Free in September: 50+ Things To Do in NYC with Kids

Back-to-school season can be expensive, but we've found more than 50 free things to do in NYC with kids this September. September in NYC serves up the last few bites of summer fun, with Labor Day weekend picks. This month also marks the kickoff of fall festivals around NYC, with the West Side County Fair, the Rockaways' sweet NYC Honey Fest, the NYC Poetry Fest, Little Italy's San Gennaro, and book fests on Randall's Island and in Brooklyn.
The free family fun doesn't stop there: Playscape Performs one more time, Smithsonian Museum Day provides free passes to city museums, Morningside Lights returns to the Upper West Side in person at last, and a very tall puppet is walking all over NYC this month, too.
Read on for more than 50 free things to do in New York City this September with kids, including events in Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx. Find more top events on our list of the best things to do in September 2022 or our always-packed Family Activity Calendar.
As always, if an event piques your interest, click through to our listing for all the details, including addresses and times. And keep in mind: Really cool things to do with kids often book up quickly, so register or buy your tickets ASAP.
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Free Things To Do in NYC on Labor Day Weekend
Free Things To Do in NYC from Tuesday, September 6-Sunday, September 11
Free Things To Do in NYC from Monday, September 12-Sunday, September 18
Free Things To Do in NYC from Monday, September 19-Sunday, September 25
Free Things To Do in NYC from Monday, September 26-Saturday, September 30
Places featured in this article:
Multiple locations around NYC
Governors Island
Prospect Park
Alley Pond Park
South Street Seaport Museum
Bryant Park
McGolrick Park
Brookfield Place
Rockaway Beach Boardwalk
The Battery
Grand Central Terminal
Little Italy
Bryant Park
Citywide (see above)
Lincoln Center Damrosch Park
Times Square - Duffy Square
Randall's Island
Montague Street
Various Museums in New York City
Rockefeller Center Radio Park
Brooklyn Bridge Park
Miller Theater at Columbia University
South Cove, Battery Park City
Washington Heights
Various locations in Brooklyn
Alamo Drafthouse/Fosun Plaza
Oculus at Westfield WTC
Citywide (see above)
Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 6
National Parks - Multiple Locations
Pleasant Village Community Garden
Brooklyn Commons Park
Prospect Park
The Plaza at Ashland