A few months ago when we were spotlighting Park Slope, we mentioned how much we were looking forward to the reopening of J.J. Byrne Playground. After a year of work and many millions of dollars, the revamped play spot debuted last Friday and my four-year-old daughter and I went to check it out.

Due to its location in Washington Park next to the historic Old Stone House, the playground has a Colonial theme. My kid had a blast exploring this marvelous playground and so did I. As you can see from our slide show, a lot of the equipment is just as much fun to look at as play on.

Crawl through a hollow log and enter a small  town set in a musical forest. The Children's Museum of the East End is an absolutely magical place for younger children to engage in art, music, and imaginative play while learning. Although the museum is best for children ages two to seven, it can be great fun for older children who enjoy pretend play and dressing up, especially if they have a friend or siblings along. The museum also has cozy corners designed specifically for crawlers.

We regularly post about the cool nature activities and annual exhibits like the Holiday Train Show at the New York Botanical Garden. But as a Bronx resident who frequently visits the garden with my family, I'm here to tell you that you can never say too much about this incredibly diverse 250-acre oasis in Bronx Park. There are so many wonderful attractions: the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden, where kids can work their green thumbs; the Everett Children's Adventure Garden, which hosts science and nature programs; the Forest, full of indigenous plants and trees, and a lovely waterfall; the indoor Enid A. Haupt Conservatory; plus a wealth of cultural events and seasonal displays. It's truly one of the best places to connect with nature in New York City.

This profile of the New York Botanical Garden is the final installment in our series of posts spotlighting kid-friendly NYC historic sites vying for Partners in Preservation grants. Read on to find out about everything the NYBG has to offer—including a preview of its new exhibit Monet's Garden, which opens this weekend—and learn how you can help support the garden and other important NYC destinations with the click of your mouse.

Looks like there's a new museum trend in town: Last month, the New York Hall of Science debuted its cool collaborative clubhouse Maker Space for families. Now the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum has opened its brand-new Design Center, where toddlers to teens can take art workshops led by museum educators and design professionals.

This past Saturday, my daughter and I went to the opening day of the Cooper-Hewitt Design Center, located on the ground floor of a swanky glass condo on the northern edge of Central Park. At 1,500 square feet, the sleek storefront space is certainly a lot smaller and less ornate than Cooper-Hewitt's landmark Fifth Avenue Carnegie Mansion home, which is currently closed for renovations. However, the center is an exciting addition to Harlem, offering a variety of design workshops, preschooler playtime and storytelling, and other kids' activities. The best part? All programming is absolutely FREE.