivals, Street Fairs and Carnivals May 2013

There are street fairs and then there are street fairs. We don't mean those random ones that sell irregular socks and fried Oreos; we're talking about true community festivals. Each one is unique and reflects the character of its neighborhood, and many feature rides, performances, activities and food. The hard part, of course, is knowing which ones are which, 'cause while we all love to stock up on cheap socks, we're not going to drag our family across town to do so.

We've gone through the city's list of festivals, street fairs and carnivals for the month of May and picked out our favorites from years past and some new events that sound promising. All of these fests are FREE or just a couple of bucks, and in most cases your dollars go to support a local charity or school, so you can feel good about spending money. In our research, we were bummed to learn that one of annual picks, the Hudson River Pageant, won't be happening this year. But there are 32 other awesome fests to choose from! You can find even more seasonal activities in our Spring Fun Guide.

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Apr 16 2013

Best NYC Kids’ Theater Shows Spring 2013: 14 Family Shows at Non-Broadway Prices

Best NYC Kids’ Theater Shows Spring 2013: 14 Family Shows at Non-Broadway Prices

Our spring culture coverage continues with a look at the most promising family shows opening this season. Reading the papers, you might think the only great productions for kids are on Broadway. But while Matilda (it's dark!) and Cinderella (it's light!) command the media spotlight and cost big bucks, there are many wonderfully creative children's theater performances off Broadway and beyond.

The selection this spring is particularly intriguing and there are options for all age groups, including a few shows that are perfect for first-time theatergoers. The New Victory has a pair of plotless spectacles, one acrobatic, the other urban dance, and Making Books Sing and TADA! Youth Theater are adapting popular kids' books by Eileen Spinelli and Ezra Jack Keats. Plus the New York Children's Theater Festival returns for its second year on the Upper West Side, and the tenth annual International Toy Theater Festival takes place in Brooklyn. The one thing all of these shows have in common? You can take the kids to see them without dipping into their college fund—most are $20 or under and one is even FREE.

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Apr 7 2013

Best Museum Exhibits for NYC Kids Spring 2013: 7 Great New Installations

Best Museum Exhibits for NYC Kids Spring 2013: 7 Great New Installations

While spring brings outdoor festivals and fairs, and long days at NYC's playgrounds, it's also a great season for new museum exhibits. Alfresco sculpture installations at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and the New York Botanical Garden, hands-on math and science fun at the New York Hall of Science, children's artwork at the Guggenheim, the Cloister's 75th anniversary and old-school music videos at the Museum of the Moving Image are just some of what's on tap this spring. Here are the top seven museum exhibits for families making their debuts this spring in New York City.

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Apr 2 2013

12 Spring Festivals, Fairs and Carnivals for NYC Families April 2013

Things to do with kids: 12 Spring Festivals, Fairs and Carnivals for NYC Families April 2013

Along with the mild weather comes a fresh crop of outdoor festivals, street fairs and carnivals, big annual favorites like two of our April Go List picks, the Tribeca Family Festival Street Fair and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden's Cherry Blossom Festival, as well as smaller community happenings.

These spring fests are a great way to entertain your family for just a few bucks—sometimes even for FREE. And the activities are really diverse: Introduce the kids to old-fashioned games, celebrate planet Earth, chow down on homemade treats or watch live performances by kiddie bands, puppet troupes and more. Plus, these events aren't just fun, they foster community by bringing folks together to support a school, playground, cultural institution or common cause.

Festival season doesn't kick off until this weekend but you can start planning right now. Here are 12 awesome events to put in your April calendar.

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Mar 25 2013

Makerspaces for NYC Kids: 3D Printing, Arduino and Other Hot Technology Workshops

Makerspaces for NYC Kids: 3D Printing, Arduino and Other Hot Technology Workshops

Recently, all the news about high-stakes testing and changes to the Common Core Standards has made me feel like NYC public schools are moving even further away from arts and creative learning and turning into what my father called "conformity factories." Luckily in New York City, innovative, cutting-edge learning is just a subway ride away.

Right now, one of the coolest things to do with NYC kids is to visit a makerspace where they can get hands-on experience with 3D printing, video game design, animation, Arduino electronics, digital music and more. Makerspaces are popping up all over NYC. Some allow you to drop in and try out avant-garde technology, others offer workshops, classes or summer camp programs designed specifically for kids.

Our kids are living in an age when they have the tools to bring their ideas to life like never before. My daughter created the necklace shown in our gallery at a local makerspace in under an hour, no major investment or factory needed. She has since started a blog for her jewelry designs and even has her own Etsy store.

Who knows what kinds of creativity and innovation this new technology will lead to? Today's young inventors will certainly lead the way. In the meantime, 3D printing is like having a factory at your fingertips, conformity be gone.

I'm sure this list will change as the makerspace movement continues to grow, but here are some of the coolest maker programs for kids in NYC right now.

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