It's tough to beat the playgrounds on Pier 6 in Brooklyn Bridge Park. There are massive slides, epic sandboxes, Swing Valley— and the Water Lab, the park's hot-weather crown jewel and arguably the best water playground in the city. The Water Lab encourages creative play, with water screws to turn and sprays to operate. There's a canal your little ones can fill with flowing water, or damn up—you can watch the children negotiate who does what. All that splashy fun will build appetites—good thing a wood-fired pizza enjoyed on the roof deck of Fornino is just steps away.
NOTE: AS NEW YORK CITY CONTINUES TO REOPEN, NEW REGULATIONS REGARDING PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS ARE BEING PUT INTO PLACE. FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH THE NEW RULES BEFORE GOING TO ANY PLAYGROUND.
When the summer heat strikes, you can always head for a water playground. The city's best water playgrounds for kids are unmatched—along with the best beaches for kids in and around NYC and the NYC pools that will reopen August 1, these cooling play zones are an essential part of a New York summer.
RECOMMENDED: Full guide to outdoor activities for kids in NYC
Waiting are you waiting for? Pack your water shoes, grab a towel and head to the Water Lab in Brooklyn Bridge Park, or the Beach 30th Street Playground in the Rockaways, or the Chelsea Waterside Play Area in Manhattan! Many of the best water playgrounds are a part of the best kids’ playgrounds in the city—we guarantee you hours of fun.
And when you're ready to get out of the city, we can point you to the best hiking trails for NYC families to explore, or one of the best drive-in theaters in and near New York City. We'll help you make this the best summer ever.