35 Free and Fun Things To Do in NYC in January with Kids

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Join Manhattan Country School for its annual Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative March. Photo courtesy of the school

If your bank account needs a rest, fear not: We've found 35 FREE things to do in January to keep New York City families busy all month long.

Though most of the big holiday attractions in NYC are packing up the tinsel this month, January celebrations like the Three Kings Day Parade in East Harlem and the Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative March are just around the corner. Plus, Battery Park City's KindieRock series kicks off at the end of January, so little ones have a warm spot to shake their sillies out, and Lunar New Year fun sizzles at the annual Firecracker Ceremony in Sara Roosevelt Park!

Best Family Travel of 2024: Our Favorite Cities, Beaches, Hotels, and More Vacation Ideas

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Embrace the slow rhythm of a camel ride on a safari adventure. Photo by Diana Kim

While we love to share all of the fun things to do in our own cities with kids, we also enjoy getting out of town and exploring other amazing places. And in 2024, Mommy Poppins writers and editors visited some incredible destinations. We traveled across the US, from California all the way to Florida. We also had some adventures abroad, including in Europe and Toronto.

If you have an animal lover in your family, you've got to check out our posts about our writer's trips to the Galapagos islands and on African safari. She shares all the scoop on how to have these bucket-list experiences with your own kids!

Here are our favorite family vacation destinations of 2024, including fun cities, sunny beach vacays, and kid-friendly hotels and resorts. Check out our Family Travel Guide for even more great places to visit with your family. And, join us in 2025 to see where we'll go next!

Best Outdoor Ice Skating Rinks and Ponds in Westchester

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Hit the ice at Blue Mountain Reservation in Peekskill. Photo courtesy of Westchester County Department of Parks

Westchester is home to a host of outdoor ice skating rinks. And what these ice skating rinks—ranging from outdoor ice skating rinks to ice skating on local ponds—lack in upscale amenities, they make up for in old-school charm. In most cases, you'll need your own pair of skates to glide across these ice skating rinks in Westchester, plus below-freezing temperatures to ensure it's safe to set foot on the county's frozen ponds.

If you just can't wait for the ice to freeze, you can find plenty more seasonal fun in our Winter Fun Guide for Westchester and the Hudson Valley.

Best Winter Birthday Ideas for Kids on Long Island

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Throw a glow-karting or laser tag party for your winter baby at Xplore. Photo by Jaime Sumersille

Having a tough time coming up with winter birthday party ideas for your Long Island kiddo? We've rounded up some great options throughout LI that offer festive fun for kids of all ages.

The party packages we've highlighted accommodate various price points, party themes, food choices, and activity options. Active kids can show off their ninja birthday skills at a family fun center, art-loving kids can celebrate with a paint party extravaganza, or you can sweeten the special day for your little one with a candy-making event. 

Read on for our full list, and check out our Long Island Party Guide for other exciting birthday party ideas. 

Best Things To Do in New Jersey January 2025 with Kids

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Disney on Ice presents Frozen and Encanto at the Prudential Center this month. Photo courtesy of Feld Entertainment

From New Year's Day to MLK weekend, January can be a great time for indoor and outdoor activities. Don’t miss our favorite kid-friendly events and activities in New Jersey this month.

A new year brings a bnew roster of warm and cozy post-holiday fun. Escape the cold and treat the family to warm indoor festivals, including the decadent Dessertopia. Or, layer up and brave the outdoors for maple tree tapping or the Mount Holly Fire and Ice Festival.

18 Best Things To Do in NYC January 2025 with Kids

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Museo del Barrio's The Three Kings Day Parade takes over the streets of East Harlem Photo by Mommy Poppins

From New Year's Day to MLK weekend, January can be a great time for indoor and outdoor activities. Don't miss our favorite kid-friendly events and activities in New York City this month.

Our January forecast of fun lights up the winter gloom. Start the new year by watching Coney Island Polar Bear Club members plunge into the freezing Atlantic, catch up with the Three Kings as they hand out gifts on the Lower East Side, and honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at BAM's always-moving tribute. You can close down the first month of 2025 with FIAF's brilliant annual Animation First Film Fest and the Lunar New Year Firecracker Festival in Chinatown.

We’re adding more events to our Family Activity Calendar every day, so don’t forget to check it frequently.

New Year's Eve Weekend 2024 in Westchester and the Hudson Valley: Best Things To Do

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Enjoy an early New Year's Eve celebration in the Village Square of Cornwall-on-Hudson. Photo courtesy of the event

Looking for the best things to do in Westchester and the Hudson Valley this New Year's Eve weekend? Here are some family-friendly events and activities to add to your list.

Kids can party all New Year's weekend at these family-friendly festivities, including the New Rochelle Kwanzaa Celebration and Hanukkah on Fifth, which includes comedy and circus stunts, a grand menorah lighting, and latkes and donuts for everyone.

Family-friendly New Year's Eve Celebrations include Noon Year's Eve at Legoland Discovery Center, featuring a Lego balloon drop at noon and a dance party with Lego characters, and the Cornwall on Hudson New Year's Eve Junior Ball Drop with s'mores, fireworks, and more. 

New Year's Eve Weekend 2024 in Miami: Balloon Drops, and More Fun Things To Do

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Kids wear their coolest rock n’ roll costumes and dance, make party hats, and countdown to noon with a balloon drop! Photo courtesy of Young at Art Museum

Looking for the best things to do in Miami on New Year's Eve weekend to ring in 2025 with kids? Here are some events and activities to add to your list for this loooonnnng holiday weekend!

It's almost New Year's Eve weekend, and with it being on a Wednesday, there's a whole weekend of fun things to do with kids leading up to the big day. Like the FREE Chanukah Celebration in West Palm Beach, your last chance to catch Zoo Lights Miami, and an early Kids Noon Year's Party at Little Town Play on Monday in Delray Beach. 

On New Year's Eve itself, there are some great options in South Florida for the whole family. Happy Noon Year at Children's Museum of the Treasure Coast in Jensen Beach and Noon Year's Eve Celebration at the Cox Science Center in West Palm Beach are two of our top picks and we've got all our favorites rounded up in our roundup of the Best New Year's Eve Celebrations for Kids in Miami!

Whatever you choose to do, have a happy New Year from everyone here at Mommy Poppins! 

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