You’ve been cooped up with the kids long enough, mom and dad! Spring means it’s time to start venturing outside, in and around the NYC area, for fun ways to entertain and even educate your children.

We compiled a list of several of the best kids’ spring activities you can find in the boroughs (and few farther out) to help you exercise your child’s body and brain.

Best kids’ spring activities in NYC: Nature in bloom

New York Botanical Garden — Head to the Bronx to see the azalea gardens and hundreds of cherry trees coming into bloom. Don’t forget to check out the amazing annual indoor orchid show. The Everett Children’s Adventure Garden offers 12 acres of fun just for little ones. If you can’t make it to the Bronx, visit the city’s other beautiful botanical gardens. The ones in Brooklyn or Queens also have nature trails and special children’s programming.

Macy’s Annual Flower Show (click link for dates) — You don’t need to brave chilly weather or muddy paths to indulge in the beautiful blooms of spring in New York City. For two weeks every March/April, Macy’s Herald Square flagship store puts on an amazing indoor display of floral and plant life tied to together by a theme like fairy tales or space adventure. Best of all — it’s free.

Visit your local park — Every NYC borough offers a little slice of nature amid the concrete and steel jungle. In addition to greenery for play and chilling, New York City parks offer tons of programming for kids of every age. Go to the NYC Parks website, click the Kids tab and find some fun for the family.

Best kids’ spring activities in NYC: Animals (and more!)

Visit a zoo — Beat the summer crowds and heat at any of the four NYC zoos (Bronx, Central Park, Brooklyn’s Prospect Park and Queens) or the New York Aquarium by Coney Island in Brooklyn. Better yet see all of them or visit your favorite multiple times at a great discount by becoming a member of the Wildlife Conservation Society.

Queens County Farm Museum — If your wee one loves animals, but the zoo can be a bit overwhelming, head over to these historic 47 acres in Floral Park, Queens — home of NYC’s last remaining working farm. You can roam the grounds, visit the petting zoo and feed the chickens, pigs, geese, goats and other creatures anytime, but the weekends are when the fun really happens. The spring brings hayride season (for a nominal fee) and events such as an Apple Blossom Children’s Carnival, Sheep Shearing Festival, Easter egg hunt and a season farmer’s market.

Best kids’ spring activities in NYC: Outdoor thrills

Adventures at Governors Island — Governors Island is just one big playground to begin with: great biking, walking trails, playgrounds and amazing water/downtown views. But now it has Adventures. Literally get lost in the challenging Amazen’ Maze. Play 18 holes of mini-golf. Scale one of three 25-foot outdoor climbing walls. Zipline at 21 mph down a 300-foot long cable while taking in sensational views of the Statue of Liberty, New York Harbor and downtown Manhattan. Check website for age/weight restrictions and hours.

Bronx Zoo Treetop Adventures — Little Tarzans (age 7 and up) and their parents will love this climbing park, with aerial courses for all abilities, and a 400-foot-long zipline that crosses the Bronx River. Check website for age/weight restrictions and hours.

Fly a kite — The spring winds and less-crowded parks and beaches make this the perfect time to let children test their aviation skills. Kite flying is allowed anywhere in Central Park but open areas like the Great Lawn and North Meadow are obviously the best. Any of the beaches in the NYC boroughs are also great. Also consider Liberty State Park in New Jersey, just across from the Battery, for spectacular views of the harbor; the enormous Freshkills Park in Staten Island or Long Meadow in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park.

Best kids’ spring activities near NYC: Ice cream!

The Museum of Ice Cream — What kid, from 1 to 100, does love ice cream? This imaginative, multi-sensory experience features 13 installations across three floors in the heart of SoHo. You can slide down an epic three-story slide, take a celestial ride on a pink MOIC subway, dive into the largest Sprinkle Pool and, of course, sample its signature flavors and ice cream treats. Reserve tickets in advance, kids age 2 and under free.

Best kids’ spring activities near NYC: Indoor water parks

If the unpredictability of the spring weather makes you nervous, look into one of the many indoor water parks in our vicinity.

One of our faves is Great Wolf Lodge in Scotrun, Penn., (that’s the Poconos, folks) It’s about a 90-minute drive from Manhattan.

If you want to stay in state, maybe head to the Monticello in the Catskills for The Kartrite, also 90 minutes. Opened in March 2019, it’s New York’s largest indoor water park at two acres. It features 15 water slides and coasters, a wave pool, lazy river and indoor beach.

See our full list of area indoor water parks and helpful tips for other locations, ways to save money and have more fun.

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You can also check out our friends at New York Family magazine for updated lists of seasonal events and Mommy Poppins NYC for other great suggestions for things for families and children to do in and around NYC this spring.

Photos: Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, Governors Island

I just got home from the Bronx Zoo with my son, Jake, and we’re already looking forward to our next trip – our third of this spring.

“Isn’t that expensive?” you may ask.

My answer: Not if you get a membership to the Wildlife Conservation Society.

After our second time at the zoo this year, I started to feel the pinch in my wallet. After a little online research, we learned how a membership pays for itself after a few trips and provides a year’s worth of entertainment.

Get the best deal for the Bronx Zoo:

• Go to the Wildlife Conservation Society membership page.
• Chose the plan and price that best suits your family.

Some of the options include:

• Unlimited admission for two adults and all your kids (up to 18 years old) to not just the Bronx Zoo but also to the New York Aquarium in Brooklyn and the city zoos in Central Park, Prospect Park and Queens.
• Unlimited admission to certain attractions and rides
• Free parking (for an additional one-time add-on fee)
• A 10% discount on food and souvenirs
• Discounts on tickets to special events and attractions, such as the Bronx Zoo’s annual Holiday Lights

Imagine all the different adventures, fun and memories you could create with the kids for one price.

Say you get the membership this week. At-home parents could take their children for just a few hours on a weekday morning (better because it’s less crowded), see two or three of the myriad of exhibits the zoo has to offer, grab lunch at the concession stands (or pack your own and save) then still make it home for the kids’ mid-day nap. You had a great day, right?

Then, do the same thing again in a week … or two … or three. You’re a member now, so pull out your membership cards and bring the kids back to the Bronx Zoo at no additional charge.

See just a few new exhibits each time because, as we all know, a young child’s attention span can last for only so long, and after several visits, you’ve seen the entire zoo and maybe more. After or in between, visit the aquarium and other zoos – admission fee already paid.

That’s what Jake and I plan to do this summer, and we highly recommend that you consider it, too. You and your kids will love it.

Photo credits: Seal and polar bear – Always Home and Uncool. Bronx Zoo entry gate: Wikipedia

Disclosure Note: This was a paid, sponsored meet-up with Safari Ltd. The opinions expressed in this post are our own and have not been influenced by our sponsor.  We limit our advertising to relevant partners that offer products and services we believe in and use ourselves. 

One of my favorite family activities is visiting the Central Park Zoo.  It’s a little oasis in the middle of Central Park that has become an essential destination every few weeks to satisfy our love of animals. Visiting the zoo with my parents during my childhood was a highlight for me and I love sharing that passion with my son.  With the balmy weather finally upon us in New York, we decided to extend an invitation to our entire NYC Dads Group organization to join us for a monumental playdate at the petting zoo.

The dads in our community love opportunities to play with their children!  Last week, twenty-five dads with their little ones in tow descended upon the Central Park Zoo.   We decided to take it up a notch and invite Safari LTD. to the #ZooPlayDate to “discover the frontiers of our imagination” with their authentic, hand-crafted zoo animal figurines so we could recreate scenes happening at the zoo, in the petting zoo, or wherever else our children’s imaginations take us.

Our little ones had a blast at the petting zoo feeding and engaging with the sheep, goats, pigs, alpacas, and cows.  Sure, we spent a bloody fortune on overpriced animal food pellets so our children could giggle and get slobbered on as they fed their favorite animals, but it was completely worth it.  The children played with their new animal figurines and climbed all over the massive spiderweb, while the dads had a chance to ride the pine and catch up with each other as we basked in the sunshine of the perfect Spring day.  I still have vivid images of my son and I pretending we were kangaroos (just like our Safari Ltd. Aussie figure) as we hopped and skipped home from our monumental playdate.

We are the new normal!  So don’t gawk at us like we’re an exhibit at the zoo. We’re just a pack of dads getting together regularly with our children all over New York City almost every day of the week. Last week, a pack of fifteen members from our NYC DADS “dudes” GROUP were at the Central Park Zoo on a Wednesday morning with our kids sporting our brand spanking new Britax B-Ready Strollers. Special thanks to Britax for sponsoring this amazing outing and providing the sleek, durable, and smooth rides for all of the fathers involved. If you’ve seen the film, What To Expect When You’re Expecting, we were told by several tourists & parents at the zoo that day, that we reminded them of the “dudes group” from the movie…only without the star power of Chris Rock.

The morning was filled with our crew of active dads strolling over to the Penguin feeding, observing the monkeys, parading through the rain forest, catching the Sea Lion show, and carving out quality time for snacks, good conversations, and chasing after our children.  Then, some of us got to kick back and relax for a while as many of our children napped in their new wheels.  For me, the dads’ group experience is always about the camaraderie, bonding, and sharing of stories with other dads.  It’s nice to hear advice, best practices, and constructive feedback from other fathers to assist in helping me be the best dad I can be. Additionally, it’s a wonderful opportunity for dads with small babies to speak with “veteran dads” to help navigate parenthood. 

Our dads that attended the event had a lot of feedback about spending time and meeting new dad friends as well as discussing their Britax B-Ready Strollers which can be reviewed here. But, to really get an idea of what our experience was like, we’ve got some pics to share. Let us know what you think.

Sometimes it’s nice to be a tourist in your own city. Sometimes it’s nice to drop your child off with family so you and your wife can have some alone time. This past Saturday, I was fortunate to have both.

We live close to Central Park, and as an at home dad, it becomes my oasis several times a week – for it’s plentiful playgrounds, fields of grass for my son & I to run around or play ball on, serene landscapes, and the like. My working wife only knows Central Park for it’s overcrowded hot spots: The Great Lawn, Sheep’s Meadow, and the Zoo. I asked her how she wanted to spend our beautiful, private afternoon together without our son. She excitedly replied, “take me for a tour of Central Park.” Fortunately, I was armed with a useful tool because my buddy Matt sent me this article a few weeks ago: Hidden NY: 19 Fun Things to Do in Central Park Beyond the Zoo from family-friendly Mommy Poppins.

We started on the North East corner of Central Park. We strolled through the tranquil and symmetrical Conservatory Gardens, meandered around the Harlem Meer (where they rent free fishing equipment), and traversed through the North Woods filled with streams and waterfalls. One thing was for sure – it did not feel like New York City. After navigating The Great Hill and parking ourselves on the banks of the boathouse lagoon listening to the folk tunes of That Guitar Man from Central Park, we had the makings of a perfect date.

I share this (not to sound corny, but I know it does anyway) because sometimes the most simple and least expensive way is the best way to have the perfect date! And to hype up what an amazing and diverse place Central Park truly is. Although, I know so many other treasures exist throughout the five boroughs of New York City.

Speaking of Central Park, our friends at the Baby Buggy charity are hosting their fourth annual fundraising event TODAY: Baby Buggy Bedtime Bash in Central Park…

This is a family fundraiser that they do once a year at Victorian Gardens in Central Park. If you are ever going to experience the amusement park over the summer come to this private, fun event where there are NO lines and everyone wins a prize!

Who: Baby Buggy
What: A Family Fun Party For Kids of All Ages
When: Thursday, June 3, 4:30 – 7:30pm – rain or shine
Where: Victorian Gardens (Amusement Park) at Wollman Rink in Central Park
Cost: This is a charitable donation and different packages are available, but site states single adult tickets are $175 & individual children are $75.
For more information, visit their website or call 212-736-1772

Read about our group’s volunteer experience with this fantastic charity.