Drop-in Indoor Play

Dave & Buster's
234 West 42nd Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues
It's just like Chuck E. Cheese's, except it serves alcohol and becomes an adult hangout after dark. But if you visit during the day or even early evening, it's not too bad (assuming you can take all the blinking lights and nonstop noise). You'll find a wide variety of games here, from classics like Frogger, Pac-Man and Skee-ball to newbies like touch-screen Fruit Ninja. You can find a complete list of games on the website. Plus kids win tickets that they can redeem for little plastic prizes (which they'll hopefully lose before you get home).

Bowling Alleys
There are three swanky bowling alleys in the Times Square area:

Frames Bowling Lounge in the Port Authority Bus Terminal, 550 Ninth Avenue at 40th Street

Lucky Strike at 624-660 West 42nd Street at Twelfth Avenue

Bowlmor at 222 West 44th Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues

All three have bars and cater to a mostly adult crowd. However, during the day, children are welcome in case you want to get your game on.

Disney Store
1540 Broadway between 45th and 46th Streets
Our second favorite Times Square megastore, this shop boasts a 20-foot-tall castle with magic mirrors that come to life with Disney animations with the flick of a magic wand. There's also the Imagination Theater, where kids can select Disney clips to screen, or sit and color at a communal table. Plus there are little mushroom tunnels to hide in and lots of toys to look at (and beg for). Be sure to check the calendar for special events.

M&M's World
1600 Broadway between 48th and 49th Streets
Chocolate lovers will want to check out this three-level store dedicated to M&Ms. The mascots running around the store make for great photo ops, and there are cool M&M's sculptures of the Statue of Liberty and the FDNY. Other highlights include an M&M's photo booth, a machine that matches your mood to the right candy and special M&M's flavors.

Fantasma Magic
421 Seventh Avenue at 33rd Street
Here's a cool trick: Fantasma is a magic store and a museum in one. In addition to browsing a huge selection of magic tricks, kits and novelty items, kids can catch demos by professional magicians and check out NYC's only Houdini Museum, which is FREE to the public. Want even more tricks? Tannen's Magic is just a block away at 45 West 34th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues.

FDNY Fire Zone
34 West 51st Street at Sixth Avenue
This educational spot is a fun way for kids to learn about fire safety. The Fire-Stimulation Presentation for ages 5 and up teaches families how to identify hazards in their homes. Kids plan an evacuation route and even get to crawl on the floor to make their escape. Other activities include climbing on a real fire truck, trying on bunker gear, meeting a firefighter and touching a "hot" door.

Columbus Library
742 Tenth Avenue near 51st Street
On the top floor of this local library you'll find the children's section, which has computers and a nice selection of books and videos. There's also a small event room where there are weekly storytimes for different ages as well as movie nights and book clubs for older kids.

And while you won't want your kids to run amok in a museum, the Museum of Modern Art offers frequent family programs, and the Museum of Arts and Design hosts regularly family days.

Members-only Indoor Play

Kidville
515 West 51st Street between Tenth and Eleventh Avenues
A block away, you'll find the Midtown West outpost of this national kiddie gym chain. There are a wide variety of classes—music, dance, gymnastics, art, camp and a preschool alternative—that take place in this state-of-the-art indoor play space for newborns through age six. Register for a class and you automatically become a member or you can purchase a package. There's also a boutique with toys and clothes. Birthday party packages are also available.

Find out about other cool things to do with kids in Midtown West.