Tribeca

Best Shows for NYC Kids and Families for Spring 2019

Submitted by Raven Snook on Mon, 03/25/2019 - 4:00pm

The spring is always a great time for family theater, but the next few months look particularly exciting. There are page-to-stage adaptations of young-adult favorites (The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, Anne of Green Gables); wordless spectacles to captivate all ages (Snap, Cirque du Soleil's new extravaganza); and a few thought-provoking choices for young teens (The Adventures of Alvin Sputnik: Deep Sea Explorer, Silent Voices: Lovestate).

While on Broadway it's all Beetlejuice and Be More Chill, there's no need to shell out big bucks to give your kids a memorable live entertainment experience in NYC. Most of the 22 shows we're spotlighting are just $25—or less—per ticket.

Meet the Easter Bunny in NYC for a Photo Op with the Kids

Submitted by Yuliya Geikhman on Fri, 03/15/2019 - 5:00pm

The Easter Bunny is making appearances all over New York City this spring, including on Easter Sunday, April 21, 2019—so you'll have plenty of opportunities to snap a picture with your child cozied up to the festive rabbit.

We've rounded up some of the top places in all five boroughs to take a picture with the Easter Bunny, beginning in March. These range from professional shots you can have taken ahead of time to DIY opportunities at your local egg hunt. Get those reservations booked!

19 Best Family Hotels in New York City With Perks for Kids

Submitted by Allison Tibaldi on Thu, 03/14/2019 - 10:30am

As a born and bred New Yorker who is raising children here myself, my out-of-town friends always ask my advice when planning their NYC family vacation. They want to know everything: the best things to do, places to eat, museums to explore and, perhaps most important, where to stay.

New York City is, of course, loaded with hotels, many of which are kid-friendly. And while it's nice to have options, there are so many it can feel overwhelming. That's why we've compiled this list of 19 NYC hotels for families based on a combination of personal experience, trusted recommendations from friends, and great reputations. These hotels offer kid-friendly amenities such as pools, free strollers, and even bunk beds. A number of our choices are located right next to top kid attractions; some are more budget-friendly and others a splurge.

Our picks aren't all in Midtown Manhattan. We included places to stay with kids in Lower Manhattan, the Upper West Side, and Upper East Side, and even hotels that are in hot neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Queens.

9 Top Sports Camps for NYC Kids

Submitted by Jessica Laird on Mon, 03/11/2019 - 12:00pm

Got a tot who loves to tumble? A teen who dreams of being a basketball hall-of-famer? Or maybe your high-energy kid just never stops moving?

Not only can New York City kids choose from a number of day camps that have their athleticism in mind—offering karate, tennis, soccer, beach volleyball, parkour, gymnastics, horseback riding, and so much more—but the facilities are mind-blowing. You'll find rock climbing walls and driving ranges, indoor ice rinks and outdoor ball fields, 50-meter Olympic size pools and state-of-the-art sports complexes. Oh, and it doesn't stop with athletics at these summer programs. When campers aren't flexing their muscles, they can participate in activities like cooking classes, science experiments, drum circles, magic shows, and regular field trips.

St. Patrick's Day Events and Free Parades for NYC Kids

Submitted by Stephanie Ogozalek on Fri, 03/01/2019 - 3:05pm

If your days of celebrating until you're green around the gills on St. Patrick's Day are a distant memory, don’t worry: There are plenty of kid-friendly ways to mark the holiday in New York City this March. After all, everyone in the city feels a wee bit Irish around St. Patrick’s Day. Best of all? Most of these festivities are FREE.

This year, St. Patrick's Day—Sunday, March 17, 2019—is a Sunday, but you can get started a day early with the Midtown Manhattan parade. The festivities continue with additional popular parades in Rockaway and Sunnyside, Queens, as well as Staten Island. In addition to St. Patrick's Day processions in all five boroughs, there are family fests, stepdancing performances (and places to learn), Gaelic workshops, and kids flicks.

Here are our favorite ways to celebrate Irish culture and St. Patrick’s Day with kids in New York City. Sláinte!

Spring Break Camps for Private and Independent School Kids in NYC

Submitted by Katie Nave Freeman on Wed, 02/27/2019 - 10:00am

Most private and independent schools in NYC have a two-week spring break (as opposed to the one-week-long winter and spring breaks public school kids get), during which parents need to keep the little ones busy. Fortunately, NYC has no shortage of camp options for the private and independent school spring break, which runs from March 15 to April 1 for the 2019 school year.

We've rounded up over a dozen programs with camp offerings during the two-week break for private and independent schools. It's always worth checking with your local play space or other neighborhood kid spot to see what's on offer. Be sure to click through to the camps' official sites for more details, including hours and pricing.

Oh, and get ahead of the game by checking out our Summer Camp Guide!

Great Art Camps for NYC Kids: Paint, Sculpt, Sing, Perform

Submitted by Anna Fader on Mon, 02/25/2019 - 6:45pm

There's really no place like New York City for kids to learn about art. There are many professional artists who moonlight as a talented pool of teachers. The demand for art programs has created an amazing wealth of exceptional art classes and camps. After evaluating a myriad of creative arts camps, we have selected 11 exceptional camps which excel for different reasons.

We found visual arts camps, dance and theater camps, music camps, and even creative writing camps. There are also camps that have programs in cool stuff like circus arts and art camps that allow kids to sample a little of everything. We found programs that run all summer as well as week-long intensives. No matter their age, if your child is ready to dive into a summer of artistic expression, read on to find the perfect camp.

If you need more ideas, check out our Camp Guide and full Directory of Listings for dozens more great camp.

11 New Summer Camps for NYC Kids in 2019

Submitted by Siobhan Adcock on Thu, 01/24/2019 - 4:00pm

Seasoned New York City parents know that summer camp search season starts when snow is on the ground and summer seems like a distant memory. Still, every year, I tend to put off summer planning until the February mid-winter school break shocks me into action.

Fortunately, the NYC area and surrounding suburbs offer tons of summer camp choices, from cooking to coding, from science to sports, and everything in between. And because NYC is always changing, there are always new camps opening. We've found a number of new summer camps for 2019, including some new locations for old favorites. Summer break will be here before you know it!

Kid Film Festivals and Indie Movie Theaters in NYC

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Tue, 01/22/2019 - 8:30am

A visit to the movies is tempting in the cold of winter, but big-budget family film options can be lackluster. Why not rediscover the magic of the movies at a children's film festival?

City kids can sit back and enjoy the carefully curated lineup at the 2019 BAMkids Film Festival and New York International Children's Film Festival. These showcase international and offbeat shorts and features. You'll also find cool classics every Sunday at Film Forum Jr., as well as a mix of indie and classics at BAM with its BAMkids movie matinee series. Each offers dozens of picks for preschoolers up to tweens. Plus, ticket prices can be less costly—most are less than $15 per person.

Read on for details on these festivals, plus a special discount just for Mommy Poppins readers on this year's New York International Children's Film Festival.

10 Most Exciting Kid-Friendly Openings Coming to NYC in 2019

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Thu, 01/10/2019 - 4:00pm

If there's one constant in New York City, it's change. The dawning of a new year has us looking at our calendars and into our crystal balls, anticipating all the fun that's still to come for NYC kids. We opened 2019 with some welcome family-friendly news, but that's not the biggest change in store for city families this year. Read on for 10 new places to play, museums to explore, shows to catch, and goodies to eat. If that's not enough kid-friendly fun for you, make sure you've visited our favorite spots that opened last year, too!