Williamsburg Kids Neighborhood Guide

Despite its reputation as the ultimate hipster haven, Williamsburg has a lot of attractions for folks too young to grow soul patches. The neighborhood is filled with funky children's boutiques, laid-back restaurants, colorful play spaces and cool live family entertainment. Williamsburg also boasts the fantastic 35-acre McCarren Park featuring playgrounds, sports fields and a newly renovated pool.

Our guide to Williamsburg includes suggestions for things to do and places to go both in the more gentrified Northside and the homier South Williamsburg, which boasts a more old-school NYC vibe. Although a bit spread out, it's a wonderful area to explore. You'll spy vibrant street art, artsy residents hanging out at cafes and lots of other families, just like you, enjoying the all of the cool things Williamsburg has to offer.

Latest news from the area

Jun 9 2013

Free Outdoor Movies for NYC Kids this Summer

Things to do with kids: Free Outdoor Movies for NYC Kids this Summer

Enjoying a free alfresco film is a rite of summer in New York City. Even if you go to see a flick you've watched a million times at home, it's a totally different experience viewing it in the open air alongside a couple hundred other movie lovers. It ends up being a pretty thrilling communal event.

A few outdoor movie series, like RiverFlicks for Kids in the West Village, are aimed specifically at children. But even the big grown-up ones like Bryant Park and Brooklyn Bridge Park's Syfy Movies With A View include a family-friendly screening or two. Plus this year, the Central Park Conservancy is asking New Yorkers to pick which movies they want to see for the park's annual August outdoor film festival!

Movies usually begin at dusk between 8-8:30pm but make sure you arrive early: The well known series fill up fast. Plus, sometimes there is cool, pre-movie entertainment. So pack a picnic, bring your blanket, sit back, relax and enjoy the show at one of these outdoor summer movie series in NYC.

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Apr 21 2013

New Drop-in Brooklyn Play Space Twinkle Opens in Williamsburg

New Drop-in Brooklyn Play Space Twinkle Opens in Williamsburg

Williamsburg is already one of Brooklyn's most kid-friendly areas, chock-full of fun things to do and funky indoor play spaces. Now the neighborhood welcomes another cool tot spot, Twinkle, a 4500-square-foot drop-in play space for children ages six and under, which just opened this month.

Founded, designed and run by sisters Vanessa Yee-Chan and Mieka John and their father, Victor John, Twinkle is located east of the BQE in a part of Williamsburg that isn't quite as full of family amenities. Vanessa, a longtime area resident and mom to two young children, came up with the idea of opening the space. Housed in what used to be her father's commercial warehouse, Twinkle features fun interactive stations that look like exhibits you might find in a children's museum, all complete with lots of lovingly handmade details.

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Mar 19 2013

3 Brooklyn Museums You've Never Heard of That Are Fun for Kids

3 Brooklyn Museums You've Never Heard of That Are Fun for Kids

A few years ago we wrote about five under-the-radar museums in downtown Manhattan. But there are a bunch of little known museums in Brooklyn, too, and some of them are particularly fun for kids.

So on a recent afternoon, instead of heading to our usual go-to destinations like the Brooklyn Children's Museum or the Brooklyn Museum, my kindergartner and I set out to see three new-to-us spots in our home borough that sounded cool: one dedicated to toys, another to curiosities and one full of interactive contemporary art. While all of these museums are pretty small and can be seen in under an hour, they make for a great itinerary and are quite inexpensive—two of them are just $2 each.

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Feb 26 2013

Kids Can Climb the Walls, Literally, at Bklyn Beast

Kids Can Climb the Walls, Literally, at Bklyn Beast

"This place is awesome!" My nine-year-old son proclaimed as we left Bklyn Beast, a brand-new East Williamsburg gym where kids (and adults) can get a real workout trying Brazilian martial art capoeira, different types of street dancing and parkour. What's that last one you ask? A week ago, I wasn't sure myself. Also known as "the art of displacement," parkour is a kind of obstacle course training where the goal is to get from one spot to another by overcoming a variety of physical barriers. Participants climb, jump, scale and swerve in order to conquer whatever is in front of them. It's a sport, a mindset, a philosophy and tons of fun. What kid doesn't want to try to leap tall buildings in a single bound?

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Feb 18 2013

Best New Summer Day Camps for NYC Kids 2013

Things to do with kids: Best New Summer Day Camps for NYC Kids 2013

Every year around this time, the annual summer camp panic sets in for parents. We suffer from a particularly acute case of it here in NYC, due to the overwhelming number of summer day camps available. It's difficult to know where to send your child for the best summer experience, especially when there are new programs popping up every year.

To help you make an informed choice about the new camps on the block, we've rounded up the most innovative and enriching summer programs set to debut this summer. Some are brand-new, others are places we love that are significantly expanding their already awesome offerings. At these notable new camps, kids can learn about animals, create cool contraptions, study STEM concepts, hone their artistic skills, design bridges and playgrounds, and tackle a ton of other projects. And the options run the gamut from preschoolers to teens.

Be sure to check out our Summer Camp Guide for info on lots of other programs in NYC, commuter camps and sleepaway options.

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Jan 1 2013

Three Kings Day Parade and Celebrations for NYC Kids 2013

Things to do with kids: Three Kings Day Parade and Celebrations for NYC Kids 2013

Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa may be over, but Three Kings Day is coming up this Sunday, January 6. Also know as Epiphany, Three Kings Day is the last official day of the Christmas season, or the "12th day of Christmas" as the song goes.

The holiday, which is especially popular in the Hispanic community, commemorates the Three Wise Men coming to visit baby Jesus. The main event in New York City is East Harlem's 36th annual Three Kings Day Parade on Friday, January 4, which is sponsored by El Museo del Barrio. We've got the scoop on this procession and six other ways to celebrate Three Kings Day with kids in NYC.

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Dec 10 2012

NYC Restaurants with Kids' Entertainment and Activities

Things to do with kids: NYC Restaurants with Kids' Entertainment and Activities

There are a slew of family-friendly restaurants in New York City, including eateries where kids can play. But how about restaurants where kids can eat and be entertained at the same time?

Yup, NYC has spots like that on the menu, too. We're not talking about places with jazz bands, foreign films or Gospel choirs. These restaurants in Manhattan and Brooklyn regularly offer performances or activities just for kids, from art workshops to animated movies to sing-alongs to magic shows.

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Dec 5 2012

It's Circus Season: Enjoy Circus Oz, Big Apple Circus, Circo Comedia and Other Circus Fun Over the Holidays

It's Circus Season: Enjoy Circus Oz, Big Apple Circus, Circo Comedia and Other Circus Fun Over the Holidays

Usually we write our yearly circus post in the spring when Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus barrel into town for their annual extravaganza. But this holiday season, there are not one, not two, not three, not four, but five circus shows playing New York City over the holidays, plus a circus-themed exhibit and Cirque du Soleil holiday windows inspired by the troupe's soon-to-open 3D movie.

So if you want to run away with the circus you certainly don't need to go far. Here's where to get your big-top fix in NYC this December plus details on two big circus spectacles debuting in 2013.

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