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New Year's Eve Weekend in New York City with Kids: Best Ways to Count Down to 2026

The big ball drop in Times Square is an unforgettable New Year's Eve sight, if you can handle the crowds! Photo by Michael Hull
The big ball drop in Times Square is an unforgettable New Year's Eve sight, if you can handle the crowds! Photo by Michael Hull
1/2/26 - By Drew Kristofik

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

It's time to ring in 2026, and you don't have to stay up until midnight on Wednesday to get in on the fun. Teens can count down to the New Year by making origami fortune cookies at the NYPL, families can take a first-day hike in Central Park or Prospect Park to start the year on the right foot, or watch the Coney Island Polar Bear Club members take their annual frigid dip in the Atlantic.

We've got picks for fun lasting all through the long weekend below, plus more fun on our list of fun things to do between Christmas and New Year's. It's also the last chance to check out many of our favorite holiday happenings.

Want even more fun things to do this in NYC? Our New York City Events Calendar is packed with great family activities every day of the month—and you can filter by age, location, and even FREE events!

Not on our newsletter list yet? Subscribe for free and get the best local family fun sent straight to your inbox. Already subscribed? Share it with a friend and start planning your weekend together!

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Top Things To Do in NYC New Year's Eve Weekend with Kids

Broadway Magic Hour at the Broadway Comedy Club

Midtown West
Select dates through Saturday, March 21, 2026
The Broadway Magic Hour features master magicians Jim Vines and Carl Mercurio in a performance that includes mind-boggling mysteries and hilarious comedy for all ages. Witness magic, mind-reading, comedy, and grand illusions! READ MORE

NYE Origami Fortune Cookies at the Stavros Niarchos Library

Midtown East – FREE
Wednesday, December 31, 2025
Teens can set their goals for 2026 by making origami fortune cookies with inspirational messages for the New Year. READ MORE

Wigwam Gathering and Campfire in Inwood Hill Park

Inwood – FREE
Wednesday, December 31, 2025
Explore and enter the recently restored Lenape wigwam and enjoy an afternoon by a warm campfire. Learn how to use a bow drill and other methods to start a fire. READ MORE

Kids Week: Survival Skills for Kids in Astoria Park

Astoria, Queens – FREE
Wednesday, December 31, 2025
The Urban Park Rangers show kids what it takes to survive the winter elements. Rangers go over map reading skills, building a tent, and the basics of fire building. READ MORE

Noon Year's Eve at Sloomoo Institute

Soho
Wednesday, December 31, 2025
Sloomoo Institute—Soho's museum of slime—invites visitors to celebrate the new year at noon on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. At 11:59am, Lake Sloomoo becomes the backdrop for a countdown to Noon Year’s, where you can walk on over 350 gallons of slime to watch a glittery slime drop that rings in the New Year. READ MORE

New Year's Eve Edition of Milk & Cookies Comedy Show at the West Side Comedy Club

Upper West Side
Wednesday, December 31, 2025
Fart machines, balloon animals, and an occasional juggling act have been known to make an appearance at family-friendly Milk & Cookies comedy shows! Ditch the screens for an early New Year’s Eve celebration and share some laughs together as a family.   READ MORE

Space Club Balloon Drop

Multiple Brooklyn Locations
Wednesday, December 31, 2025
Celebrate the start of 2026 with a 4pm balloon drop across all Space Club locations, Greenpoint, Fort Greene, and Dumbo.   READ MORE

Prospect Park New Year's Eve Fireworks

Prospect Park, Brooklyn – FREE
Wednesday, December 31, 2025
The annual fireworks display includes live entertainment by Quintessential Playlist starting at 10pm. Fireworks begin at midnight, lighting up the skies above Brooklyn’s Backyard. READ MORE

New Year's Rockin' Eve in Times Square

Midtown West – FREE
Wednesday, December 31, 2025
America’s go-to annual New Year’s tradition celebrates the year’s very best in music and rings in the new year with more than 5½ hours of dynamic performances. At midnight, the ball drops to welcome 2025. READ MORE

123rd Annual Coney Island Polar Bear Club Plunge

Coney Island, Brooklyn – FREE
Thursday, January 1, 2026
The Coney Island Polar Bear Club hosts its annual New Year's Day swim in the frigid Atlantic. A $25 suggested donation benefits local Coney Island organizations, including the NY Aquarium and the Alliance for Coney Island. READ MORE

New Year's Day Super Hike in Prospect Park

Prospect Park – FREE
Thursday, January 1, 2026
Dress warmly, put on your hiking shoes, and head to the park. Urban Park Ranger hiking guides introduce you to the hidden gems of New York City. Explore nature, discover our city's urban forests, and unplug from the world to clear your head.    READ MORE

Kids Week: Gather 'Round the Campfire and Tree Cookie Crafts in Poppenhusen Playground

College Point, Queens – FREE
Friday, January 2, 2026
Tree cookies are sliced up tree branches that kids can make a multitude of crafts with, from chimes to coasters, to lovely wall pieces. Create something fun around the cozy campfire. READ MORE

Kids Week: Survival Skills in Fort Greene Park

Fort Greene, Brooklyn – FREE
Friday, January 2, 2026
Urban Park Rangers are skilled in the techniques and development of diverse outdoor skills. Learn basic outdoor skills, such as shelter building, fire making, and survival skills. READ MORE

Three Kings Day Celebration in Battery Park City

Battery Park City – FREE
Saturday, January 3, 2026
Enjoy Three Kings Day traditions with live music, poets, and an open mic for guest poets from the audience. Learn how children in Puerto Rico leave a box with hay or grass for the kings’ camels under their beds (like cookies for Santa) on the night before the holiday. READ MORE

Wake Up & Dance in 2026 with Suzi Shelton at Shapeshifter lab

Park Slope, Brooklyn
Saturday, January 3, 2026
This early morning concert series features story time, music, and dancing that is sure to engage, inspire, and uplift! Welcome in, get some drinks and snacks from the café, and Wake Up & Dance with Suzi.   READ MORE

Gazillion Bubble Show: A Holiday Spectacular

Midtown West
Sunday, January 4, 2026
The world-famous Gazillion Bubble Show returns with its first holiday edition—packed with dazzling bubble artistry, immersive winter effects, Santa “snow globe” photos, and exclusive bubble toys. READ MORE

Celebrate the Holidays at PaleyLand: Three Kings Day

Midtown West
Sunday, January 4, 2026
Celebrate the end of the holiday season with Three Kings Day festivities at The Paley Museum. Limited gifts are handed out to the first children who arrive. Families can enjoy souvenir photos with the Three Wise Men or catch screenings, including Dora Saves Three Kings Day. READ MORE
Hit the ice at the scenic Mohonk Mountan House, which offers winter day passes to enjoy its spectacular resort amenities. Photo courtesy of the venue
Hit the ice at the scenic Mohonk Mountan House, which offers winter day passes to enjoy its spectacular resort amenities. Photo courtesy of the venue

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Places featured in this article:

About the Author

Drew Kristofik
Drew Kristofik’s career took a twist from editing teen magazines to a seven-year stint at MacNeil/Lehrer, followed by a long run at Nickelodeon/Viacom as Director of Content for Nick Online and Editor-in-Chief of ParentsConnect.com. A founding member of the Webby Award-winning GoCityKids, she’s written for Family Fun, Vanity Fair, and New York. Her middle school novel, The Time Boat, is available on Amazon Kindle. Drew keeps the MommyPoppins New York Events calendar spot-on and can be reached at events@mommypoppins.com.
Recent Articles By Drew Kristofik:
Read more articles by Drew Kristofik.