Hans Howe-Freiwald

Hans Howe-Freiwald is a full-time writer and part-time fitness instructor. He originally worked in comedy and has had stories published in the Olive Tree Review. A 2016 graduate of Hunter College, Hans now spends his time with his two young kids and three chihuahuas—Rudy, Warren, and Dirt. Connect with him at hfreiwald.com.

Latest posts by Hans

Best Cold Treats in NYC for Kids: Ice Cream, Ice Pops, and More

Submitted by Hans Howe-Freiwald on Mon, 07/24/2023 - 11:40am

Dreamery uses only the best all-natural milk and cream from local New York State creameries.

Looking for the best ice cream places in NYC? Look no further for icy cold treats! We rounded up the coolest only-in-NYC favorites.

When it came to ice cream treats in the Midwest in the '80s, we had one ice cream option: Dairy Queen. Don’t get me wrong, that twist cone hit the spot, but its simplicity certainly makes the variety of cold treats in NYC that much more impressive. The top of the parental joy list has to be those excited eyes my girls get when presented with a frrrozen hot chocolate, gelato, or ice pop! Go beyond the basic cone and try something new and cool this summer.

From ice pops in Crown Heights to Little Italy's plant-based gelato, we've got the tastiest and most unique icy treats in town. We've also rounded up the best ice cream places in NYC and the top spots for outrageous ice cream sundaes in NYC. Beyond these sweets, find more kid-approved eats in our Guide to Family-Friendly Restaurants in NYC.

Best Central Park Picnic Areas for Kids and Families

Submitted by Hans Howe-Freiwald on Mon, 07/10/2023 - 10:20am

Central Park is the perfect place for a New York picnic. Photo via Pexels

New York City's Central Park is one of the most beautiful and functional parks in the country. When it was built, Central Park was actually excavated down so visitors don't see the city when they're inside.

This “escape” feature makes Central Park the perfect place to picnic with the kiddos, and the following Central Park destinations are just five of my family's favorite spots. Some are city staples, but a few are secret landing spots hidden in plain sight.

New Chelsea Piers Brooklyn Opens in Prospect Heights

Submitted by Hans Howe-Freiwald on Mon, 07/03/2023 - 9:12am

If you’re looking to fill your kids' calendar with fun and fitness this summer, Chelsea Piers Field House Brooklyn is now open for business. Bringing with it a place for parkour, a practical pool, and space for basically every physical activity imaginable, the Chelsea Piers Field House Brooklyn has everything you need for a full day—or full season—of family-friendly activities.

From swimming to sports, here's all the family-friendly fun this supersized romping spot has to offer. Find more fun places to burn off energy with kids in our Guide to Kids' Sports Centers, Gyms, and Fun Zones in NYC.

Destination Playground: Astoria's Ravenswood Playground Gets Major Facelift

Submitted by Hans Howe-Freiwald on Mon, 05/15/2023 - 2:19pm

Slides, climbing structures, and knight-themed features galore make Ravenswood Playground a crowd-pleaser.

Sometimes the best NYC playgrounds are hidden in plain sight and at Ravenswood Playground in Astoria, Queens this is certainly the case.

If you are looking for a new playground that doesn’t disappoint, look no further than this NYC playground. While Astoria has always had a great history of parks and playgrounds, with the most well-known being its namesake Astoria Park, Ravenswood Playground is the new park on the block, and it’s not messing around. Read on for the highlights of this new romping spot, which made our list of the new NYC playground we couldn't wait to visit, and find all our top NYC playground picks in our Parks and Playgrounds Guide for NYC Kids.

Best Fun Restaurants for Kids' Birthdays in NYC

Submitted by Hans Howe-Freiwald on Thu, 03/09/2023 - 4:28pm

Get a Broadway-caliber serenade during a birthday dinner at Ellen's Stardust Diner.

Growing up, special restaurants for birthday dinner were few and far between in my small South Dakota hometown. We had two choices for our birthday dinner: The first was hitting the Burger King for a cardboard crown and a cake with no candles. The second was the Electric Rainbow Arcade for 20 tokens, which lasted about two minutes, and some microwave pizza we politely hid under the skee-ball machines when mom and dad weren’t looking.

Living in New York City, that is not the case. My two daughters don’t know how good they have it. This foodie paradise is home to plenty of great restaurants for birthday dinner celebrations. Here are just a few of our favorite go-to spots when we're ready to party. Find more family-friendly eateries in our Guide to Kid-Friendly Restaurants, and make sure to save time for cake from one of these top bakeries for birthday cakes in NYC.

Best Breakfast in NYC: Top Family-Friendly Restaurants

Submitted by Hans Howe-Freiwald on Fri, 02/24/2023 - 2:56pm

Sweetleaf's Rocketfuel is magic for parents, while its Belgian waffles make a mean breakfast in NYC treat for kids.

When it comes to breakfast in NYC, it's hard to beat these 10 family-friendly restaurants. Each of these eateries strikes the right balance of delicious breakfast foods and kid-friendly perks.

Whether you're on the hunt for a doughnut in Brooklyn, a biscuit in Harlem, or classic diner fare in Queens—we've found the perfect breakfast in NYC for you. Find more picks for kid-friendly eats all day long in our Guide to Family-Friendly Restaurants in NYC.

Long Island City Waterfront with Kids: 20 Fun Things To Do

Submitted by Hans Howe-Freiwald on Thu, 01/05/2023 - 5:35pm

Gantry Plaza State Park has plenty of eye candy for parents to enjoy while kids climb and play. Photo by Sydney Ng

When I first moved to Long Island City, Queens, back in 2008, it was the perfect place for a bachelor living it up in the city in his mid-20s. It was up-and-coming with indie comedy clubs, late-night hangs, and 2am eggs at the Court Square Diner. Back then, I couldn't fathom that 15 years and 2 kids later, I would return to Long Island City and find it an equally ideal place to raise my kids.

The neighborhood's family-friendly vibes are not unique to those of us who live here. Long Island City has become the ideal hot spot full of things to do morning, noon, and night, thanks in large part to its beautiful waterfront. Hunters Point South Park, known as The Gantry to locals—and instantly recognizable by its iconic Pepsi sign—has grown into New York City kid heaven. Read on for 20 fun things to do on the Long Island City waterfront with kids, and find more fun local neighborhoods and haunts to explore in our NYC Kids Neighborhood Guide.

Hans Howe-Freiwald

Latest posts by Hans

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