27 Best Holiday Events and Christmas Activities for Preschoolers in NYC

The Winter Lantern Festival: Journey to the East transforms SIUH Ballpark into a glowing walk-through experience. Photo courtesy of the festival
The Winter Lantern Festival: Journey to the East transforms SIUH Ballpark into a glowing walk-through experience. Photo courtesy of the festival
12/1/22 - By Rosalind Muggeridge

New York City's annual transformation into a holiday wonderland is pure magic no matter your age, though holiday activities and Christmas events are always more magical with little ones in tow. While NYC's zest for the holidays never gets old, the crowds at Christmas activities can be daunting—and the average toddler or preschooler tends to have limited patience for lines and lots of noise.

To that end, we've rounded up amazing holiday events and Christmas activities for preschoolers in NYC. These picks are just right for the 2-to-5-year-old set and include events that take their limited attention span into account without cutting back on the holiday fun. Our top picks for little kid Christmas activities include our very own FREE Holly Jolly Holiday Party, plus Christmas trains, Santa visits, abridged performances of holiday shows, a little gingerbread mania, and lots of interactive events and workshops.

Find all our top picks for seasonal fun for all ages in our New York City Guide to Holiday and Christmas Activities.

Subscribe to our newsletters to get stories like this delivered directly to your inbox.

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

Places featured in this article:


Brookfield Place

American Museum of Natural History

Museum of the City of New York

Borough-Wide

Museo del Barrio, 1230 5th Ave. @104th