As temperatures drop and the days grow shorter, there's no need to stay at home and get stir crazy. Queens has a lot to offer families when it comes to museums, libraries, bookstores, nature centers, and education programs—not surprising for one of New York’s most vibrant boroughs. If your budget is feeling the post-holiday pinch, this list of the best free activities you can enjoy with kids in Queens during the cold months can keep everybody in the family entertained.

Ready to venture out to other boroughs for more seasonal fun? Check out our Guide to Winter Events and Activities in NYC, including free things to do in Staten Island when it's freezing. You can also find out what’s happening daily in your neighborhood in our Event Calendar.

While New Yorkers usually dread going to the airport (thanks to the construction, traffic, and all-around charmlessness that characterize good old LGA and JFK), stepping inside the TWA Hotel at JFK Airport is like taking a well-designed trip down memory lane. As you enter the hotel, you’re greeted by classic cars and flight crew dressed in retro uniforms. Just a few steps up is a sprawling white-and-red lounge reminiscent of the 1960s. Those in the lounge have the best view of all: A brand new ice skating rink sitting on the tarmac next to a retired TWA propeller plane.

The newest ice skating option in Queens, the Runway Rink at the TWA hotel opened at the end of November, just in time for the holiday travel rush. Read on for details about the new rink and tips on visiting with kids—it's a winter wonderland worth seeing if you have to be at JFK!