DUMBO

7 Cool Escape Rooms for NYC Kids to Conquer

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Mon, 02/11/2019 - 4:00pm

For parents, life in a tiny New York City apartment can feel like a constant escape game. The clutter is closing in on you and you've got to locate two toddler shoes, a missing must-have accessory for your tween, and your own MIA cell phone before you can unlock the door to take on the mean city streets.

If your clever kids don't see the game in that routine, they might be up for a different kind of challenge. Consider splurging on an afternoon in one of these kid-friendly escape rooms, where their puzzle skills (and yours!) will be put to the test. Most offer birthday party packages, too. Be aware that most spots require a reservation to get locked in, so plan your outing in advance.

12 Rock Climbing Walls for Kids in New York City

Submitted by Stephanie Ogozalek on Tue, 02/05/2019 - 9:45am

Indoor rock climbing is a great way for kids to get some needed activity in the dead of winter or year-round. Let them bounce off someone else’s walls for a change! The sport takes concentration, discipline, and strength, all qualities we're happy to expose them to.

New York City boasts more than half a dozen indoor bouldering and rock-climbing spots, at least one in almost every borough, and more are due to open in 2019. A couple of these are only open during the summer months, but most are open year round. The best part? Kids tend to love the activity and it isn't too pricey. Try out a drop-in program, or sign up for one of the many after-school classes or break camps offered at the rock-climbing facilities profiled below.

Find more active fun in our Kids' Sports Centers Guide.

21 Brooklyn Drop-In Play Spaces and Kiddie Gyms

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Wed, 01/23/2019 - 9:30am

Brooklyn can't be beat for indoor play spaces. While Manhattan and Queens have about a dozen drop-in indoor playgrounds apiece, Brooklyn boasts nearly twice that number, from the Brooklyn Children's Museum's Spark, to Busy Bodies in Clinton Hill and Fairytale Island in Bay Ridge.

While we've included a couple of the more mellow tot spots with crafts or storytelling, this best-of-Brooklyn list is focused on active play spaces, where toddlers, preschoolers, and even bigger kids can conquer multilevel mazes, swoosh down slides, climb up rock walls, or just turn around in circles until they fall down exhausted, ready for a nap.

Read on for the best drop-in indoor romper rooms for kids in Brooklyn. Find more play spots in our Indoor Family Fun Guide to Play Spaces.

Indoor Play Spots for NYC Toddlers with Weekend Hours

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Fri, 01/18/2019 - 8:50am

Indoor play spots are an essential resource for NYC families with young children (and limited square feet) as temperatures begin a steady decline into winter. Unfortunately, so many of the city's indoor play spots are limited to weekday hours. That's great for caregivers Monday through Friday, but mom and dad are left out in the cold, scrambling to fill up those chilly fall, rainy spring or snowy winter weekends with their preschoolers in other ways.

Luckily, we've uncovered over two dozen fantastic play spaces that get it, and are keeping weekend, drop-in play hours for kids, no membership required. All include playthings sized just right for the little ones, including for babies in many instances. They are stroller-friendly and equipped with changing stations, making them no-fuss options for the toddler squad.

19 Indoor Party Spots with Mega Playgrounds for NYC Kids' Birthdays

Submitted by Maureen Wilkey on Mon, 11/05/2018 - 2:15pm

For parents of winter babies, we feel your pain when it comes to birthday party options. While summer baby parents have both indoor and outdoor options (the park! the pool!), those of us with children born in colder months (or even fall and early spring), need to find a space where kids can run off all that pizza-and-cake energy. Enter: mega play spaces.

From bounce houses and trampolines to arcade-packed game spaces, these wide-open spaces give all pint-sized guests a chance to run free. Check out our top picks below—and start booking now.

Best Places to Trick-or-Treat on Halloween with NYC Kids

Submitted by Anna Fader on Sun, 10/21/2018 - 12:00pm

One of my favorite childhood memories from growing up in NYC was Halloween in Greenwich Village. Back then, the Village Halloween Parade was just a couple hundred artists and others who marched through the neighborhood. Afterward, we would trick-or-treat up and down the brownstone blocks. Everyone was friendly, and we would come home with our shopping bags completely filled. It was magical.

Although the parade and Greenwich Village have changed a lot since then, your kids can still enjoy that kind of thrilling trick-or-treat experience in many New York City neighborhoods. Which neighborhood is the best for Halloween trick-or-treating depends on who you ask. New Yorkers love to bicker over the best coffee shops, the best (and worst) train lines, and yes, the best places to take their kids on Halloween. We also love to find that secret gem.

So we asked our astute readers and collected recommendations from our parent-driven NYC staff over many, many years to bring you a list of our favorite trick-or-treating spots so you'll know where to bring your kids this October 31.

Join one of the local Halloween parades and then go trick-or-treating throughout the community with local families. Or hit one of the neighborhoods or streets listed below: We have a slew of spots to try in all five boroughs. For more seasonal fun, check out our jam-packed Halloween Guide, showcasing FREE events, haunted houses, pumpkin patches, and more.

Free NYC Halloween Parades for Kids

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Sun, 10/07/2018 - 3:00pm

Everyone loves a parade, but there's nothing quite like a neighborhood Halloween parade. While families with older kids may venture out to the iconic Village Halloween Parade on Sixth Avenue in Manhattan, it can be pretty scary—it's always insanely crowded and loud, and many of the costumes are risque, gory, or in poor taste. If your children aren't up for that big Hallow-baloo, there are plenty of smaller, kid-friendly NYC neighborhood parades in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx, including the Ragamuffin Parade in Bay Ridge, the mega Jackson Heights parade, the famed Park Slope march, and a G-rated Village parade for little ones.

We've rounded up community-driven Halloween processions for families to watch or march in, most of which are FREE. If you don't live in a great trick-or-treating area, these parades are a wonderful way to hunt for candy in another neighborhood. Find even more seasonal happenings in our Halloween Fun Guide.

Girl Power: Classes, Camps, and Workshops Just for Girls in NYC

Submitted by Katie Nave Freeman on Tue, 08/28/2018 - 10:00am

One of my greatest priorities in raising a young girl is to give her a strong foundation, so that she has a positive self-image and feels empowered to be herself. Part of that work involves seeking out girls-only spaces across the city where she feels heard, valued, and has the opportunity to meet strong-minded, brilliant female role models.

There are more than enough opportunities to keep kiddos busy in the city, but girls-focused programs are specifically designed to allow girls to explore their world freely. From STEM to sports, many of these programs are run by women who, of course, know what it’s like to be a young girl coming into her own.

We've rounded up our favorite activities, camps, and programs that pack major girl power. Be sure to click through to the listings for all the details, including times, locations and recommended ages. You can search through dozens of classes by type or location in our Classes Guide and Directory Listings as well.

Preschool Watchlist: 5 New NYC Preschools

Submitted by Suzy Q on Fri, 08/24/2018 - 10:00am

Shopping around for a preschool program is a daunting task. At the top of your preschool criteria list are probably cost, location, and a good personality fit for your child, with class size and educational philosophy factored in as well. Fortunately New York City parents have a broad range of options when it comes to finding the right preschool fit. Interested in bilingual immersion, Montessori, Reggio-Emilia inspired, or a traditional preschool program? Are your goals for your child academic, social, learning through play, or all the above? Maybe your child has a love of nature you would like to see celebrated in an outdoor classroom.

Our Preschool Guide is a resource that can help you find the perfect preschool for your child. Below we've highlighted a few preschools that are new to the MommyPoppins Preschool Directory to add to your watchlist.

Best Brooklyn Bridge Park Playgrounds (Ranked!)

Submitted by Katie Nave Freeman on Thu, 08/16/2018 - 4:44pm

Few city playgrounds can compare to what Brooklyn Bridge Park has to offer. Running 1.3 miles along the East River on a defunct cargo shipping and storage complex, the 85-acre waterfront space is host to a water paradise, Tarzan swings, slides, tunnels, and the city’s largest sandbox. Plus, the Lower Manhattan skyline view never fails to give me major city feels.

If you’ve packed your sunscreen and stamina, you can take the family to experience them all, but if you want to prioritize, we’ve ranked them for you. All of the Brooklyn Bridge Park playgrounds are fun, but our faves at the top of the list offer the most equipment, most variety, amenities, and wow-factor.