Subscribe to our newsletters to get stories like this delivered directly to your inbox. 

Easy and Fun Things To Do With Your Baby

1. Cloudbound – New Rochelle

Cloudbound is a new play space specifically designed for ages 0-6. Officially opening January 24, 2006, Cloudbound features a colorful play area that includes giant spiral and airplane slides, rainbow bridges, and castle-inspired climbing structures pair with musical walls, light panels, building-block zones, tummy-time mats, and cloud-soft areas. Amenities for parents include comfortable seating, quiet rooms, lactation spaces, an espresso bar in the full-service café, stroller parking, and storage cubbies make visits enjoyable and stress-free.

2. Tig & Me – Rye and Pelham

Formerly Tig & Peach, Tig & Me offers open play in their play center all day, 7 days a week. Just drop in, no reservation required. Enrichment classes are also available for babies starting at birth that incorporate puppets, parachutes, bubbles, and musical instrument exploration to help babies learn and develop.

3. The Cove at Yonkers Public Library – Yonkers

The Cove is a recently redesigned play space designed as a play and learning center for preschool children. Designed with input from Sarah Lawrence College's Child's Development Institute, the space features a nursery gym, riding and rocking toys, blocks, and other sensory toys.The Cove is free to explore and open during library hours, except when classes are in session, which include Sing, Sign, and Storytime and Cuentos in the Cove: Bilingual Storytime for babies. 

4. The Tiny Mess Club – Pleasantville

Bring your little ones in for sensory play and let them make a mess (in a space that isn't your house!). Classes for babies include the Ramblin Dan Music Class, for ages 0-3 years, and Teeny Tiny Sensory Play, where babies ages 6-12 months can explore sensory stations, musical instruments, and more. 

5. Westchester Children’s Museum – Rye

The Westchester Children’s Museum has a great area designed especially for babies and toddlers. There is also a special Baby and Me program held on Saturday mornings before the museum opens, featuring storytimes, sensory play, and musical instruments.

6. Mid-Hudson Discovery Museum – Poughkeepsie

This museum has a great toddler area that includes a play kitchen and toddler rock wall, as well as a soft play area for small babies. The museum also offers toddler & me yoga and dance classes on select days. 

7. Music Together – Multiple Locations

Music Together classes are held in multiple locations throughout Westchester and the Hudson Valley. The program is for parents and kids to explore music with instruments, singing, movement, and more. All ages are in the classes together in this program, which I found to be a good thing because the babies love to observe and learn from the older kids. And, of course, babies love music! 

RELATED: 12 Mommy and Me Classes You Can Take on the Weekend in Westchester

Cool down on hot summer days at a splash pad. 

Indoor Activities for Babies

8. The Bunny Hive – Scarsdale

This cozy spot in Scarsdale offers tons of developmental classes for babies and toddlers, including art, culinary exploration, and baby massage. They also host social events, play groups, and birthday parties. Try out your first class for free.  

9. Bronxville Playroom – Bronxville

The Bronxville Playroom is a great indoor space for toddlers 9 months and older to play, explore, and get their energy out. Sign up for an Open Play session online or register for classes, which include bubbles, parachutes, and crafts. 

10. PLAY at the Westchester – White Plains

This free play area in The Westchester Mall in White Plains features a great soft play area for babies and toddlers as well as lots of sensory activities, including a light-up Magnatiles table.

11. Legoland Discovery Center – Yonkers

The Legoland Discovery Center in Yonkers’ Ridge Hill Mall has a big Duplo (the big Legos) area for babies and toddlers. This is great especially if you have older kids to entertain as well.

12. Billy Beez – West Nyack, Middletown

Billy Beez was one of my go-to places when my son was a baby. This giant indoor play space has multiple areas for different age groups, featuring slides, tunnels, and (my son's favorite!) a soft ball pit area.

13. Gymboree Play & Music – Nanuet

Gymboree Play & Music offers parent-child classes for babies starting from birth. The baby classes incorporate music, sensory toys, mirrors, and, of course, lots of bubbles! They also have a large play gym that is great for building kids' coordination and athletic ability. I spent many hours in the open gym sessions in the play area when my son was a baby.

Sanity-Saving Activities for Parents

14. Nest & Nook – Thornwood

Nest & Nook is a space for babies and new parents designed to foster a sense of community and comfort. The facility features a play area for children with soft toys and play equipment and a cozy lounge for adults with Wi-Fi and snacks and drinks available for purchase.

15. ClubFit - Briarcliff & Jefferson Valley

ClubFit's daycare center was a lifesaver for me when my son was a baby and I needed a break. Babies can play in their awesome (supervised) play space while you get in a workout, take a swim, or just relax in the café. The building is also stroller-friendly, so you can take the baby to the café as well. And even if you are not a member, you can sign up for parent/child swim classes starting at age 6 months.   

16. Barnes & Noble – multiple locations

Barnes & Noble bookstores host free weekly storytimes for little ones at multiple locations in Westchester and the Hudson Valley. The children’s sections also usually have toys or a train table, which is great for babies and toddlers, as well as a variety of baby books. Plus, you can grab a treat or a Starbucks latte from the café. 

17. Prana Prenatal Yoga and Education – Port Chester

Mama and baby yoga is a great way to bond with your baby while getting some exercise and stretching in. Since Prana Prenatal Yoga is dedicated to expecting moms and new parents, you can expect a fully baby-friendly facility and also meet other local moms.

18. Fit4Mom – multiple locations

Have a fun outing with your baby and get some exercise yourself with a class at Fit4Mom, which offers indoor and outdoor classes in multiple locations throughout Westchester and the Hudson Valley as well as virtually. Classes include Stroller Strides, Stroller Barre, Mom Walk Club, and much more. 

19. Play Connection – Yorktown

Located in the Jefferson Valley Mall in Yorktown, Play Connection is great for letting toddlers get their energy out in the bounce houses or softplay space. This mall also has a changing tables in its restroom as well as a breastfeeding area.

Outdoor Activities for Babies

20. Playland Beach – Rye

The soft white sand at Playland Beach and the calm waters of Long Island Sound provide a great space for babies to play and explore the ocean for the first time. The beach is also right next to the Westchester Children’s Museum in case you want to get out of the heat and let the baby explore the STEM exhibits.

21. Harbor Island Park – Mamaroneck

Another great beach to take your baby is Harbor Island Park in Mamaroneck. The park also has a splashpad right next to the beach and a great playground with baby swings. Find more great local splashpads and kid-friendly local beaches. The park is also the home of the Marine Education Center, where kids can see a variety of fish in the touch tanks year round.

22. Bike Trails – Multiple Locations

Westchester and the Hudson Valley’s bike trails are a great stroller-friendly option for getting out in the fresh air for some exercise. Since they connect with the towns, you can usually take a break at a coffee shop or café near the trail, such as Trailside Café in Yorktown Heights. 

23. Teatown Lake Reservation – Ossining

While the trails at Teatown are mostly not stroller-friendly, they are great if you use a baby carrier. The Nature Center also has a variety of animals as well as a bathroom with a changing table.

24. Outdoor storytimes –  Multiple Locations

Many libraries offer outside storytimes in the warmer months in a nearby park or on the library lawn. The Pelham Public Library holds Outside Storytime year-round, except in cases of extreme weather. 

25. Barton Orchards – Poughquag

A family favorite farm in the Hudson Valley, Barton Orchards is free to visit except on festival days and features a petting zoo and a great wooden playground in the shape of a train that is great for babies and toddlers. There are also tons of activities for the older kids, and a taproom for adults that has live music on certain evenings, so the whole family can make a day of it. 

Must-Do Baby Experiences

26. Sleepy Hollow Bookshop – Sleepy Hollow

This cute bookshop in downtown Sleepy Hollow hosts free weekly storytimes and music classes for babies and toddlers, plus special events like Halloween costume storytime. The store also has a café and a large selection of children's books. 

27. Jitterbug Jams – Dobbs Ferry

Families can enjoy free outdoor jazz music by the Hudson in Dobbs Ferry, with a special Jitterbug Jams children's music program before the main concert. The concerts are free for families with kids of all ages.

Baby Activities in Westchester and the Hudson Valley FAQ

Q1: What are the best things to do with a baby in Westchester and the Hudson Valley?
 A1: Our top picks for things to do with babies include playing at the beach and splashpad at Harbor Island Park, the indoor baby gym at Cloudbound, and meeting the animals at Barton Orchards.

Q2: Where can I find free baby-friendly activities in Westchester and the Hudson Valley?
 A2: The local libraries have great free activities for parents and babies, including storytimes and indoor play spaces. The libraries can also lend you free museum passes, or you can check out these local museums that have free days or always free admission. 

Q3: What indoor activities are good for babies in Westchester and the Hudson Valley?
A3: There are lots of indoor play spaces that are great for babies to learn and explore. Indoor baby gyms like Cloudbound and The Bunny Hive are great for rainy or cold days. Baby yoga classes, sensory play programs like those offered at the Tiny Mess Club, and library storytimes are also great options.

Q4: What outdoor activities are best for babies in Westchester and the Hudson Valley?
 A4: There are lots of parks and bike trails in Westchester and the Hudson Valley that are stroller-friendly and have grassy lawns for babies to play. Beaches and splashpads are also great during the warmer months. Many libraries also offer outdoor storytimes.

Q5: How can I make baby outings easier for parents?
 A5: My main tips for simplifying baby outings are pack smart and don’t try to do too much. Plan around baby’s naptime and make sure to bring snacks and water as well as diaper changing supplies. Invest in a jogger stroller if you want to do a lot of outdoor activities, preferably a stroller and car seat combo so you can easily transition from car to stroller and vice versa. Check ahead to see if there are restrooms with changing tables available, but always pack a portable changing mat. For beach outings, check out our beach day checklist of essentials for a fun and enjoyable beach day.

Photos by the author