INFORMATION

CHILDREN

Travelling with your children has always been considered a problem by many parents, but in reality many of the difficulties are more of adults than of young travelers. First of all you have to try to keep some of their habits, it is also advisable to plan the trip according to their needs to turn it into a fun and educational experience.

During the flight

Arrive at the airport in advance to deal with any minor setbacks and take the stroller to the entrance of the aircraft (ask for directions at check-in). During the flight, make them drink frequently and walk for at least a few minutes every hour. During long journeys to pass the time, it may be useful to bring some small games, a book to read to him, some sheets of paper to make him draw or a tablet, the latter to be used in moderation. During takeoff and landing, give them candies to suck on. Bring any emergency medication in your hand luggage.

Difficulties

Some small difficulties relate to travel, especially the entrances to the subway stations which in New York are often without elevator and escalators and it is therefore preferable to be in two adults. The subway platforms are very crowded and in the larger stations the tracks are on both sides, so be careful. The sidewalks in Manhattan are very wide but very crowded at peak times, the so-called “rush hours”, walking sideways trying to stay out of the fast flow of pedestrians. There are also some restaurants, especially the luxurious ones, and some bed & breakfasts that don't allow children, so it is advisable to call in advance to ask if they are accepted.

What to see and playgrounds

Manhattan

Downtown: Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Brooklyn Bridge, South Street Seaport Museum, New York City Police Museum, National Museum of the American Indian, Ground Zero, Cruises around Manhattan, Ferry to Staten Island, Playground At Fulton (Fulton St. $ Pearl St.), Historical Battery Park (SeaGlass Carousel), Rockefeller Park (Playground), Goofy Garden Golf (minigolf).
Chinatown: Columbus Park Playgroung (Worth St. & Baxter St.), Little Italy, Desalvio Playground (Spring St. & Mulberry St.).
SoHo: Children's Museum Of The Arts.
East Village: Lower East Side Tenement Museum.
Midtown West: FDNY Fire Zone (near Radio City Music Hall), Radio City Tour, Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum.
Midtown East: Empire State Building, NY Skyride, Grand Central Terminal, New York Public Library, Bryant Park, Rockefeller Plaza, Top of the Rock, Sony Wonder Technology Lab, Madison Square Park (the playground is at the corner Madison Ave. & 26th St.)
Theater District: Times Square, The New Victory Theater , Madame Tussaud’s, Ripley’s Believe It Or Not, Hershey’s Times Square.
West Side: American Museum of Natural History, Children’s Museum of Manhattan, Lincoln Center.
East Side: Metropolitan Museum of Art, Tramway to Roosevelt Island.
Central Park: Central Park Zoo, Victorian Gardens, Wollman Ice Skating Rink, Heckscher Playground, Billy Johnson Playground, Ride the carousel, Conservatory Water, Boating on the lake, Rent bikes, Belvedere Castle, Swedish Cottage Marionette.
Playgrounds: Adventure Playground (W. 67th St. at Central Park West), Diana Ross Playground (81st St. and Central Park West), Ancient Playground (E. 84th St. and Fifth Ave.), East 72nd St. Playground (E. 72nd St. and Fifth Ave.), Pat Friedman Hoffman Playground (E. 79th St. and Fifth Ave.), or the Ross Pinetum Playground, on the northwest corner of the Great Lawn, with lots of swings and picnic tables.

Bronx

Bronx Zoo.

Brooklyn

Prospect Park, New York Aquarium, Brooklyn Children's Museum, The Jewish Children's Museum.

Queens

Queens Zoo, New York Hall of Science.

Staten Island

Staten Island Children's Museum, Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden.

Useful links

Kid-Friendly NYC (www.nyctourism.com)
101 things to do with kids in NYC (Time Out)
29 things to do in NYC with kids (ny.curbed.com)
21 Cool and Unusual Kid-Friendly Places in New York City (www.atlasobscura.com)